Vietnam

Motorbikes is the theme of Hanoi. They are used to transport whatever you need to move…

Its common for a family of four – mum and dad and two kids to pile onto the Honda 50.  Thats the most I’ve seen on one bike so far.  Pigs for market, fridges and concrete formwork all get carted around on motorbikes.  Road rules are almost non existent except that on some busier roads there’s a tendency to keep to the right. But either side of the road seems quite ok.

I have some photos but at this internet cafe at Sa Pa I haven’t managed to upload them, so it will have to wait till another day.  I can’t check my email either.  Such is life near the China border in the north of Vietnam.

I’m trekking to a hill tribe (red Zao) village today where I’ll stay overnight.  I’ve arranged three homestays in the villages here before returning to Sa Pa. The mountain sides are layered with rice terraced rice paddies but now they get some of their income from selling crafts to tourists like me.

Back in a few days.

Back at Monty’s

Current Sunshine is now back at Monty’s – I need somewhere to keep her while I go to Vietnam for a couple of weeks. Steve and Miki will move aboard to keep her company while I’m away. Luckily Noggy has a mooring available here for the next month that I can use. Isn’t it great how the universe provides for me…

After leaving Myora anchorage at Straddie, I went to Bribie Island – I was too late to catch the tide for entering the Caboolture river. And yesterday we had a great sail across Deception Bay. The wind being really light – even calm – the crew decided to swim.  And then 15 minutes later we had a shark cruise past us, and then we spotted another very white one just as at the entrance to Caboolture River.

Before leaving Myora I did manage to get a picture of one of the elusive turtles,

He only stays on the surface for a moment to suck in a lungful...

 

and one of a sea eagle that was playing in the wind eddies around the boat…

Playing in the wind

 

Aboriginal Tours

There’s some interesting stuff happening here at Dunwich…  If you’re interested in doing a cultural tour of Straddie click here to check out their website. I’ve met Brendon and his mum Denise who’ve started up this business and they’ll look after you.