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From Hull to Everywhere Else

My trip from Hull heading eastwards. The aim is to reach Turkey overland, then into the 'Stans. Thence to India and further east. . After that who knows? But I'm not overplanning. Just going to see what happens. Read more

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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Ninh Binh - exploring by scooter
July 18, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 35 °C
Spent the morning exploring by scooter. Had to stop after a while because the sun was too strong and I was going bright red. But riding around the area it was beautiful. An earthly paradise. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see dinosaurs walking about.Read more
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Trang An - Boat trip
July 17, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 35 °C
Rode on a scooter Trang An and took the boat trip into a kilometre long cave where you on occasion had to duck down to avoid the ceiling. Amazing. After that went to Mao An ? Cave and did the 450 steps to the dragon at the top. Way too hot for that! Am bright red now.Read more
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Trang An Mao Cave
July 17, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C
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Halong Bay
June 12, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
First entry for a while as I haven’t been doing very much in the way of travel recently. Today a day trip to Halong Bay. Got up for a 2.5 hour bus trip at 8.30. On the way a stop at a pearl making centre with lots of jewellery. So many of these day trips have a completely inappropriate stop at some kind of store. No back packer is going to be interested yet they persist. Anyway after that we continued the bus journey to the bay and then boarded a boat. About 30 of us on board I would say. Had lunch on the boat and admired the view. First stop was to one of the islands where you could either swim or climb to the top for the panorama. Did the latter as the beach was a little crowded and fancied a break from any form of exercise. Although the 400 steps to the top would probably count as exercise anyway! After that another trip in the boat to another island where the options were kayaking, boat or speedboat. Opted for the speed boat. Got to pretty fast round the islands. And then visit to yet another cave. Caves are great and Vietnam certainly has its share. Met some lovely fellow travellers zac & Gina from NZ, Morgan from Cambridge and Gloria & Skykar from Ireland & NY.Read more
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Halong Bay 3
June 12, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
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Halong Bay 2
June 12, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
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Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
May 15, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Been working for the last few days so nothing interesting to report. Today went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum with new friend Lizzie. No photos are allowed and you are in the actual mausoleum part for probably less than a minute. His mummified body is there on display. He looks very chilled. After that and a coffee went to the Hanoi Hilton prison museum. Very dark. Vietnam has an awful history. First the French then the Americans. But they seem so lacking in resentment and friendly. Maybe it’s the Buddhism.Read more
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Hanoi
May 14, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Went on a walking tour from the hostel today. Very good tour led by Luna. Made new friend Doctor Lizzie.
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Hanoi - Lakeside
May 3, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
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Hanoi Liverpool Supporters Club
April 27, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Watching the Reds win the league. About time
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Hanoi
April 19, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Seats in Vietnamese restaurants are very low. For a tall westerner like me you almost have to fall into them. 😂
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Hanoi
April 18, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C
I think this blog may be a little boring for a few days as I’m concentrating mainly on work for a while. I may use it for some pompous self-important thoughts instead. I hope that’s ok with anyone who’s daft enough to read it 🤦‍♂️Also I’ve just realised this face palm emoji looks just like Donald Trump.Read more
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Hanoi
April 16, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C
Back to Hanoi form Bangkok. Never been on a plane that looks like this one did when I got on
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Hanoi
April 16, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
So I was walking around Hanoi in the evening and I spotted this in the photo. I’m a little surprised that in a country that is nominally communist (economically it could not be less communist) this is allowed. Perhaps it isn’t?Read more
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Bangkok
April 15, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Quick border run today as my Vietnamese visa expires tomorrow. So am in Bangkok now before returning to Hanoi tomorrow.
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Lao Cai
April 14, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Just tried to do the visa run to China. The exit guard said no as I didn’t have a Chinese visa. I told him about the 10 day visa free transit scheme but he wasn’t having it. So I have to leave and re-enter by other means. Somewhat annoying. Now have to work out exactly how.Read more
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Lao Cao
April 13, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Staying here tonight before doing a border / visa run tomorrow. Went for a little walk to try to find a bar to watch the footy. But instead I found myself with a new friend: Mon
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Hanoi / Train street
Apr 12–14, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Arrived back in Hanoi. Now need to do something about my visa free access as my 45 days are nearly up. Best course of actions seems to be a border run.

Had an easy day today as yesterday was very tired. Spent the day doing the final leg of the Ha Giang loop and then got the bus back to Hanoi. I was at the front of the bus and my legs were too long to stretch out properly. So was stiff as anything by the time I arrived back.

Oh and of course I saw the famous train which runs between the shops.

Went for a burger in the evening. While I was sitting out under the canopy it started to rain. Quite heavily. So the burger bar provided me with a raincoat coat. For free That’s the first time I’ve come out of a restaurant with more clothes than I went in with.Read more
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Ha Giang loop day 3
April 11, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
More still photos

The videos I took on the loop are too long for this blog, so I've uploaded them to Youtube. Here's the link https://youtu.be/cjn0UNtQYf8
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Ha Giang Loop Day 2 /3
April 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Still more photos

The videos I took on the loop are too long for this blog, so I've uploaded them to Youtube. Here's the link https://youtu.be/cjn0UNtQYf8
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Ha Goang Loop Day 2
April 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Yet more photos

The videos I took on the loop are too long for this blog, so I've uploaded them to Youtube. Here's the link https://youtu.be/cjn0UNtQYf8
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From Hull to Everywhere Else Traveler
Ha Giang Loop Day 1 /2
April 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
More photos

The videos I took on the loop are too long for this blog, so I've uploaded them to Youtube. Here's the link https://youtu.be/cjn0UNtQYf8
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Ha Giang Loop
Apr 9–12, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Riding the Ha Giang loop with Hoang as my Easy Rider. Three days riding through some of the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen in my life.

The videos I took on the loop are too long for this blog, so I've uploaded them to Youtube. Here's the link https://youtu.be/cjn0UNtQYf8Read more
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Hanoi
Apr 7–8, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Arrived in Hanoi and got a grab taxi to the Luxury Hotel - yes that is its name and for £8 a night it was pretty luxurious. Relaxed on day 1 but also researched the Ha Giang loop and plan to go tomorrow via Eastern Gate Hostel as it has a lovely hostess and was recommended by Karl.

Also went to the water puppet theatre at the suggestion of an English mother and daughter couple I met in a restaurant. Worth a tripRead more
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Phong Nha - Paradise and Dark Cave 2
April 4, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
As ever I seem to be falling behind with these blog entries. I think it has something to do with being too tired after all the day's excitement. I resolve to do better in future. This was a lovely day. A tour from the hostel to Paradise Cave. This was truly enormous. Our guide said Vietnam has the first third and fourth biggest caves in the world. That statement is contentious as measuring the size of a cave is not straightforward. How do you compare one with a huge chamber like this, with one that is maybe a hundred miles long but really narrow? Anyway, I was blown away by the size. Truly immense. As I've said before I love a good cave. They are truly beautiful. After lunch went to the Dark Cave. You enter via a zipline (which autocorrect thinks should be a biplane - how are you supposed to enter a cave by biplane) and then have to swim a few meters. After that you walk deep into the cave - everyone just dressed in their bathers so somewhat odd and then about a kilometre in you get to have a mud bath. One of the more bizarre experiences. After that play in the water park: zip lines and slides.Read more
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