A Year of Living Awesomely

In which we take our last big trip. SE Asia and Europe Read more

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A Year of Living Awesomely
Cruise
May 14, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Today we took our cruise through the islands. One advantage of travelling this time of year and on a week day meant that the cruise was only a third full, and there were hardly any other boats around. Our first stop was Cổng chào làng Việt Hải village, where Kong Skull Island was filmed. And you can see why. Towering cliffs and narrow valleys. Next stop was for water sports. Swimming, kayaking and jumping off the boat.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Cat Co 1 Beach
May 15, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
Got up early to visit Cat Co 1 beach for a look and a swim. Water is warm and pleasant. Lynne was on a tour so we have borrowed some photos from Joanne. 👍. As our cruise the day before was so good I’ve added a couple more videos. 🙂Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Cat Ba Town
May 16, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Started early at Cat Co Beach 2. Spent the rest of the day strolling around town taking in the coffee shops, seafood restaurants and the market. Plenty of vendors with squid on a stick dunked in chilli sauce. Not bad. Ended the day with clams in ginger. Tomorrow we head back to Hanoi. It’s been a great stay here.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Goodbye Cat Ba
May 17, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Last morning in Cat Ba. It’s been a great stay here away from the chaos that is Hanoi’s Old Quarter. About a 3.5 hour bus trip (interrupted by a boat shuttle across the river) back to Hanoi. Grab to our new stay at Westlake. Glad to see the accomodation is modern, clean and cool.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Westlake
May 17, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
We are staying in a nice apartment in Westlake. A very pricey suburb with a huge number of coffee shops, restaurants and bars. This area also houses magnificent multi storey mansions. A large ex pat community live here which is probably responsible for the variety of cuisines. Italian, Japanese, Korean, German, Australian and Turkish to name a few. Westlake is a 17km lake which was part of the Red River several hundreds of years ago. Quite peaceful walking along the shore.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
The Lotus Garden
May 18, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
A look around the area we are in. The Lotus garden popular with locals wanting that perfect shot. Checked out the eateries. Ended the day at The Kneipe a German themed bar with a happy hour. 😁
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Lunch spot
May 19, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C
Found a nearby well priced eatery specialising in chicken. Tucked away in overgrown foliage on a little pond with several birdcages hanging over the tables. 2 chicken dishes with drinks $9.00.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Another find
May 20, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Walking around this area you keep finding something different. This mosaic celebrates the friendship between Vietnam and Germany. Juices after our walk to cool off.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Cafè
May 21, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
A really lovely cafe near us. Just so comfortable and atmospheric.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Haircut
May 21, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Today Lynne decided to cut her hair short, due to the constant heat. She was upsold for a wash facial massage. All for $17. 🙂. Lunch at our local toastie place, reminiscent of Spain.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Flower Garden
May 22, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Lynne did a tour of a local flower garden. Up early to avoid the heat. Nice gardens with areas for dining, relaxing and outdoor movie nights.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Leaving Hanoi
May 23, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
We say goodbye today to Hanoi, catching the train to Sapa leaving at 10pm. A hill town close the the Chinese border. Before this we take the opportunity to visit a 11th century temple, a pagoda and a memorial to John McCain. (Just read his Bio. An Extraordinary story. ). Outside the temple was a street barber. Cost $2.50 and a good job. Even used his clippers to trim my stubble. 😳. A smooth journey to the station and on to the train. We booked a 2 berth as sharing a 4 berth is just too many people in a small cabin.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Sapa
May 24, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Our 8 hour overnight train to Lao Cai went pretty quickly. Once we arrived at 6.00am, travellers had to run the gauntlet of minibus drivers offering transport to Sapa, about an hours drive. We jumped in to a bus offering 100000 dong for 2. ($7.00). Drive went well, literally climbing the hills for the whole trip. Sapa very much like an European mountain town. And the weather is blissfully cool. Checked in and strolled around town. Coffee at a cafe overlooking the valley. Truly beautiful.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Rain
May 25, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Not much on as it rained most of the day. Did get out for a short walk. Strolled through the De La Coupole, the most expensive hotel in Sapa. 3 million dong per night. 😳. Which I guess is only $200. per night. Not much compared to Europe or Australia. But a lot on a budget. 🙂Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Sapa Lake
May 26, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
Was able to get out for a short while between rain squalls. Nice walk around the lake and finished at a nice coffee shop overlooking the lake. Beers in town and ended the day with a great Indian meal.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Fansipan Mountain
May 27, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Huge day today. A visit to Fansipan Mountain, the highest peak in India China. The first Funicular leaves from the bowels of La Coupole Hotel. Along the side of the the valley looking down on to rice fields. We transfer to the Cable Car. The longest in the world at 6.3km. We get to “mid station” completely enclosed by clouds. Coffee, then rain ponchos on and out into the wild wind. Apparently there are 650 steps to the summit, but I would dispute that. Lynne took the 2nd Funicular to the summit. I took the stairs and nearly made it. 🙁. It wasn’t such a big deal as the whole mountain remained shrouded in mist. Got home and collapsed.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Fansipan Mountain 2
May 28, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Recovery day today so here’s some more from our trip to the top of Fansipan.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
New Bag
May 29, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Winding down our stay in Sapa. More sightseeing around town. Lynne decided to get a new locally made bag. For $3.00 it wasn’t a big decision.Novelty of a family of water buffalo strolling through town.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Goodbye Sapa
May 30, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Spent our last day in Sapa pottering around town. Glad we came here. Finished the day by having a street BBQ dinner. Just pick the skewers you want (meat, fish, vegetables) and they BBQ it for you.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Hanoi again
May 31, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
After a 5 hour drive back to Hanoi we found our little hotel on the other side of Westlake. On the road down I found an amazing Rhinoceros Beetle in a bunch of coconuts being sold at a truck stop. Where we are staying is a busy place with lots of restaurants and cafes. We are here for the week before we fly out to Bangkok.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Hanoi
June 1, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
Scouted around the area to see how the food and cafe scene is. Plenty of choices and bargain prices. Noticed a peculiar fruit as one of the as cafes offering. Turns out it’s called Buddhas hands. Not for eating but can be used for fragrance.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Things you find
June 2, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C
You find all sorts of things on the street.
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Sunflower Seeds
June 3, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌩️ 36 °C
Dropped in to our ‘local’ Cafe yesterday morning, ordered our coffees and was then asked in Vietnamese if we wanted something. After getting our google translator out we were asked if we wanted sunflowers. 🌻. Some more typing and it translated into snacks. We said no thanks. So today we get the coffees and we get a plate of sunflower seeds. Ah so…. Now we get it. We have seen these seeds around but it didn’t twig with us. Anyway , very finicky to eat. Crack shell with teeth, then use nails to open. Very small seed, nutty taste. Later in the evening we went to the rooftop of our hotel to catch the view.Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Westlake West
June 4, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌩️ 33 °C
Got a Grab over to the west side of Westlake. Strolled along the shoreline and stumbled on an impressive temple. After our visit we went for a coffee. Most of the cafes had figures available for painting. Good way of entertaining the kids. Also passed a Vietnamese Bunnings. 😳Read more
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A Year of Living Awesomely
Hanoi Life
June 5, 2024 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Snapshot of local life around our hotel. I like the way they park their bikes in their business or in the family lounge room. Or fit anything on their bikes.
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