Thành Phố Hạ Long

What an awful journey! :(
This last bit of rambling started badly yesterday, and just got worse as it went on.
It was another overnight bus - reasonably comfortable beds and an on-bus loo (not fully functioning). If it hadn't been for the rude, brusque bus drivers and every other Vietnamese we encountered along the journey, it might have been more pleasant. Sadly, it wasn't. Arrogant, aggressive and evidently continuously trying to scam me at every turn, the hassle and physical pulling, tugging, shouting really got to me today.
I got drooped off yet again at some kind of random roadside transportation office in Hanoi, and left to find some way of continuing my journey northwards. I did get a little bit of help eventually, but this was almost definitely a scam. Eventually a bus to Haiphong is the best I can arrange.
Haiphong may be. Vietnam's 5th largest city, but it's a decidedly dull place. After even more bus station touts and scammers, I manage to get directed by a member of a bus. company staff to get on a minibus to Halong City on the east coast of northern Vietnam. I had hoped to go to a place called Cat Ba, as a stepping stone to Lan Ha Bay, which is supposed to be as gorgeous as Halong Bay - we'll see.
Halong Bay will have to do. It may even be a better option as the transport links back to Hanoi for the airport will be better.
I was really looking forward to visiting Vietnam but, so far, I've mightily disappointed. Maybe I've missed the best bits, but the scams and shifty people have. repeatedly soured my experience. The bus driver holding onto my change from a 500,000 Dong note (not a huge amount) got me concerned that I was in for another bout of being ripped off. After a 3-way telephone call with someone in his office, and a long delay, he did give me the 300,000 Dong change. But, surprise, surprise, they dropped me off on the outskirts of Halong, leaving me with a about a mile of walking to my digs.
Ah well, the walk will do me good. Surprisingly, the traffic is quite sedate, even calm.
The afternoon ends. on a bright not though. I managed to find a decent place for the next two nights, got myself booked onto a tour around Halong Bay for tomorrow, and sorted out how to get to Hanoi Airport for later.
Even managed to squeeze in a good coffee.
Halong could bring some pleasant surprises. I'm feeling more positive.En savoir plus