But wait, it can get hotter

We left Hanoi around 7am and headed toward Halong Bay. We booked a two night/three day cruise, with lots of kayaking, swimming, and general sightseeing.

By the time we finished the 3.5 hour drive, the sun was out. I’m not sure why it was so angry, but it scorched us each time we dared to walk out from the shade. Today’s “feels like” temperature is two degrees hotter than yesterday, sitting at 115 degrees. Fortunately, the waiting area and boat were air conditioned.

After lunch, we explored our boat, the Erina. Our triple cabin is well styled with dark wood and sparkling white linens. We have a deck that will be nice as the sun sets. We started to the upper viewing deck, but the sun soaked wood started burning my feet. I hopped quickly back to a shaded area, flailing as if being swarmed by bees, “ahh, my feet, my feet!!!” Nikki and Kim continued up the stairs, having worn sandals.

I swapped some good karma for a brilliant rain storm. Before we were scheduled to go kayaking, the sky gods had mercy on us and opened the skies. The hard rain dropped the temperature and finished up right on schedule. We boarded our kayaks and paddled to the nearest karst. We floated near the shore, taking in the geologic features and lush green plant life. We had spotted some goats on one of the karsts and discovered the harsh terrain builds muscle, which makes better meat. Apparently, they put them there on purpose.

We wrapped up our night with karaoke. We sang a couple of times (mostly Nikki) and spent most of our time watching a group of Russians sing old Madonna and Spice Girls tunes. Rich!Read more