(Pardon the typos - I'm typing quickly with my thumbs)
In nearly every tour book you'll read about Vietnam, they mention Halong Bay. We heard feedback from folks who had been ripped off, the weather was bad or that they just got "over the pretty" pretty quickly. We adjusted our plans and chose to spend 2 days and visit a smaller bay called "Bai Ton" which was less touristy. It was well worth it!
We took a four hour bus ride to the harbor and upon boarding we were welcomed with a class of orange juice. We set sail and dove into what looked like the set of "Avatar." Tall looming rocks gazed down at us as we slowly passed by. The water rippled with a metallic sheen that was mesmerizing.
Our first stop was a small fishing village call "Vien Vong." We pulled up to their floating dock and Lindsay and I jumped in our kayak while Marina and Elica did the same. As we paddled behind our guide, everywhere we looked was phenomenal!!! The air was crisp and the sun was beginning to break through the clouds onto the little wood houses below that floated beside us. We looked at a little school. In front of the school, they had cut out squares from the dock in which they had fish floating around. I was unclear if there were for studying or eating. We proceeded along our tour, through the current, and finally back to the boat where we enjoyed jumping from the deck of the boat into the South China Sea.
As we continued to sail onto Halong Bay, I found myself on the roof of the boat, staring into the distance. It was calm, patient and still. (Sensations that tend to feel foreign in my life). As I sat on the roof looking out, I fell into a deep prayer of gratitude and love. Everything I was looking at was an absolute blessing and I was humbled having the ability and time to take out to see this. The world is truly magnificent. I then began to think, how could I bring back this feeling of calm back home? Can I use this when I'm stressed at work? How can I remember this moment? Momentarily after the sun began to set and we all gathered together to watch. Another sun sets and another is about to begin.
We took a four hour bus ride to the harbor and upon boarding we were welcomed with a class of orange juice. We set sail and dove into what looked like the set of "Avatar." Tall looming rocks gazed down at us as we slowly passed by. The water rippled with a metallic sheen that was mesmerizing.
Our first stop was a small fishing village call "Vien Vong." We pulled up to their floating dock and Lindsay and I jumped in our kayak while Marina and Elica did the same. As we paddled behind our guide, everywhere we looked was phenomenal!!! The air was crisp and the sun was beginning to break through the clouds onto the little wood houses below that floated beside us. We looked at a little school. In front of the school, they had cut out squares from the dock in which they had fish floating around. I was unclear if there were for studying or eating. We proceeded along our tour, through the current, and finally back to the boat where we enjoyed jumping from the deck of the boat into the South China Sea.
As we continued to sail onto Halong Bay, I found myself on the roof of the boat, staring into the distance. It was calm, patient and still. (Sensations that tend to feel foreign in my life). As I sat on the roof looking out, I fell into a deep prayer of gratitude and love. Everything I was looking at was an absolute blessing and I was humbled having the ability and time to take out to see this. The world is truly magnificent. I then began to think, how could I bring back this feeling of calm back home? Can I use this when I'm stressed at work? How can I remember this moment? Momentarily after the sun began to set and we all gathered together to watch. Another sun sets and another is about to begin.
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Lauren Selman
(510) 604-2617 | lauren.selman@gmail.com