In our ongoing attempts to maintain some level of sanity (the 50-60 hour workweeks don’t help this venture) we’ve taken the opportunity this year to spend nearly every long weekend outside of Tokyo.  While this may not be the cheapest formula, it has proven to be one that works considerably well. Thus, quick trips have become a way of life and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future or until I run out of places (yeah, right…that’s totally going to happen) I want to see.

Given Monday was Labour Thanksgiving we opted to spend our weekend in Hong Kong. A quick 4 hour flight later and we were on the ground and ready to explore. As it turns out, we liked HK a lot more than we had anticipated as the outdoor cafes, boardwalk and general atmosphere was very welcoming.

The views weren’t too bad either…

One fun little note: Each night there is a laser show at 8pm with laser beams being shot off of the roofs of some of the biggest buildings. Our second night in HK, we had a little Dim Sum (yum!) for dinner and then just sat along the board walk until the light show began promptly at 8pm. While it might get a little old after a while, it was free and quite entertaining (well, we are easily entertained).

That said, we had a great time just sitting on the boardwalk watching the people pass by.  We did just a bit of shopping (though there was no lack of shopping options) and managed to pick up some new (small) pottery lions to be added to our book shelf ‘o adventures.

Sadly, as of this morning I’m left to wonder where our next adventure will be. We’re headed home for the holidays next month (yay!) but were also planning a trip to India for my birthday in March. Unfortunately, it seems like that option is now off the table.  We are quite thankful this evening though that those of those we know who are currently in Mumbai and the family of a friend of ours are all safe.

Oh well, off to ponder…

After avoiding a starfish/sea horse/scorpion breakfast we found ourselves on a bus headed north out of Beijing.

Two hours later we found ourselves here. Yes, the Commune by the Great Wall. It’s in the middle of no where and yet, still very cool (literally and figuratively).  After finding our respective houses/rooms, we took off for lunch and a quick hike up to the great wall.  Given Commune is located a bit off the beaten path, we were lucky enough to have a small section of the wall all to ourselves.

Needless to say, it was beautiful.

Not so beautiful? Me dancing.

As promised, shortly after our hike down from the wall we began to practice the samba. After being offered a choice between the smoke machine or bubbles for our performance (Are we taking this a bit seriously?) we spent the next few hours practicing and preparing for the performance.  Once we were moderately sure we would not completely embarrass ourselves, we changed into the performance costumes and off we went!

In the end it wasn’t too bad and went by very quickly. Still, we weren’t as good as some of the other offices who had hired professional choreographers from Russia (again with the taking a company skit too seriously!). Following our performance we were lucky enough to settle into some very good Chinese food and win a few awards.  I also got to take off the rubber Geisha wig which was probably the best moment of the night – for me at least. And no, there were no pictures of that I will share. The only chance you may have at seeing me in the outfit would be if a certain industry magazine picks up the photos they took and given how well my translucent white skin looks up against yellow fabric, I’m guessing that’s going to be a no.

All in all, it was a lot more fun than we could have ever anticipated.

Sadly, we only stayed at Commune one night before a 5:30 car picked us up to return us to the airport.

Little did we know what the next day would entail…

Before setting off to Vietnam we’d debated back and forth a bit whether we wanted to visit the northern mountains in Sa Pa or to sail along the Limestone cliffs of Ha Long bay. After finding our hotel would be able to book us an overnight on a junk ship in Ha Long we figured it was a sign and went with it.

Although the three hour drive to Ha Long bay was a bit much, once we saw the ship we knew we’d made the right choice. As our van group was divided into two groups (there were two ships) we found ourselves literally walking the plank – though onto the ship. Needless to say, I was pretty sure walking across a six inch board onto a boat would end up with me in the water but I made it!

Once on board we met our fellow travelers: a British couple (honeymooning), a couple from New Zealand and two women from Australia traveling without their husbands. Although we were the youngest couple by a few years, the group was quite fun right from the start. As the crew explained where we’d be going and what we would be doing (while providing all the fresh juice we wanted) we gradually set sail into the bay.

After sailing for a bit and following a fresh seafood lunch, we visited a floating village about two hours from land and pulled into a cove to do some swimming.

Its important to note that when I fist met T he refused to go in the water past his belly button but has since gone on to get certified in scuba and find nemo in Guam. That said, when one of the boat staff was assigned the ”jelly fish lookout” the prospects for swimming were looking pretty grim. However, South East Asia is a sticky, hot place and the only option for cooling off was a dip in the sea. To add an additional element of drama, we were offered the chance to jump off of the top of the boat..T paled and refused (it was about 20 feet or so).

I, however, quickly found myself in the cool water looking up at my petrified husband. After five minutes of negotiation, T was finally convinced he would not die and that running off the top would be the best way of getting down (verses the climb he seemed to be contemplating). He did it!

T says…It crossed my mind, but the jump turned out to be quite a rush!

After a jelly fish-less swim, we laid in the sun and took in the sites..

After another delicious meal we pulled into another cove to sleep for the night.

The next morning we headed off to a nearby cave…

I know you were promised Hanoi but after making that promise I remembered that our original Saigon post lacked photos..thus, I now remedy that.

The thing about travel that makes photography fun is that you never really know what you will come across. For instance, in Saigon we stopped by the War Museum and came across quite a bit old military gear left behind..

While I won’t get into the museum itself as I don’t think I need to recount the effects of agent orange on the various body parts kept in jars (yeah…gross) the machinery was something I’ve never really had the opportunity to capture on film (? not really film as I shoot digital)

Though we walked the city, that’s not to say there weren’t all sorts of interested modes of travel available..

Or shopping options..

You’ll note there is a bike under there.

Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of southern Vietnam, I will say that its tropical weather was complemented by a lot of color around the city.

(I like the Tongue)

And finally, a sweaty Thomas in a cafe we stopped in to watch some football (er…soccer) and have a coke (no bottled water available and well..tap water would be a BIG mistake).

Hanoi Day One will be posted tomorrow..