I’m at the main railway station in Hanoi, Vietnam; about to start a 14-hour train rides down the coast to Hue, in central Vietnam. Hue is a rich historical town of citadels, temples, pagodas, and palaces. I made the split second decision to go south rather then north to Sapa. Sapa sounded enchanting, with rolling hills, rice paddies, and misty mountains leading up to the Chinese border. Most likely the minute my feet hit Sapa soil I would have found a quiet homestay or guesthouse and stayed for days. But there lies the danger of nice quiet towns; I never want to leave. So I’ll be missing the colorful Flower Power Hmong market in Bac La tomorrow morning as well. But all the trains to Sapa were full, and I was starting to feel the need to make my way towards Cambodia eventually so I can see Angkor Wat. I’ll spend a few days in Hue then make a short trip to see Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to the world’s largest and longest caves, Phong Nha Cave and Paradise Cave. I’ve read the park is a tropical evergreen jungle, and after spending nearly a week in the bustling, loud city of Hanoi I’m eager for some pristine nature. I’ll try to stay at Phong Nha Farmstay, which is near the park. Once there I’m free to rent a bicycle or kayak to explore the area.

I spent yesterday and the day before on a boat in Halong Bay. It was grey and drizzling outside so the rocky formations weren’t quite as striking as the photographs but it was far more pleasant as far as temperature goes. I thoroughly enjoyed the kayaking we did in the bay, as well as the hike up to the top of one of the islands. We spent the evening lounging on the boat and learning how to fish for squid, which the boat workers joked would be our breakfast.