South East Asia Adventure | Warm weather awaits

Spent yesterday and today on Halong Bay, one of the new 7 Wonders of the World: ate shrimp, another kind of shrimp, followed by another kind of shrimp; wandered through caves will phallic-like stalectytes hanging from the ceiling; climbed 430 steps to the pagoda and 360 degree view; drank Australian wine; and learned to make spring rolls.  Met lots of interesting people: Jamie (American working for WHO in Geneva), her son Brendan (moving to Viet Nam for an internship); Gary, Fiona and son Ben (Sydney, Australia) and David and Avril ( alsoAustralia), Sasha from Moscow who is 14, speaks five languages, and wants to be a movie star, and her little sister Veronique, and their parents . All new friends. Off to Luang Prabang--where it is a balmy 24 degrees or so.