Halong Bay and Probably not coming home early

Well, we would need to be at the airport now if we were leaving today so I guess we will not make it back to see Zach before he leaves on vacation with his dad (very disappointed). Our tickets never got confirmed so I guess nothing opened up. I think everything is booked tight this week so we will probably come home on our original flights (leave Friday, arrive Saturday morning). We will have the chance to see more things to tell Ian about and to get pictures for him. Have a great vacation Zach!

Yesterday we went to Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay?). It is an incredibly beautiful place, reminds me of a huge Wisconsin Dells. You could just imagine the dragons emerging from the water (there is a lot of folklore to that effect). We knew it would be a long tiring day, but it was exhausting. It was truly beautiful and we are so glad we saw it, but humidity was 75% and there was dead air at the end. We left our hotel at 8am and returned at 9 pm because it takes 3 1/2 hours to get there by car. There was a beautiful cae that Sean went into (I stayed at the boat with Ian).

It became pretty intolerable at the end for Ian (too hot to nap, irritable, but too hot to be held). The first part was cool and breezy, the end was so hot and sticky. The tour guide became increasingly annoying to all three of us because she talked nonstop and kept holding Ian (to help us out, but still it was so excessive). She also was very loud and in his face, like when he first woke up. He eventually let her know he did not want her around him, but it was so, so annyoying. She would say things like "He is very naughty" because Ian was chewing on his fingers (he has a lot of teething pain). The Vietnamese do NOT like to see babies with fingers in their mouths or toys for that matter. I don't think they really have teething toys. They just can't stand to see it and will yank his hand out of his mouth.

Anyway, I'll get started posting pics. We will be home soon! We are glad to be here but ready to come home. Maybe I'm a bit more homesick than Sean.