Daily Archives: 18/03/2024

Read this blog: The one where Matilda doesn’t go kayaking again Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th March 2024 If not exactly sunrise itself, we woke in time to see the sun climbing in the sky above Hạ Long Bay as the six ‘two night cruisers’ were due to go to another cave before returning to Hạ Long mainland. Our group of six included an American Vietnamese couple, called Faith and Vincent, and an Australian couple. Both of the American Vietnamese had been “boat people”, escaping to America in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Vincent told us stories of an eight year old boy being thrown into a traditional round boat or coracle with his 10 year old brother; being transferred to another ship and travelling across the ocean without their parents. They were raised in America without any contact with their families. Indeed, he was not reunited with his parents until about 30 years later. Although they were native speakers, Faith told us that they were also seen as westerners and were often berated by their relatives in Vietnam for paying more than they should for things. After the previous day when the kayaking had proved far less risky than it […]