Cat Ba

So, Cat Ba.....
Cat Ba and I were not fast friends. We had to catch a bus then a boat and another bus to get there. The boat was dirty and these children fell in love with Ben. Their "love" consisted of slapping him and me on the head. By the way, I was trying to sleep during the slapping.

Then we arrived in Cat Ba and it was PACKED. We tried finding a decent hotel but most were full. We settled, to my dismay, for a dirty room. I made the mistake of opening the mini bar and was blown back by the stench. What could stink it up so bad? They only hold sealed beverages. Never cleaning it, thats what!

Okay, we are in a hotel. I take my clothes off and throw on my flip flops and jump in the shower. Get cleaned and Ben and I venture out in seek of food. We have not eaten since the previous evening. Me not even that.

We find some food and a place to book our kayaking trip and a "trek". Which we do. We book a trek for an hour later. I don't know if any of you have been on a "trek" but I do not recommend trying one for your first time in 40 plus heat with 100% humidity. This "trek" started with a short motorbike ride to a small farm (I guess you could call a few chickens running around a farm) and our guide taking us trough this open field. We could see these small round mountain hills that were COVERED in bush. Into the jungle we go and straight up. Mind you our guide is in heavy cotton pants and long sleeved shirt with FLIP FLOPS. Up, up, up we go. I keep thinking "just make it to the top". We did make to the top where i proceeded to vomit. I was drenched with sweat, soooo dizzy and light headed. I had to sit for 10 minutes and continue vomitting. After a little while, I feel okay. I tell Ben to carry on. He wants to head back but I say no. We carry on like this for about an hour. Then, teatering on rocks, I finally give in to the jungle and say "I have to go back". By this time Ben and I are so drenched in our own sweat, you could wring it out and get a bucket full. So, we head back and stop at the same place where I got sick the first time around. YAY. Our lovely guide got some leachy nuts from the bushes and we sat and ate them for a while before continuing back down.

We get back to the farm and I am being asked repeatedly if I am pregnant. Well, first we are asked if we are married and when we say yes, then we are asked if I am pregnant. For the life of me, I could not figure out why they are asking us this. I turn to Ben and ask "god, do I LOOK pregnant?" "No, no" Ben assures me.

We are back on the motorbikes driving back to our hotel when my drivers helmet flies off and hits me in the face and break my RayBans my mother bought me in Australia. Another YAY.

Back at the hotel I shower again and notice there is something all over my legs. Mm hm, u guessed it. HEAT RASH! Oh, and the power is out in the city.

So, I say to Ben "lets go and get me an icecream". We walk out and notice all the lights are on. I ask why our power is turned off and the hotel attendant looks over and sees that the breaker switch for our room is TURNED OFF!!! I couldn't fu*&ing beleive it. I was so mad. Ben and I were roasting in our hotel room for three hours without real cause. Oh my god, I was fumeing.

I was seriously hating Cat Ba. But, we still had a kayaking tour to go on the next day so I was unable to turn and run back to Ha Noi. Up early and off onto a boat and out to sea we go.

Okay, so, the kayaking was BEAUTIFUL. I mean, the most wonderful thing Ben and I have ever experienced. Really. And I say "its all worth it".

Then we go back to the boat and eat lunch. They prepare this on the boat. I am loving the food. Fresh watermelon, rice, spring rolls, grilled fish. Delicious! Then I see something move on the wall right next to me. I look and the wall is swarming with little cockroaches. Little as in the size of a nickle. Swarming!! I cant do it and escape to the roof.

Cat Ba and I are still not friends.