Bangkok, Thailand, 25th - 29th March (By Ella)

We had a really good flight from Kuala Lumpur & then taxi ride from Bangkok Airport to the Prince Palace Hotel, Bangkok. When we entered the lobby, we got the best surprise ever! Grandad Rod & Carolyn were there waiting for us! We were so happy to see them & even more excited about spending 4 days with them in Bangkok. It was also great to see our Danish friends again, who were staying in the same hotel as us. 

Coming out of the lift & seeing Rod & Carolyn!:

Our faces!

Birthday Tour:
Rod & Carolyn treated us to a tour for Dad's, Anna's & my birthday. We went to see the floating markets, to the Bridge over the River Kwai & we visited some tigers; we were able to play with cubs that were 2 months & 1 month old.

Floating Markets:

Bridge over the River Kwai:

A train going across the bridge

Playing with  Tiger Cubs:

Fun with our Danish friends!:

Playing UNO

Tuk-Tuk ride to Rod & Carolyns!

Dad's swollen elbow:
Dad had a sore elbow which swelled up like a golfball. He went to the doctors & had some x-rays & after some medicine he finally recovered.

Ella's Birthday:
On my birthday we all went to Tawandang German Brewery. We had dinner & watched the show that consisted of singing & dancing. All I wanted for my birthday was some colby cheese & vegemite!

Vegemite, chocolate & cheese as presents!

At dinner

Vomiting sink at the restaurant

Amy's milo spillage caused some embarrassment for dad!:

The milo got spilled on the plane

Vietnam Wrap Up Video 2nd March to 25th March

Vietnam Travel Sheard Family #3

Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang & Mui Ne, Vietnam 7th - 19th March (By Ella)

We have had 1 full day & 2 nights in Hue & we have had a great time! We've got lots of school work done & went on a great cyclo-rickshaw tour around the Vietnamese markets. We got a sleeper train for 15 hours & then got a short taxi ride to the hotel.

Hue: Cyclo - Rickshaw tour:

Family photo

Dad's new friends - our rickshaw cyclists

After two nights in Hue, we got a 4 hour taxi to Hoi An, visiting Marble Mountain and Lang co Beach and went through Danang which is where the Americans first invaded Vietnam. We stayed in Hoi An for 5 days in a nice little villa which had free bicycle rent & a very cute chihuahua! There was an International school next door & Anna went for day & had a great time :).

Hoi An - Anna at school:

Cycling around Hoi An:

 Cu Cai Beach, Hoi An:

Mum fell off her chair!

Mum & her Vietnamese badminton friend:

Playing badmington!

We found an Australian Deli which had vegemite & a trampoline!

We then got a day train (11 hours) down to Nha Trang where we stayed in the very luxurious Novotel! We all really enjoyed Nha Trang & loved the beach which was just opposite our hotel. We stayed at the novotel for 2 nights & 1 full day with 2 breakfast buffets included. The breakfast was AMAZING! We all agreed that it was the best breakfast we've had for quite some time. It had Asian food, western food, fruit, French baguettes, a toast station, a drink station, a cereal station & much more! 

The train trip to Nha Trang:

Dad & his new best friend

Novotel, Nha Trang - the view from our room:

The beach opposite us

Nha Trang beach:

We buried dad in sand!

We then got a sleeper bus to Mui Ne which took about 6 hours throug the day. We stayed in a small villa for 2 nights & 1 day where we played in the pool, did school work & went in the warm ocean. Mum really liked the pathway to the beach which had lots of plants & flowers and massive banana trees! Through the pathway was a little stream which went from the front of the villa to the beach, and we had a pooh sticks race! 

Mui Ne - Gardens to the beach:

Banana tree                                                                                                          

Pooh sticks race:

Dad's motorbike ride:

Mui Ne Fishing Village

KL Airport, Hanoi & Halong Bay, Vietnam 2nd - 7th March (By Ella)

On Monday 2nd March, we all woke up at 2 in the morning & got a taxi to the airport. The lady at the check-in desk advised that to get a 'visa on arrival' at Vietnam, a letter was needed from the Vietnamese Embassy. 'No visa letter NO TRAVEL'. It took most of the day to get the visa letter and we had to stay another night at the airport "Tune Hotel". Due to the visa 'schoolboy error', we still had to pay for another flight in addition to the hotel !

Once we finally got to Hanoi airport, we were advised to get additional VISA photos done. We didn't have enough money for them and there was no ATM so Dad pleaded with customs to let him through and get some more money. It took dad 20 minutes in the security line, then 20 minutes getting the cash. We finally got our VISA photos & left the airport. 

Hanoi and Halong Bay have been great places even though we were only there for 4 days & 3 nights. We went to some great places & have stayed in a very nice hotel. The hotel staff have been very kind & helpful just like all the other local vietnamese people. 

Cyclo-Rickshaw:

Hanoi & Traffic:

It isn't really that cold

Lots and lots of motorbikes

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology:

Playground near Museum:

Caves and Halong Bay:

We also had a 2 day trip to Halong Bay which involved a night on board a Vietnamese boat, with food included & activities planned. The activities involved visiting a cave and night fishing - I caught a squid!

Night Fishing:

No Bait, so we used corn from dinner

Cooking Class - making spring rolls:

Anna trying new foods (Dragon Fruit):

Getting ready

 Markets on the way back from Halong:

Train from Hanoi to Hue

We had to catch a 14 hour overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. The taxi did not arrive and Martin from the hotel helped us with our bags to the train in the dark and rain - about 1.5km - we only just made it! The train was great although Mum didn't sleep so well as she felt she was on night watch protecting us from any creepy mozzies and cockroaches!

Nice Beard :)