Here we are in the lobby of our flashy 5-star hotel, the Wyndham Legend blah blah, waiting for all runners to gather and the drivers and tour guides to come. We are going on a boat tour today. It's part of the package we have booked and it includes a tour between the islands in the bay. We shall be on a boat for 22 hours and do various activities. What exactly, this remains a mystery, because the information on the website doesn't exactly match the info on a word document I received via email a few days ago.
While we are here standing and talking about the race this morning, our guide from the minibus comes to us with a list and starts calling out names. In fact, he calls five names only and asks us to follow him. The chosen ones are: Zora, Jocyn, Torsten, Ken and my humble self. Zora was sitting next to me yesterday on the trip to Ha Long and Torsten in front of me, so I got to talk to Torsten a lot and Zora a little and that's how I got to know them. I haven't spoken as much to Jocyn and Ken was on the big bus.
Once on the minibus, Ken introduces himself and asks for our names. When I hear his name, I am tempted to ask about Barbie and sing the Barbie song, but I am not sure he would appreciate it, so I sing it in my head. Later, when I discover that Ken is short for Kenneth, I will ask him if he knows R.E.M's song 'What's the frequency Kenneth?' Of course he knows the song and even tells me the story behind it.
The song is about an incident that took place on October 4, 1986, when CBS news anchor Dan Rather was attacked on a New York pavement by a crazed man yelling "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" The man said he was convinced the media was beaming signals into his head and he was on a mission to determine their frequencies.
We wait a few minutes and try to understand what is going on. Our tour guide is going back and forth and the others are still in the lobby or in their rooms. When the guide finally comes, we ask him what is going on and he tells us that the five of us will be on a different boat, because too many of the runners have booked single accommodation and we don't fit on one boat. This is like a punch in the face. We're going to be separated from all the others? On what basis have we been chosen? Why us? Why haven't we been explained the situation and asked if some volunteer to share a cabin? As we will later find out, there are indeed some who would share. And, is there no bigger boat with more cabins to accommodate us all? It's not that we all booked yesterday and they had no time to arrange it. Many booked half a year ago and the last ones booked a few weeks ago, so there was time to organise it. The suspicion is, that the organisers collaborate with a certain company, that doesn't have bigger boats. At this point the others have no clue what is going on. We are not amused, but we can't change anything now. So off we are to the port to get on a boat. We rush a little because we're late apparently, but when we reach the port and the premises of the boat company, we are asked to have a seat, a lady brings us a welcome drink, our luggage gets tagged and taken away and a few words are spoken by someone, who is the boss of the crew or something like that.
A quarter of an hour later, we walk down the pier to the boat. And this is where it starts to get cheesy and it feels like being on Love Boat or the german equivalent Traumschiff. The crew has gathered on deck and welcomes the passengers in a singing tone and when we walk to the stern, the back of the boat to enter, a female crew member lets (rose?) petals fall upon us. Can it get more cheesy? We enter and are greeted with a welcome drink and proceed to the cabins. The programme is packed and intense. The others have not arrived yet on their boat and it is not certain if we're going to see them again. Our guide is very vague with his answers when we ask him if we're going to meet the others again. Luckily, we created a WhatsApp group with some of them and communicate while we get a wifi or 4G (we wish!) signal. What we usually get is that crappy E for Edge, which is painfully slow. But that won't last long, because once on sea, the signal, even that crappy E, will be gone.
After checking in, we are asked to gather at the restaurant, where a buffet lunch will be served. We are starving, as the last thing we ate was that little toast and a banana at 5am. Now it's 1pm and we need some food. But first we have to listen to a speech by the crew boss and also listen to the safety instructions. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes and then we are finally ready to hit the buffet.
And here comes the next surprise! A few days ago we were asked via email if there's anything we don't eat. I stated that I don't eat fish and sea fruit. We were asked the same question by the tour guide yesterday and I repeated that I don't eat fish and sea fruit. The truth is, I eat some of it, but to be sure, I say that I don't eat any of it. So, we go to the buffet and what's there to see? Fish and seafood galore! Yeah! I am so going to starve! The tour guide comes and asks if I am the one who doesn't eat fish and I say yes. He looks a bit around and then calls one of the crew members and explains the situation. I am told that I can take anything I can eat and that the chef will prepare something different for me and bring it to my table.
While waiting for my food, I look around and see that there's a larger group of French, a young german couple, a young Indian couple (you can see both in the photo above) and a few Brits. One of the Brits is actually Irish who lives on the island of happiness (GB) and is a hippie. He looks totally wasted, as if he's on cold turkey or something and urgently needs his fix.
I eat this from the photo above and wait for my dish, which never arrives. After a long time I ask one of the crew members and explain what happened before and that I am waiting for my food, but she tells me that they can't prepare anything for me and I have to eat whatever I can. Great!
I then take some calamari, salad and I discover some chicken with tofu, rice and bread.
Since drinks are not included in the package, we have to order and pay for them extra. Only water is for free.
After lunch we go upstairs to enjoy the view and since there's a bit of a signal, we communicate with the runners on the other boat. We share location and see that we are not far from each other.
After hanging out on deck for a while, we decide to go to the cabins to rest for a bit. The programme says either going to a beach for a swim or going kayaking and then to the beach. Ken and I decide to go kayaking, the other three go to the beach.
It's dinner time and we are told that it is a set menu and not a buffet this time. We are looking forward, because we expect something extravagant, elegant and plenty. What is served is rather disappointing. Not in style and taste, but in amount. I go hungry to bed.
While we are here standing and talking about the race this morning, our guide from the minibus comes to us with a list and starts calling out names. In fact, he calls five names only and asks us to follow him. The chosen ones are: Zora, Jocyn, Torsten, Ken and my humble self. Zora was sitting next to me yesterday on the trip to Ha Long and Torsten in front of me, so I got to talk to Torsten a lot and Zora a little and that's how I got to know them. I haven't spoken as much to Jocyn and Ken was on the big bus.
Once on the minibus, Ken introduces himself and asks for our names. When I hear his name, I am tempted to ask about Barbie and sing the Barbie song, but I am not sure he would appreciate it, so I sing it in my head. Later, when I discover that Ken is short for Kenneth, I will ask him if he knows R.E.M's song 'What's the frequency Kenneth?' Of course he knows the song and even tells me the story behind it.
The song is about an incident that took place on October 4, 1986, when CBS news anchor Dan Rather was attacked on a New York pavement by a crazed man yelling "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" The man said he was convinced the media was beaming signals into his head and he was on a mission to determine their frequencies.
We wait a few minutes and try to understand what is going on. Our tour guide is going back and forth and the others are still in the lobby or in their rooms. When the guide finally comes, we ask him what is going on and he tells us that the five of us will be on a different boat, because too many of the runners have booked single accommodation and we don't fit on one boat. This is like a punch in the face. We're going to be separated from all the others? On what basis have we been chosen? Why us? Why haven't we been explained the situation and asked if some volunteer to share a cabin? As we will later find out, there are indeed some who would share. And, is there no bigger boat with more cabins to accommodate us all? It's not that we all booked yesterday and they had no time to arrange it. Many booked half a year ago and the last ones booked a few weeks ago, so there was time to organise it. The suspicion is, that the organisers collaborate with a certain company, that doesn't have bigger boats. At this point the others have no clue what is going on. We are not amused, but we can't change anything now. So off we are to the port to get on a boat. We rush a little because we're late apparently, but when we reach the port and the premises of the boat company, we are asked to have a seat, a lady brings us a welcome drink, our luggage gets tagged and taken away and a few words are spoken by someone, who is the boss of the crew or something like that.
A quarter of an hour later, we walk down the pier to the boat. And this is where it starts to get cheesy and it feels like being on Love Boat or the german equivalent Traumschiff. The crew has gathered on deck and welcomes the passengers in a singing tone and when we walk to the stern, the back of the boat to enter, a female crew member lets (rose?) petals fall upon us. Can it get more cheesy? We enter and are greeted with a welcome drink and proceed to the cabins. The programme is packed and intense. The others have not arrived yet on their boat and it is not certain if we're going to see them again. Our guide is very vague with his answers when we ask him if we're going to meet the others again. Luckily, we created a WhatsApp group with some of them and communicate while we get a wifi or 4G (we wish!) signal. What we usually get is that crappy E for Edge, which is painfully slow. But that won't last long, because once on sea, the signal, even that crappy E, will be gone.
Some boats. Ours is the left one.
While we are at the reception of the boat, I look a bit around me and notice that the decor looks quite old fashioned, but yet stylish. It's all dark wood, something I didn't expect to see. The surprises continue when I open the door to my cabin. My suitcase is already here, but that's not the actual surprise. I am struck by the beauty and the size of the cabin. Now, we really are on Love Boat. Will they take us to Love Island?
My cabin
Left of the sink is the shower and right is the loo.
Right is the loo.
The corridor on the second floor
Room with a view
Cabins even have a balcony!
After checking in, we are asked to gather at the restaurant, where a buffet lunch will be served. We are starving, as the last thing we ate was that little toast and a banana at 5am. Now it's 1pm and we need some food. But first we have to listen to a speech by the crew boss and also listen to the safety instructions. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes and then we are finally ready to hit the buffet.
Listening to the speech and safety instructions
While waiting for my food, I look around and see that there's a larger group of French, a young german couple, a young Indian couple (you can see both in the photo above) and a few Brits. One of the Brits is actually Irish who lives on the island of happiness (GB) and is a hippie. He looks totally wasted, as if he's on cold turkey or something and urgently needs his fix.
This is what I take to begin with.
I then take some calamari, salad and I discover some chicken with tofu, rice and bread.
Since drinks are not included in the package, we have to order and pay for them extra. Only water is for free.
After lunch we go upstairs to enjoy the view and since there's a bit of a signal, we communicate with the runners on the other boat. We share location and see that we are not far from each other.
Love Islands
and love boats
more Love Boats
Life is Beautiful
Sailing, we are sailing .... sha la la la la
We are taken to the kayaking place on a small boat.
This is on a floating platform where all the kayaks are.
Kenneth and I
Kayaking takes around 45 minutes. I haven't done it for many years and must admit that I missed it. We have all been given a fishing net to fish litter from the sea. The one who catches the most litter will win a few drinks. We all collect as much as we can, and when back on the platform, we compare the amount we managed to fish. In the end, we all get a voucher. Ken and I get two beers.
After kayaking we are taken to a small island and get off board. First we have to go through a small cave to reach the beach on the other side.
The Beach. I wonder if Leonardo DiCaprio is here...
After the excursion in the afternoon, we are taken back to our boat. I need to shower and change clothes, as they are wet from kayaking. Later, we all gather on the top deck for a master chef competition. The task is to make spring rolls. All this is done in a cheesy touristy manner with much sweet talk, laughter and happiness. The tasks of making spring rolls increase from time to time and the hardest challenge is to make one behind your back. Then we have to vote and at the end a winner is announced who gets an apron and a toque.
Stylish dinner
Bhaya is the name of the boat company
Beef in a trunk
And the winner is .... Jocyn!!! Congratulations!
We all go separate ways after dinner. Some go back to their cabins, some stay in the restaurant to have a few drinks and I go to the top deck to watch the stars. There I see the german couple and have a chat with them for a while. They tell me that they have come to Vietnam for three weeks and would return to Germany in a few days. They also tell me all the places they have been to. I try to make a mental note, but I am very tired and my brain isn't functioning.
Oh well! Never mind.
I wish them good night at some point and go down to my cabin. But before I go to bed, I spend half an hour on the balcony watching the fishermen, the stars and because I get a signal, I stream 'What's the Frequency Kenneth'. I shall have this song in my head for a long time.
Good night world! Sweet dreams!
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