The trip ends

 

The Far East  trip ends and the long journey back begins from Hong Kong to Dubai and then to Gatwick.

 

Many good memories of interesting places and people we have met along the way, not least of all, our 4 dining companions on the ship, Kyomi, Jeff, Barbara and Alan.

 

My father inspired me when I was a young child to want to travel and read about travel adventures, real and fantastic.   As a teenager I started to travel alone and with friends and have continued to both travel and work abroad since then.  It was wonderful to have the opportunity to travel with my father on this trip.

 

 

 

 Dining

 

 

 

 

 

A formal night on the ship.

Going to Hong Kong Airport



Sketches

 

A few more sketches from my Moleskin, travel watercolour sketchbook

 

Mythical bird - in History Museum, Ho Chi Minh City

Woman with a thousand arms and eyes...I didn't get them all!

In History Museum, Ho Chi Minh City

 

Halong Bay

 

Details from Cambodian temple

 

 

Raffles Hotel sketch

 

 

I stayed in a hotel in Singapore close to the famous, beautiful Raffles Hotel, named after the British colonial administrator SirThomas Stamford Raffles who was there in the early 1800s.

I sat in a quiet courtyard drawing the architecture and courtyard palms using pen and ink, and then added some watercolour wash.

 

Thailand Sketches

Ancient capital of Siam.   Sketch in gardens of Bang Pa-In Summer Palace of King Rama V.

 

Budha at Ayutthaya ruins

Sketching scooters in Vietnam - Nha Trang at Long Son Pagoda Tuesday 17th December

 

Why sketch scooters?  I have never seen so many in my life!

There's a population of 9 million people in Ho Chi Minh City (was called Saigon) and the guide said that there are about 6 million motorbikes and scooters.

We were waiting for about 20 minutes for some others on the excursion to climb some steps at Long Son Pagoda to see a giant white budha but we stayed at the bottom in the temple courtyard, which rapidly turned itself into a scooter/bike park!

Halong Bay Vietnam. Last stop before Hong Kong

We are docked in this beautiful bay.  We took a tour boat today which drew alongside and sailed around the bay to see more incredible limestone rock formations and also to visit some huge caves.  Cooler today, but bright sunshine once the early morning mist had cleared.

Father was up before dawn waiting for the sunrise in order to catch that special early morning light.

Fishing

On the excursion boat

Looking down on the jetty

Setting out to see some of the 2000 limestone islands

 Fruit sellers coming alongside to sell their produce

 In the caves

 The intrepid photographer enjoying the challenge of how to capture the rock formations but avoid the people

Disembarking from 'our' boat

Fishing

Halang Bay

I bought a face mask in Halong Market - ideal for riding on a scooter.   Just need the scooter....

Heading for Hong Kong 20th December

Rough seas as we head up to Halong Bay

It's difficult to walk straight and the water in the swimming pools is leaping out onto deck!   Yoga was supremely challenging earlier.  I think I'll go back up on deck to watch the runners race round the deck - Cancer charities race.

It's going to get calmer as we head up to Halong Bay which is our last port of call before we reach Hong Kong.

Wi fi

I would like to add more detail - maybe I will later. The satellite wifi is erratic and expensive.

Embroidery workshop Nha Trang, Vietnam

The drawn design and its transfer to the fabric

 

embroidered screens - high quality work

Po Nagar Cham towers - temple complex (Thap Ba) next to the Cai River

Na trang - Vietnam (275 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City) Tuesday 17 December



 

Looking down to the river from the Po Nagar Cham Towers

Inside temple

View of temple and Buddha

Scooter park in temple courtyard

Many scooter drivers wear masks especially women. The guide said that they want to preserve their pale complexions as much as any protection from any pollution.

Traffic goes in all directions!

 

Na Trang. View from the ship

Nha Trang is one of Vietnam's most popular seaside resorts.   The view here is of a pleasant port with the cable cars passing over the boat!
Further round the island there are 5 miles of white sand beaches. It was very popular with US servicemen during the Vietnam war.

Na Trang

The start of the trip around Na Trang.  I really like the curtains!