Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling through the Vietnamese traffic in Hue was daunting but very rewarding once we had survived unscathed. This was due to the support of the additional leader and Viet who ensured the group were able to safely negotiate the large number of scooters and other vehicles which weaved their way around us. The visit to the Cu Chi tunnels was also fascinating and it was good to hear about the Vietnam War from a different perspective and witness the conditions that these people had to live in. Seeing the good nature of the Vietnamese people and how they make the most from the limited resources they possess makes you realise how fortunate we are.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Viet was full of enthusiasm and was always keen to share his extensive knowledge of his country and it's culture to the group or to individuals. As we travelled from place to place Viet had everything in place at the right time ensuring the smooth running of the trip. He even provided us with additional hand written notes of recommended places to visit or eat in our spare time. Throughout he displayed a great sense of humour.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The train was a really good experience and although the noise and movement of the train was not an issue we did find the beds were very hard and the day that followed very long,
Suggestions
The only things that we thought could have been better were that after the meal on the boat in Halong Bay, it would have been good to encourage more socialising with some music or card games... This was also the case after the meal at the homestay on the Mekong Delta. The long day after the train journey could be better arranged. Perhaps, after going to the Citadel, it could be arranged to go to the hotel to relax by sitting around the pool or going for a swim as it would not be possible to check into the rooms at that time. Then have lunch at the hotel before going to the other places of interest later in the afternoon. The optional family meal could then be switched to the following evening. This would make it less tiring.