Bali Bound

Bali Bound

Day 7 – Jetting From Hanoi
Rather than the hotel breakfast on our last morning in Hanoi, I decided to head out and get the rice/mung bean/meat dish that we had eaten a few nights back. K was a little under the weather and finishing up packing, so it was a solo trip out. Ordering was a little difficult without speaking Vietnamese, but after some pointing and whatnot I was able to order both bowls with mung beans, Chinese sausage, the meat “floss,” and a fried egg. On the way back I grabbed two iced coffees to give us some more energy for the long day ahead. We ate breakfast in the room while doing the very last of our packing. I’d arranged for a ride to the airport from the same agency that had picked us up, and they arrived shortly before the scheduled time. Checkout and our transfer to the airport were very easy, and we quickly made our way through ticketing, security, and immigration. Continue reading “Bali Bound”

Hanoi & Ha Long Bay

Hanoi & Ha Long Bay

Day 3: A Whirlwind of Mopeds
Our Hanoi adventure started with a quick breakfast in the hotel restaurant. The options were varied, blending Vietnamese with western options (though those catered more to the Australian palate), and the service was friendly and welcoming. While at the table we also read through the Hanoi guidebook to figure out what we should do that day. The plan was to walk around the city, but our path had not been finalized. The book recommended several self-guided walking tours, and after reading a bit about them, we decided on one that would take us around the lake, around some other highlights, and end in one of the food markets. Continue reading “Hanoi & Ha Long Bay”

Honeymoon Part 1: Boston to Hanoi

Honeymoon Part 1: Boston to Hanoi

Waking up early we packed a few last minute things before heading out to wait for our car to the airport and the beginning of our Asian adventure. Departing for Logan at 6:45am meant dealing with the morning rush-hour traffic, but it was still light and we made good time. Check-in at the airport was a breeze, and we quickly made our way thorough security and on to the food court for breakfast. After our food, we hopped to the Admirals Club to relax in style while waiting for our flight. The Boston Admirals Club isn’t much to write home about (so I won’t), but has some comfy chairs and is quieter than the rest of the terminal. Soon it was time to make our way to the gate to board our first of three flights that on our way to Hanoi. Continue reading “Honeymoon Part 1: Boston to Hanoi”

Honeymoon Planning

Honeymoon Planning

For our honeymoon, K & I were cashing in the miles that I’d accumulated during my milage runs outlined Here, Here, Here, and Here, as well as those earned for traveling for work. All in all we had enough miles to get us to and from Asia in first class (traveling on OneWorld partners), so I started looking at options. After a decent amount of research we had settled on Hanoi and Bali. Now, that might seem like an odd choice, but we wanted to go someplace and do touristy stuff, and then go someplace to relax. Our 4 days in Hanoi would let us see some of the city (hit the highlights) and then 9 days in Bali (split between Ubud and Seminyak) would give us quite a lot of time to move at a slower pace. Continue reading “Honeymoon Planning”