Vietnam Day Two: Halong Dangerous

This day was my most anticipated day in my Vietnam trip. I am about to go to Halong Bay. This place is the place i fall in love at the first sight.Thousands of island in this bay is a natural miracle. It was a breath taking scenery. My eyes kept opened all the time to capture all the sights in my brain. Every scene is a beauty in my mind. Wish to come back here again with someone i loved to share this scene together.

I was sitting at the Vietnam junk with other tourists heading to stalactite caves. I was eager to seek any shapes that formed by stalactites. However, i can only recognized all those ghost faces like long noses, long chin, big mouth faces. I listened to a Chinese tour guide of a tour for Chinese tourists then i manage to find some lady sitting on a rock shape, buddha shape...etc

At the evening, the junk stopped in the middle of the bay for us to swim and kayak. I chose to kayak first due to limited canoe available and i want to do it first.

After that, i made a "incredible leap" to the sea.

Recalling back, i would say it was a leap to death.

My somersault posture was completely wrong and i hit my chest hardly with the surface of water. Ouch!

Actually that time was around 5.30pm, it was nearly the time for sunset and current is flowing rapidly. I swam happily for a moment. Just before i decided to go onboard, my friend was having a trouble swimming towards the junk. I swam towards him trying to save him but i dont how to rescue people in swimming. At least, i gave him a hold for buoyancy. After that, both of us unable to swim towards the junk. I was nearly drowned too because my friend got his leg cramped and start drowning. I sensed danger. We are dying if we drowned.

The Vietnamese guide and ship crew were not alert of our danger, also a canoe granny refused to save us when i shouted for help. I calmed my friend down to stay relaxed. What we have to do is try to float. My friend did a great job by floating himself. I am telling myself, i am not gonna to give up, stay float to stay alive.

When the other tourist noticed our situation, what they did were also just watching us from the junk, none of them dared to jump down to rescue. Even the ship crew could only threw the float circle but seemed helpless for us.

Fortunately, a fisherman came towards us. We got rescued on board. I owed him a big thank you.

The traumatic feeling gone after i got up to the ship. I appreciated my life even more. Every breath i take in now is a blessing. Halong gave me a close to death experience.

"You may challenge the mountain but never underestimate the sea"