trial and tribulations...

it was 6:30am when i board the bus from ninh binh to haiphong.
2.5hrs of journey with the hope that i could get a ferry/hydrofoil to
catba island.
Time of departure was not listed.
I know i paid too much to the hotel to get me to haiphong but what the heck!
Its too early to kick start with xe om (moto) to the bus station.
That never happen.
I signed up for it. I go with the flow.
Thats what my travelling is about anyway.
I gave myself 6mths to be back from my odyssey.

A hitch bus on the way to mong cai (viet-chinese border town), a
change of bus to the original haiphong bound bus and a xe om, i arrive
haiphone ferry terminal.

Bought hydrofoil ticket for 200k vnd and departing at 11am for CatBa island.
G
ives me some time to have pho and manage some reading on Shantaram.

oh well.. The hydrofoil was on time and i arrived CatBa island 5 min past 12.
Based on the guide book map, its a small town.
Before the hydrofoil docked, i sighted many mini hotels.
Yay! In my heart as i have many different choices.
I walked and survey around town for about 15min and decided to check
on one hotel for rates to get an idea.
Unfortunately i was informed its full house.

I thought to myself that there's so many choices...
I will have lunch and the search for a place to stay the night.

Went to greet this austrian guy outside The Noble House, asking him
which hotel he's staying and how much is he paying for the room.
I got a best of luck wish from him coz he arrived on Wednesday and
already had a hard time looking for a place to stay for a week. All
hotels in CatBa are booked out since its the viet school holidays!
OMG! I seriously can't believe it!
The guy is staying in a room at a local house - homestay and the rate
is 300k VND per nite!
That's USD15 per nite!
No way!
Its too much compared to the rates in Saigon and Hanoi.
After some conversation, the guy went off to do some rock climbing nearby.
I sat for a while and decided to look for a room.

Seriously... The are all BOOKED OUT!
Even if the have a room, the rate is starting at USD20 per nite and i
even got offered up to USD50!
After 2 hrs of searching and met more foreign tourist, i decided to go
back to Hanoi.

At not so great waterfront rate of USD35/nite,
WTF! I'm not paying that amount for a crappy room.
For the same value in Saigon, i could get a decent room with jacuzzi bathtub!

So i took the 3.15pm bus-boat-bus-bus-moto back to hanoi.
By the time i arrived North Hotel, Hanoi, its already 10pm.
Sweaty, smelly and starving.

I don't really hate vietnam.
Just don't like dealing with vietnamese when money is what the are after.
Afterall, we are tourist.

I like to say hi to the normal viet people.
No money involve. They are genuinely nice to you.

It was a day on public transport yesterday but i'm glad i made the decision.
catBa is not the place to go at this time.
Perhaps i will do Sapa instead.

Heard some good experience.
Its about the same amount of a night of junk boat stay but seems better.

Will have to source out soon.