As predicted, we slept through the 6:30AM Tai Chi class, and the 7:30AM kayaking trip. We stirred at about 8 and took our time packing up while enjoying the view from our room.

We had a late breakfast on the boat and then rode the smaller boat back to shore. We had been worried about visiting Ha Long bay because we had read that it was very polluted and packed with other boats, but it felt big enough that we didn’t see too much of the other boats. We saw some floating bottles, but not nearly has much trash as we had expected. It was a very pleasant 24 hours.

We took a 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi. Like the last two, we had the “mandatory” stop at a tourist trap. We were dropped off in the Old Quarter and walked to our hotel.

Millie got into a deep imagination game with her little toys while Nick and I hung out on the bed. It’s very unpredictable when she will get into this mode of happily playing by herself, and always feels like magic when she does it.

After about an hour we walked out for dinner. We had what I call an “offering dinner” as in an offering to Millie. We drag her to so many places we want to eat, so every so often we go to a Millie spot. It’s always pizza. I’m amazed by how we’ve been able to find good pizza everywhere in the world.

We came back to the hotel and are having a belated Sunday movie night (Howl’s Moving Castle). A boring, relaxing day.