That we had to get up before 5am, pay through the nose (though it’s still cheap compared to prices back home!) for a private car and spend 90 minutes driving here was all forgotten the moment we saw stepped foot onto the Great Wall.

It was compounded by the fact that we were the only ones here — in fact, the first ones here for the day — and could not see anyone in either direction. At least for a time.

We decided in Mutianyu as Badaling — the most popular spot — is always busy, no matter what. Simatai, the closest unrestored area, was a bit too far and even though it is “the real deal” it doesn’t have the look of the Great Wall. It’s more like walking on rubble so our choice in the end was probably the best compromise.

The day we visited was also the day I feel extremely ill; luckily though, I started feeling sick while in the car on the way back. I made it back to our hotel, barely, but since we’d assigned little else for the rest of the day nothing was lost. I thank my body for holding out long enough to avoid an extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing incident.

The colours in this series of shots I took are great — the pinky-orange of the sun hitting the bricks makes for beautiful colouring. Shots I took later, as buses of tourists began to arrive, are far duller as the sun began to hide behind clouds.

We really had everything working for us on this day. The ride up on the chairlift was brilliant — our feet skimmed along the treetops — and amazingly silent. We had the Great Wall all to ourselves (which, in China, is no easy task!) with an incredible sunrise. The ride down on the toboggan, which must have been at least two kilometres long, was great fun too. Perfect.

Guards approaching Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum for the changing of the guards. Hanoi, Vietnam.

Our first impression of Vietnam–thanks to the airport–was that we were walking into some sort of police state. Any sort of official in Hanoi is dressed in a military-style outfit. Traffic police, officials checking parking and so on are all made to appear like authority figures.

It’s most visible in places like the Ho Chi Minh park, where his mausoleum is located. Barriers herd visitors while guards stand watch, stern eyes follow your every move and smiles are hidden behind closed doors.

These were our first impressions of Vietnam. I will move on to our later impressions in later updates but if you want to spoil the surprise, let’s just say they were very different indeed.

Relaxing on a junk, watching the sun rise over Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

This has to be a great memory of quite possibly one of the most relaxing mornings I’ve ever had. Partly because I had no choice–my destination was controlled by the ship’s captain–and partly because it’s such a relaxing way to start the day.

Besides the quiet rumble of the motor (and other nearby motors) it was nearly silent and everyone on deck was enjoying the sunrise. A really great morning.

Quite possibly the most delicious (though not most tender; it was rump) steak I have ever eaten. Grade 9 or 10 Wagyu; Rockpool Bar & Grill, Melbourne.

Normally we don’t eat such extravagant meals but I was given some money over Christmas and rather than just throw it away on useless junk we decided to treat ourselves to a nice meal out–usually we make excuses on why we shouldn’t do so.

My initial impressions of the steak were 1) that it was cooked more than I requested, which it wasn’t–it was exactly what I asked for and 2) that it’s taste wasn’t that great. Again, I realised later–about halfway through–that I was missing the point and that it did indeed taste amazing. The amazing flavour comes mostly from the marbled fat and there is a buttery, creamy character that lingers in the mouth. Not to say that it doesn’t taste “meaty”, because it does.

The bites became smaller as I began to understand the taste and attempted to savour it’s richness better. The red wine recommended by the sommelier complimented it well–as it should, this being their job–though I could have stood to have a slightly more full-bodied flavour.

So, yeah, not the sort of steak I could afford to eat regularly but it was certainly worth a one-off.

Junks meeting in the early morning sun. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

I’ve mentioned that Ha Long Bay was the reason I wanted to see Vietnam, and I think this picture makes it obvious why it is such a popular destination. The thing is, this shot doesn’t do the view justice, and I didn’t take any photo that came close to capturing how beautiful it is.

One of the hundreds of islands at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Taken while cruising along in a junk.

Ha Long Bay is the single reason I decided I wanted to go to Vietnam. I must have seen it on Getaway or some such show, and as soon as I saw it I realised I wanted to go there. It took a long time to convince Justine that she wanted to visit Vietnam as well; given that she thought it was populated by guerrillas waging war in dense jungle (or possibly just a dive) I can understand her reluctance.

This was taken shortly after we arrived, from over the bow of the junk on which we stayed. I really like the way the anchor was skimming along the surface of the water in this shot, but given the way the boat is, I couldn’t actually see it until I had already taken the shot.

I attempted a few and this is my favourite; the water is just blurred enough to convey what is happening but clear enough to look like water.

A typical Hanoi street, somewhere between the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison (which are not particularly close together).

Note that some of the floors above street level look quite nice and recently built or renovated.

Yet another typical streetscape for Hanoi. This one seems to have it all: a mess of powerlines, skinny buildings with newly constructed housing high above, motorbikes all over the pavement, a crowd of people, a shop cluttered with goods, strange English signs and a thin layer of filth.

Walking through Hanoi–and I assume many south eastern Asian cities–is like this. It’s an intense experience, and though you become accustomed to it, to me it still has an amazing quality where you always have something to look at, always someone to watch.