Is it better to do this in a day trip from Hanoi or should we stay one night at a nearby hotel. We will not be staying on a boat overnight. Pandas get seasick quite easily.

Pandas sure get up early.

I think as a daytrip it would be long, very long, so I'd be inclined to stay a night somewhere. I don't much care for marathon days.

Pandas do not sleep much. They are very wary. Any recommendations on hotels?

Sorry, no, I just know I'd stay in one.

Wary of what?

Nasty Needhamites. Why do you think that we're an endangered species?

What's the coverage of Matsusaka (the Red Sox pitcher) in Japan? We get reports that there are 130 Japanese reporters trailing him.

There may well be tons of coverage as baseball is so popular, but I honestly never watch TV.

In the evening, Teaghan has it tuned to Disney Channel for an hour, and usually I am doing work (like now!). The only TV I watch is first thing in the morning in the car, to find out what the percent chance of rain is...and that takes 20 seconds. Then it's a book on the iPod.

Go Red Sox...I am from Massachusetts, but it's been a long time since I lived there.

I knew you were a wonderful person, but your baseball loyalties prove it.

Do it in one day. We did, yes tiring but not terrible. We found the ride interesting. We met people who had stayed at a hotel nearby and found it a waste of time. The hotels are not special and the boat for a day trip will bring you back in time to get to Hanoi by 6:30pm. The day boat trip is only 4 hours, we had a private boat but still it was just that length of time even tho we were willing to pay for a longer trip. Even with 5 hours, you still have time to do the back and forth to Hanoi. The ride back to Hanoi is shorter since there is less traffic.

It is four to five hours, roundtrip, by car.

You can actually rent a helicopter to take you, expensive and it is a big old Russian thing, but it is possible.

Bob stayed at a hotel in Haiphong - might be able to find that in a search.

The water is very, very calm. There are no waves, especially in the cove where the boats drop anchor for the night.

The first name of that Botox pitcher from Japan is Daisuke and he is called Dice-K which is just about how it would be pronounced in Japanese (might have expected Americans to call him "die SUE kay" or "die SUE key"

The O O should beat the AAAAA tonight in Anaheim.

i would not subject my hyphong hotel to an invasion by so called panda bears...especially in speedos...

Yes, the water is very, very, very, very calm. It is a large, protected bay. The town itself is newly built, ugly so I wouldn't recommend staying there. There are casinos if you're into gambling.

We stayed two nights on a sailing junk and it was a highlight of our three week vacation to Vietnam and Laos. Our junk offered kayaking which was fabulous! Great food aboard as well.

Something mystical about staying aboard the boat at night. It is beautiful.

Sass

I tend to agree with Elainee. Either stay in the height of luxury on the Emeraude or do it in a day. We did it in a day and it is not that tiring. Took 2 hours each way - on the way going with a stop at the tourist trap others have mentioned - make that as short as u can by telling the driver in advance u do not want to buy anything. U will still ahve to stop coz he will insist on a break. Ditto re the way back. We did it point to point in 2 hoours including the perforce stops. I know people rave about the trip but for us it was not a highlight, was just a relaxed day on the water - the water is very dirty and over easter when we went it was crowded. I did not like the town at all and think it is worth having a hectic day to return to Hanoi, your nice hotel and a lie in the next morning.

Sounds like a daytrip is right for us. Bob's hotel will have to go pandaless. Maybe I could send them a speedo to lessen their loss.

Definitely want your cruise to stop so that you can walk throught the cave.

of course I meant the Bo<u>s</u>ox.
Vlad got the job done last night.

I've slightly rooted for the Angels ever since Bo Belinsky.