Halong Bay is just as cool as everyone said, and the 9 year-old was a little crabby.

not so thrilled about the long bus ride

  

Yes, yes, this boat was straight out of an Agatha Christie mystery, or maybe reminiscent of Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad.  Made me want to retire to my cabin to write witty snark about our fellow passengers, or perhaps ponder who did it, and with what murder weapon...

we worried that the precautionary life vest might would strangle or
smother him before he would even hit the water...