A leap of faith.

Lets just say rules or safety regulations don't apply in the Vietnam Ferry system. We purchased a ticket, but because we're foreigners we pay ten fold the price of a Vietnamese person and your ticket doesn't guarantee one's place on the boat...strange...I know. When arriving at the Ferry, our negotiator is supposed to bribe the boat captain to let us on the boat...(sketchy) then after so many minutes they point at you and wave you in like they're some bouncer at a hollywood club letting you in. One just hopes they are cool enough to be accepted onto the boat, however, this does NOT mean first class. They hand you...how can I put this so you can best visualize? Ok, it would be most similar to a bathroom baby step! No joke. This is what you sit on for an 1 hour 30 minutes, but they tell you the boat ride takes 45 minutes. Pretty much just double everything in time when you're in Vietnam.

Captain of the boat for about 15 minutes.

Our boat to the Island. 300 people on the boat and maybe 150 life jackets.

Sunset!!

Leaving the Island. Our seats were at the front of the boat on the outside.

On our way back to the mainland we had to go through the same fiasco. Negotiate. Bribe. Pray. Well this time did not go as smoothly! Since it was the last day of the Chinese New Year it was a little bit more hectic. More people less room for seats. Minutes seemed like hours after standing and waiting to be accepted onto the boat, then all of a sudden the workers start to detach the boat from the dock. Panic mode sets in! "What is going on here? I have a ticket!" No response. Finally, they point at me, grab my ticket, but not before you have to make a two foot leap to get on. I turn around for my friend and he's not on the boat. At this time the boat starts getting further and further from the dock. Each inch we drifted away seemed like another foot. Panic mode sets in, again! "My friends still not on!" No response. All of a sudden he just makes a four foot leap onto the boat right in front of the Captain and then people starting applauding his bravery. I thought the Captain would have just stiffed armed him back into the Ocean? Guess not. This might be the last time I travel through Asia during the Chines New Year!!