Unlike any place I had ever seen in my life.

Image above: Ha Long Bay at sunrise on 13 October 2017



A journal extract from 2017 Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize student Alicia Crowhurst  about our visit to Ha Long Bay on 13 October 2017.


I looked up at the stars and realised how all aspects of the trip had changed my life.

We were told how, during the Vietnam War, HaLong Bay was somewhat of a ‘haven’, a place of peace and serenity so close to the combat taking place in the unpredictable Vietnamese terrain. Having witnessed the bay at its prime- particularly at sunrise (as displayed in the picture) I was able to experience this ‘haven’, its peace and its utmost beauty.

HaLong Bay was unlike any place I had ever seen in my life. Upon arrival, there appeared to be hundreds of islands floating effortlessly on the flat horizon. As we further ventured out to sea, the environment proved to be even more magical as we weaved through the towering rocks whilst gliding through the clear water on our cruise. We spent the afternoon/ evening playing Volleyball, swimming, fishing for squid and of course, feasting. At six o’clock, we witnessed the amazing carving of fruit, ate dinner and then had our final group meeting. Here, we were able to reflect not only on the culture, past, and present of Vietnam- but also on our researched World War 1 soldiers/nurses and our researched Vietnam Veterans.

We mentioned them, the men and women who risked their lives in the pursuit of protecting their country and ultimately each other. As we payed our respects and fulfilled a minute of silence, I looked up at the stars and realised how all aspects of the trip had changed my life; from the researching of Jessie Wakefield in the Goolwa History room to trying the ‘Barrack Obama soup’ in Hanoi. The trip has not only enhanced my gratitude for Australian soup, but also for my family, friends, the opportunities I am provided with and the country I am so blessed to live in. This small yet impacting moment had immense effect on me, as well as the prior 12 days of the trip when I visited post battlefields and war bases, walked and danced in the tropical rain, may or may not have lost my prescription sunglasses, developed relationships with Vietnamese children, bartered in markets/ shops and developed lifelong friendships with others on the trip.