Arriving at Hanoi at 5 Am we made it to the Hang Ngoc hotel before 6. From there we walked round Hoam Kien lake to watch hundredspartake in tai-chi.After a lovely buffet breakfast we slept all morning, before I again walked round the lake soaking up the first signs of sun for a few days. Later that evening we met our tour guide and our group for the first 6 days, older than I thought but Charlie (Vic Reeves lookalike) is hilarious! So after dinner at Little Hanoi some of us stayed and drank Bia Hoi at a street stall. 24 beers cost us less than $4.Bargain!

After another buffet breakfast we headed to Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum to see his (Madam Tussauds lookalike) body, before heading to his house and the museum. Leaving the museum we were swamped by local school children asking us questionnaires. I was even asked to sign a boys jacket....felt like David Beckham!! At the Literature Temple we bumped into Heather for the third time (previously in Cat Ba and Sapa) so she joined us for lunch in 'Koto'. After lunch we visited a war museum before heading back to the hotel. After dinner some of us went back to beer corner for more 6p beers.b Darren wanting to buy a t-shirt, asked the vendor to get him a XXL, he returned having written a extra X in red pen, classic!