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So an Aussie, a Friso-er & a New yorker walk into a bar...
Falling asleep and rising to the "meep meep" of the motorcycle horns, this little city of cramped streets and 2 wheel travl sleeps for only several hours a night.
After a Vietnamese breakfast of Pho, a beef soup with rice noodles, my first stop was to find Handspan to book my trips to Halong Bay and Sapa. I set off armed only with the map on page 838 in my guide book to wander trhough the streets. Purposefully minding the street signs, I jotted down lanes which seemed to curve around like a maze. Nothing looked familiar from the taxi ride. Until suddenly, I recognized something. Oh yeah! Hwoever it was my hotel that I found myself passing by again. I'd come full cirlccle and had only left my room 1/2 hour ago. So wit h a fresh start on my 2nd chance I got a little further in the right direction. Finding myself again aimlessly wandering sure that I was far from my hotel this time, I put my head inside my guide book and bumped straight into 2 English speaking faces with their heads burried inthe same guide book.
TheAussie and Lauren were also lost among the motorbikes on a search for Handspan. Since 3 heads are better than 1, we joined forces.
With a sigh of relief and a left turn, a right turn, backtrack a block and another right, we proudly swung open the doors to Tamarand Cafe, home of Handspan Travel. Parusing the trips to Halong Bay, we all took fancy to the same trip--on the Drangon's Pearl. Clearly the best Chinese Junk Boat on the bay, the 3 day/2 night luxury cruise was the treat each of us needed for completely different reasons. It was decided right then and there, we would take th trip together. The boat housing only 16 cabins, with a pricey $218 USD for the all includsive cruise, it was quite a costly committment to a couple of strangers.
Perhaps aday of exploring Hanoi together would reasssure us of our spontantious decision to form a group of our own.
The day was spent wandering around talking to hotels and travel agencies who could get us a better deal on the same Dragon's Pearl boat. Miss Mai @ Tropical Sails was the booking agent with the most accomodating manners, offering to waive the single travel fee and pick us up at our hotels. With that work done and a room booked for Prince 79 hotel for later in the week (a bargin @ $10 USD/ night) , we hired 3 Xei-clo's to drive us to the market. The peddle powered rick-shaws had the seat in front, bike in back so the passengers had a birds eye view of the inches between xei-clo and motorbike. Laughing all afternoon we passed the day filled with sarcasm which was lost on the locals. Some things just can't be translated.
A late dinner @ 9pm, I invited a new arrival to join us @ Cha Ca La Vong. The city is better, safer, and more fun with a crowd at night. Knowing that she'd not go out @ night alone, Elena accepted the offer. We gorged ourselves on fish, cooked on a table top fire pit. That packed little place was a delicious find we located across from a french influenced pastry shop.
Meandering home past the lake, and after a rum flavored gelato, it was midnight and time for sleep. 18 hours, 3 new friends. Full day.
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