Today I welcome the rain. It is amazing the difference that it makes to Hanoi, much less people about and everyone who is out has a poncho on, even the people on the bikes, with the poncho thrown over the bike as well as themselves. Looks hilarious, but everyone is wearing them. You get a sense that everyone is feeling down, the normally upbeat atmosphere has been replaced by a much more serene and somewhat depressing undertone. There are still throngs of women w...

Not feeling to fresh today, so have a lie in, just surfing from the comfort of my bed until I surface at about 12. Not really feeling too hungry though I go with Alex to get a weasel coffee, it is starting to become a firm favourite of mine most mornings. Alex wants some food, though my stomach isn't up to the task, but I go with her. She gets some soup with some noodles on the side that you dip in. There is also some meat in the soup, it's like BBQ burger, I dec...

I head out for some breakfast and coffee. I just dander down the street and get a baguette with pâté and some meat and veg, from a little street stall. It was pretty good, though I think I may have paid over the odds for it. Tasty all the same. I find a nice wee spot for a coffee and I take a seat in the street. This is a special place as I actually have a back on my seat, instead of just the plastic stool. I get myself a nice cup of the weasel, and enjoy watch...

As I am here so early I decide that I will stay up and tackle the breakfast! I get in at 7.30 when it first opens and I must say there is a much better selection, and everything is hot. I fill up with noodles, bread, eggs and meat. After this it is back to the hostel where I have a little sleep. ----- I'm feeling pretty tired even after my sleep and the afternoon has just faded away. Yasmin comes to the hostel to join us for dinner. We was out, Alex, myself, Ab...

Again I have my alarm set for 8, and up I get, surprisingly fresh considering my rice wine consumption last night. We have pancakes again for breakfast, with local bananas, they taste the same but have seeds in the middle, are slightly more yellow in colour and have a stickier texture, but good all the same. We get to explore the village that we are in this morning before walking back up the rocky path to the main road later. We walk through the quaint village an...