Today I relax. The hot weather really does zap me here. Even when I go out without a bag I am still struggling. I just chat to the girls in the hostel. I am trying to decide if I am going to go to Sapa. It is a rural town to the north of Hanoi, it is quite expensive, but everyone I have spoken to in the hostel says its worth it! You can book a number of options, but the one that interests me is the 3 day trek, 2 nights, of course this is also the most expensive, but you get to stay in a homestay, with actual people from the village and this really appeals to me. I will think.
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A couple of English people came in the room this morning, Lucy and Lee. They are only staying for a few days then heading south. They did the trans-Siberian, just like a lot o people I have met in my trip, maybe I should have done it. We take them out so that they can sample the delights of weasel coffee, they are a little apprehensive, but then I think everyone is, I know I was. They love it.
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I met Abdullah and he tells me that he is going to an Indian restaurant tonight, and that he signed up on line and he does not have to pay, this sounds good to me albeit a little suspicious. Anyway he shows me where to sign up and I register and send my confirmation email. I get a reply, let's hope I get a free meal. The time comes and we head out for dinner, Abdullah brings a French guy, and I can't remember his name. It is a long walk, about half an hour, and we discuss what we might find when we get there. The wording was, 'complementary night' god only knows. We talk about how only the popadums would be free, and the beer and food extortionate. how we would be the only ones there, how somehow we would get cheated out of our money and a whole host of other undesirable possibilities. We arrive, look at the menu outside, looks expensive. We walk in, no one!
Fear and anxiety ooze. The manager comes over and shakes our hands and tells us to go upstairs to the buffet and not to worry because everything was free. What a relief. We go upstairs and there is some spread laid on, chairs round the room with about 20 other people there eating. I'm asked what I would like to drink, I ask for a beer, then head over to start filling my plate. All the usual Indian delights, nan bread, baggies, spring rolls, rice, lots of curry. All in all it was fantastic.
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We then embark on the long walk back to the old quarter where we have a couple of beers. I phone Max and he comes out for a couple. I then head back to Max's hostel where we play pool for a couple of hours before I head home to bed.