Alex's last day today, so I head out with her for one more weasel coffee, back to our good old favourite spot. Alex buys some ground weasel coffee to send home. I head back to the hostel to enquire about where to go to get a haircut, at a good price of course. One of the guys in the hostel tells me of a good wee spot out on the street. I agree and I jump on the back of his bike for him to take me. My god! This journey was in stark contrast to my ride yesterday. He accelerates so hard that had I not been holding on, I'd have ended up on my back on the street. Followed swiftly by harsh breaking that nearly sends me through the back of my Vietnamese driver. Luckily my journey is short and I get of the bike slightly shaking.
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So here we have just a barber chair on the street with a mirror hanging on the railing. There Is a guy in front of me, getting the works, the haircut and shave which includes the shaving of your forehead, your ears, and your nose. I think I'll pass on that one, don't want to be stimulating any more hair growth on my head. I sit down. No English. I see he has clippers so I tell home 3 on the clippers and then signal the back and sides of my head. Next I signal the top of my head and make the scissor motion with my fingers. He appears to understand. Let's go! Once he starts it is beginning to look a lot shorter than a 3, but not much I can do about that now. I just let it take it's course, and to be fair he did a good job.
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I decide to try out the "less dirty kebab" as pointed out to me yesterday, even though it is more expensive than the usual kebab. I am expecting quality. I wasn't disappointed, well worth the extra 15p, more meat and more sauce, the way to my heart. I'm heading over to Hoang's before we head to some club, it's about a 20min walk so I take it casually, to keep the sweat under control. I get there and her and her friend are still getting ready, of course. They have phones a taxi, and when it arrives they still continue to take photos of themselves before we get in. It definitely appears to be a culture here, women just can't take enough photos of themselves. Every time they are dressed up, or anytime they are somewhere nice, it's time for the shoot. It is normally the responsibility of the boyfriend, but in the absence, self photos are the way to go. We eventually get in the taxi and it is a short ride to Southgate. The music is pumping but there are not to many people here. We take a seat in a room off the main area and of course it is time for more photos. We get a drink and mess around taking photos for at lease an hour. Taking the photo, editing the photo, posting it online and then making a comment, all part of the process. After a while the place is not filling up and so the girls suggest that we go somewhere else, fine with me. Another taxi, about 5mins and we arrive at what looks like an apartment block. We walk through a swanky foyer and on to the lifts, Hoang keys in 19, and we are off. As we get closer I can feel the music, the lift opens and in to a club we go. The place is busy. The music culture I have found in Asia is 10 years behind us, they all love Boyzone, Westlife, Blue etc. even the guys, singing away, you wouldn't get away with that at home. It is like a time warp in here, even has some classic 90s dance which I am enjoying too much. It is called Rooftop, and I walk out on to the terrace an get a good view out over Hanoi. I txt a couple of guys from the hostel and they come to join us. Almost as soon as they arrive the music stops and the lights come on, how disappointing. The girls head home and myself, Rodrigo and Jesse sit and finish our beers before we take the long walk back to Tet bar. Of course on the way we have bikes stopping beside us on countless occasions asking "marijuana.......sexy lady...." We say no and continue to walk on. We get to Tet bar and the shutters are down, but there is a guy there who makes a call and suddenly the shutter start to raise and we head in. Duke is in his usual crazy form and we stay for a couple of beers before heading off to meet Tim, a Vietnamese guy who works in the hostel. He has invites us to some karaoke. It involves crossing a couple of main roads and vaulting a wall, well that was the route we took. Same protocol when we get there, make the phone call and then the shutters open. We are shown up to a private room and see Tim and a couple of his friends. The place already has beers and other drinks along with a song list. The English isn't to extensive but I get a few songs racked up. The interesting thing about singing karaoke here is that no one laughs. You just belt it out and everyone tells you how good you are. Somewhat more encouraging than at home. I sang more than I should due to this. Back home involved another vault over a wall, not to graceful this time and so I incurred some scratches for my efforts! Back to bed at 4, vaguely remember Hoang saying something about breakfast as tomorrow is my last day in Hanoi.......