Hello again!

We travelled from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on the overnight bus again, and then flew from Bangkok to Vietnam- Hanoi, which is the capital city. We caught the local bus from the airport to the city centre. As soon as we stepped out of the bus we were ushered into a hotel. This was too expensive for us, so we decided to find our own. We stepped out of the door, anbd it was like being a celebrity! There were about 10 men there all shouting and trying to get our attention so that we would go to their hotel. We chose a hotel and set off with the man to find it. It is so weird! Its at the back of a shop selling pickled snakes and scorpions. The floors are all marble and the furniture is all heavy wood. Its about the classiest place we have stayed in so far (apart from the snakes of course).

We took a map with a suggested route on it, and set off to walk the city tour. The traffic here is manic! There are no road rules, just a thousand motorcycles going their own way, nobody stops at junctions, they just weave around each other. The pavements are full of vendors and double as shop fronts so pedestrains have to walk in the road too. Add to this the ladies carrying fruit baskets over their shoulders, cyclo drivers and some cars and you have total chaos! But they all look so chilled, and just beep everyone to let them know they are behind/ at the side of them. We soon settled into the walk, and crossing roads is no longer a problem. You just walk really slowly into the traffic and magically it all goes around you. You dont even have to look some times.

The streets and buildings here are very bizarre. They are like 3 storey terraced houses, but with a European look. They use the shop front as a shop during the day, table at meal times and bed at night times.

On our first day we were half way around the tour and Adam spotted a hair dressers. He had his hair cut, and I had mine straightened. Its amazing! My hair is straight all the time now yipeee! Then on the walk back to the hotel there was a tropical storm! I ran and got in just in time - and saved my hair from being ruined!

We spent our 3 days in Hanoi just chilling out and wandering around the Old Quarter. We saw the giant turtle that lives in the lake and visited the temples. We also ate lots of great food at bargain prices! Their speciality dish is Cho Ca ( i think)which adam tried. It like a fish broth that you cook yourself and serve with noodles. I had fish in a banana leaf with veg and rice. The photos are on Facebook - I think its a very impressive meal for $8. We have also eaten at the street stalls and drank the 18p beer - which was not out favourite. Much better to splash out 50p on a decent bottle!

Its very odd wandering the streets here. Each street has its own theme. Out hotel was on "tin goods" street, and we stepped out each morning to hammering and welding. The next sreet was herb street, and all the shops sold dried herbs. There was also shoe street, sunglasses street, sellotape street, mattress street. There is definetly the French feel that we read about here. We run into boulangeries and cake shops all the time. We have had pain au chocolats and madelaine cakes.They also eat frogs!

After the madness of Hanoi we have booked a trip to Cat Ba Island. This is in Halong Bay and is apparently very beautiful and has great beaches. This will be our first time of actual relaxing and not wandering 10 miles around a city all day! Can't wait!

Please let me know what is happening at home- Kelly how did your Hen night go? Chloe how was the concert. I hope the Brownies raised lots of money for Derby Hospital! Mum - how was the holiday? I hope you made it down from the cable cars. When do we move? You will have to let me have the new address so that I can send a postcard. Did Nanna ever get her postcard????