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Gooodd Mooooornning Vietnaaaam !!!
We arrived after a really short 1hr 50min flight from Hong Kong, had no idea what the name of our hostel was as we had had no email confimation so just sort of knew the area and part of the address which is a good start! We got our luggage and through no problems it had been thirty six degrees so the heat hit us straight away. We went to the tourist info stand and asked if they knew the area we were trying to get to luckliy they were really helpful and sorted us a taxi out for a really good price. The young lad called Joe back as we were going and said "Excuse me sir are you a footballer"after shaking the lads hand we walked away laughing.
Vietnam is mad loads of motorbikes I mean like thousands we got the area we thought our hostel was and were dropped off in the middle of the old quarter in Hanoi, it's lots of small streets and everyone is sitting outside just drinking and cooking mad food the motorbikes and mopeds and wizzing past. After walking round for a bit we found the address we were looking for which unfortunately was just a shop front and as it was Sunday it was shut and locked up. We got offered somewhere to stay by a lady standing outside so we asked to look at the room and said yes straight away it was a family room and they did it for the price of a smaller one so it was about nine quid for both of us and it has fridge,a/c (which you definetely need)sky tv, small balcony and loads of room, so all was well and we were well chuffed. We went to had a look around as we are in the old quarter apparently thats where the cheapest restaurants and bars are, we went to a posh restaurant / bar that had a great room upstairs which overlooks the streets you sit in the window with your feet up we had beers and dinner for under a 3 quid !!
Next day after a great nights sleep and our free breakfast (which was fine eggs bread etc) we went to look around Hanoi in the daylight we walked around the lake which is just at the end of our street it's just so hot at the moment so it's hard to walk where there is no shade apparently it was 45 degrees last week.As we were making our way back to hostel a woman carrying 2 large baskets of fruit on pole over her shoulder stopped us and sold us some lychees then let me carry the pole for photo,next minute another woman turned up and put her pole on my other shoulder,Joe was laughing and took a photo. Within 5 secs 2 more women had put their poles of fruit on joes shoulders grabbed the camera and began to take joes picture.At this point all 4 of them wanted paying and were thrusting there hands at joe cos he had the money,still not understanding the money(30000 dong to 1pound)joe gave the first woman some money and we walked away,one of them followed us for20 secs shouting(bit scary) We ended up having to come back to the room for an afternoon nap!! It's a hard life! We had heard about a water puppet show that was famous years ago so went along to there it was fun a small band playing folk music which was just like irish music and these mad puppets on water it's what the vietnamise children all used to watch. Walking round Hanoi there are just loads of people outside cooking mad stuff and its mega cheap to buy, one guy had a tank of crabs and lobster and they are pence, but its how they make their money as years ago there was no tourists and now they rely on our money!
Joe had been reading up about these three bars that luckily we discovered were at the end of our street, so we had some food at a stall set up outside where they cook everything fresh in a wok ,bit like wok in a box ! It was chucking it down with rain and thundering and lightening but we managed to find the bars they are literally just shop fronts with verandas over with loads of plastic chairs where you sit and watch the hustle and bustle and the biggest bonus (this one is for you Bis) the beers are 10p each could not believe it had a great night chatting to few travellers and some locals had dried squid cooked on small charcoal barbies with chilli sauce.settled the 1pound fifty bill and made our way home.
We have booked a three night four day trip leaving tomorrow night to a place called Sapa it's supposed to be beautiful we get the over night train then spend a night in a plush hotel then trek into the mountains to meet a local tribe we then stay with a local family in their home for one night they cook for us and entertain us we then head back go swimming etc and end up back here four days later. Our plan is then to make our way down the coast and spend some time maybe near the beaches. Loving Vietnam at the moment is fab will update after our tour. Its been thundering and lightening all morning it's mad love to eveyone at home, hope your all wellxxxxxx
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