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After saying goodbye to everyone at the Airport, which was probably one of the hardest things I've had to do, It was time to set this adventure in motion. The Plane trip across was really Good which surprisingly enough I managed to fall asleep which is something that never happens. Might have something to do with the rather naff selection of films that were available. Still can't complain as we had individual screens as opposed to the big screen right at the front where the curvature of the earth gets in the way.
Films that were on were the sentinal - isn't it about time that Michael Douglas retired?? which was watchable but a bit naff. Poseidon - seen it - the boat sinks need i say more!! and started watching hoodwinked - the new cartoon with less appeal then a rotting bannana.
I sat next to a guy on the plain who was doing exactly the same as me. Touring the world that is opposed to Vietnam. He was going into Thailand and travelling round there for a bit before heading off to Australia. Can't remember his name now - Arrrrgh thats what happens when you leave it to long to write this thing.
On arrival in Vietnam it took about 45mins to clear immigration then it was on to pray that my bag would have made the journey - after fretting that it would disappear into the Thailand abyss. I was met in Ha Noi airport by a taxi driver with my name and another on it who happened to be on the same transfer flight from Bangkok all be it he was allready an experienced traveller and was going round the world too. His name was Mike, a south African living in London and got chatting on the way to the Hotel.
Making the journey through the city was somewhat of an eye opener. All the drivers seem to be on a death wish with horns that are most of the time bibbing at anything that moves. Traffic lights change colour and are really quite pretty but thats about all they do. Out here it is survival of the fittest or the insane whichever one you choose first. It is a case of step out and keep on going do not swurve as one thing the Vietnamese are good at is avoiding things. Suprising there are not more accidents then there are. The whole bibbing thing is to warn that someone is coming through rather than to shout abuse at someone who seemed to upset them down the road - that is just not done. In fact no matter what happens not a bad word is said - it is considered extremely poor to loose face.
After checking into the Hotel and wandering what I was about to get into Myself and Mike went off to meet the group leader, Krista, who was already out and about for dinner with the rest of the group which had arrived earlier. There We met Dave a cocktail bar manager from Manchester who was doing the same things. We sat a roadside cafe which was a shop front with little beer crates to sit on where we drank cold draught beer at 2000 Dong a glass. At 30,000 Dong to the pound we were looking at about 7p a shot. As you can tell i was extremely traumatised by this :)
After a few beers (would have been rude not to) it was back to the hotel to get some sleep for the night. So far so good!! :)
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