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Published: December 20th 2006
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Current Mood: Really Happy
Stepping into a concrete Jungle................ arriving at silly hours of the day................... meeting the closest friends i have in the world in a country unknown to either of us................ This is what its all about!!! Im in Vietnam!!!
Ok so i arrived at 4.30 am in the lovely city of Hanoi!! I hit the Train at around 7pm from Sapa or near by at least! From the off it seemed to be different to all of the trains i have hit before........... the obvious thing was to see a door on the end of my Hard sleeper cabin ooooooooooh and no quilt or matris!!! im in for a night here i think!!!!
So unpacked i get ( the usual really.. Lonely planet guide and the water and the bed socks hahahah kidding) and spread out on my rock hard bed!!! After greetings from the locals.... usually consisting of pointing at me and laughing but this time clearly talking of my Eye brow ring, i had abit of a missed dialect joke with them and decided to sleep!!! Same old shite with the trains really (very bumpy, very noisy) so sleep deprived we are on
me and Han
at last she is here and its just like old times!! route to the big city!
Woken many times through out the night and unsure of my location or when exactly i arrive in Hanoi im abit twitchy to say the least. Sooooooo as you can guess....... it is a shock to wake and see the final guy legging it from my room!! Being me i casually sit up...... strole to the end of the cabin and poke my head out to see what is hapning!! A local is lobbing his bag from the window and on his way past i asked.... 'is this Hanoi?' (forgetting im all unpacked.... socks on the floor etc)............ "YES" he replies so heart in my mouth and a little turtle head later ive thrown my bags off the train ( a la de WINDOW) and ran for the door! Let me explain.... Hanoi is a capital right?!?!?!?!? well the station is shite to the point that i began to think i was not actually in Hanoi. After a panic and a quick repac i head to the street to find a cab and haggle my way to the digs......... (still unknown)
Well im Dropped at the lake and warned of all the scams
im going to see!!! im on guard....... im like a militant! Hahahahah a raging one cos ive just been scamed by the driver!!! anyhooo!!
So i go for a walk through some dark little roads and am approached by a mo-ped tout with his attempts of getting me in to his Lonely planet recomended Hotel....(which was a dive so i said "poop.... please take me to the place run by the Ozzies"......... (Hanoi Backpackers Hostel) so The pleasent chap give me a lift for a good 5000 Dong!
On arrival im instantly impressed by free breakfast ( Second breakfast actually) and hit the showers after meeting some cool people!!! The day was a great one!! i braved the streets........ Hit the Bia Hois (2000 Dong a pint and its 30,000 to the Quid) then had a wonderful, walk back to the digs after avoiding the local prostitutes and drug dealers!!!! and about an hours detour in my pissed up lost state!!!
So the morning arrives and my plan for today is to go meet Han from the main airport!!!! ( im actually shitting my self about this) i cant wait to see her though! So i grab
Breaky.... throw on my best pair of flip flops and dive into the busy streets in search of the Shittle (shuttle) bus...... to Hanoi international!
After an hours wait out comes Hannah and we are the same as ever. laughing and joking and planning the day ahead!! its gonna be Bia Hoi me thinks!!! hahahah great day to be fair..... Han was nackered but we stuck it out, Walked the local Lake and snapped away like goodns! its goodto be walking around with someone who likes to take asmany poctures as me!!! ill also have lots ofmy self to upload hahahaha oooooooh im pretty!!! After doing the rounds and drinkinging the local Hoi we hit the dorm in the early hours!!
Oooooooh a hangover again!!! i cant sleep as per usual so im up showered and to the Park for Bread type delights and to watch a spat of Thai chi!!! Hanoi is interesting!! From walking the park yesterday i had finally got afeel fordirection so i trapsed back up to the island to find the Red Bridge was empty!! This was a crying difference from yesterday.... so on i jumped to get some shots!!! 10am comes and
im bored now......... im off to see if Squires is up and get out to do a bit of shopping!!!! its always the same with Han.. my budget goes out of the window!!! Mostly this day we shot down to the local streets and got extremely lost!!! was a wicked day alright!!!! We ate some great food right out of the Old quarter and simply stroled about until finding the hostel (at last just in time for BBQ) Hahahah met some funny guys........ Terry is a nutter and we got well oiled!! Home to the dorms for i reckon............... A dirty nights sleep with a Manky Hangover the next day!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrg im not doing much today................ literally got up.............. ate breaky and went to hunt for DVD's!!! The end result left us on the roof with aheap of people watching The Departed which is a top movie!!! Good to chill out and see all the guys relaxing!!
Soooooooo. I wake up early and the plan is to get down to See Ho chi Min' Mausoleum. Basicly the deal with this is you arrive, Get all of your luggage taken from you, Get cattled around a yard like your
hear to see something special (*i suppose it is special if it was the real Uncle Ho) Be hushed and pushed....... Look at a dead guy that is really a wax work and leave!! Yeah i had fun.... i love being pushed around by Vietnames military! Hahahaha it was a gret experience i guess imjust a little hurt that we were duped with a Wax work!!
From here ( and next on the itinery from the lonely planet guide....'Hanoi in a Day') We head down towards the Temple of literature! Now i like this place!!! But before we head into a Restaurant Called 'KOTO' that is a little pricey compared to other delights in Nam but you couldnt get a Maccies for the amount we spent like!! The deal with eating here is that all proceeds go to the street kids!! Its no real hastle to pay 4 quid a piece for a meal that was a gutt buster.... puddin and shakes (of the Banana Kind) all to which made myself and Han very sick hahahahah Notliterally but shit it was a big meal!
Over to the temple of literature to wonder around the Gardens and just take
in the relaxing nature of this enclosure! There was lots to read but im being somewhat lame and im not really taking alot in right now!!! I will do as i head south in some War hunting info!!!
On the subject of the Vietnamese conflict we went to see the Vietnamese Museam that Walks you through the strugggle that the Vietnames went through!! ( The Vietnames Revolution Museum) It was a hard experience and i now realise that im so sheltered as to what was hapning so my aim for Nam is to get to grips with the whole concept and Gain an understanding of the true effects that in fairness has changed the way we see the world with regards to war!!!
The night timejust walked us through the usual....... Getting Pissed again!
Today we are heading to Hue............. we have booked a sleeper bus to this destination that also enables us to go asfaras Saigon on a multiple stop!!! cant wait!!!!
Ill love and leave you all for now though guys!!! love from a Brummy!!!!
Pics to come guys i cant find anywhere to upload them from........ nam sucks for that hahahah more
Island on the lake
a local pays respects stories under construction................ sorry
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Hazy Hanoi
Cool blog Niki. Glad to hear you found the Backpackers Hostel in Hanoi. Looking fwd to seeing some proper pics of Hanoi - mine were all pretty crap!