Hanoi - First Impressions

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I’ve been in Hanoi 5 days now. I could see myself staying here much longer. I’m comfortable here and I can’t pinpoint why, but I’ll try:


• The people. They’re not noticeable extroverted, so I feel I can keep to myself more unlike other more extroverted places. One problem with friendly is that it sometimes crosses into nosy, and this doesn’t seem to be a problem in Hanoi. In general the culture is a good balance between friendly and reserved.
• The weather. At the end of the day I’m an organism, and I need a good climate. For this particular organism, I like cooler weather. In hot weather I got stifled and lazy, not to mention sweaty. Here it’s about 15 degrees © every day which is just about perfect. It means I can walk long distances without breaking a sweat. It means I can snuggle up and get warm. And for some reason I just find I have more energy in cooler climates.
• The pace. I loved the Philippines, but Manila’s pace was just too hectic for me. Crowded, impossible to get a cab and hence competitive, long lines for everything… Hanoi is a good balance. It’s got the busyness that keeps you on your toes, but at the same time I wouldn’t call it hectic – unless of course you’re at the night markets on a weekend. Hoan Kiem Lake is actually quite chilled aside from peak times.
• The food. I could eat pho bo all day every day, and pretty much have been doing just that since getting here. Not just the pho though, the food in general is very nice: leafy, noodly, occasionally fried goodness. It may have even overtaken Thai as my favourite Asian food (Greek is still my favourite overall).
• The prices. I won’t lie, Hanoi is very cheap by Australian standards, and even occasionally cheap by South-East Asian standards. This doesn’t hurt. Just make sure to avoid a certain Fusion Bodyworks gym which charges a whopping $20 a day, compared to one I found just down the road X Fitness which is literally one-tenth of that.
• I’ve got a gym here (see above). There’s probably nothing that makes me feel at home like getting into the gym and doing a workout. It’s like a universal language.
• I know someone here who’s a great guide and has done heaps to make me feel settled.


I have around two more weeks here but could definitely see myself coming back for a longer stay. Haven't been bored yet.

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