7th and Last day on Bike. Back to Hanoi

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Well, I am back safe and sound in Hanoi. Sitting with laptop and beer on the bed and watching the discovery channel while the nice a/c blows gently over me. Belly full with KFC chicken, could life get any better?

This blog will be pretty short. Not really anything happened today other than a very sore arse from riding 150km today. Took us almost 5 hours to cover that distance. So many little towns and obstacles that we are always slowing down.

Before I forget I have to mention that when we were leaving Moi Chou and getting fuel I saw the people from yesterday at the festival drive by. I was pretty sure I saw Maria. If you read this I would love to know where you ended up last night? Hope you guys are safe and well.

Today is what I figured it would be but worse in a way. As we got about 40km from Hanoi it just turns into one big large ugly dirty city. The smog and the dirt and the exhaust is just so tiring. I totally understand why most of the riders wear the masks and I wish I had one myself. I handwashed my shirt this evening and could not believe the blackness and dirt that came off it into the water. Some of the dirt appears permanent and I don't think it will ever come out. My left shoe is also pretty messed up. The whole side of it is covered in black oil from touching the engine for the last week. I am going to look like a refugee for the next week.

The modern portions of Hanoi are just filled with ugly large giant apartment buildings. They are just square large ugly buildings for miles and miles. No color or character. I did not even know this portion of Hanoi existed. As a tourist you really only see the Old Quarter portion of town.

It was strange being back in Hanoi too with other tourists. Last week I barely noticed them and tonight it seems like I see them everywhere. I was getting used to be the only one in a whole region to be visiting.

I am very proud of myself for one thing though and this next part is for Sarah and Dave as unless you have been there you just cant understand what I am going to say. Last week, I took a taxi to the train station because I could not ride in the traffic here. Today, I spent about an hour working my way through the worst traffic Hanoi has to offer and barely flinched. I rode all the way to the hotel like a champ. I made left turns, and crossed intersections with the best of the locals. Was awesome. After a week of being on the bike I was ready for the ultimate test. And get this Sarah and Dave, I was so into it that after I showered I took one of the hotel bikes and rode into KFC then around town for about 1/2 hour then back to the hotel! In some ways its very addicting. Its such a rush! From here on out for the rest of the trip I am renting bikes everywhere!

I made final arrangements for the next week. I am flying to Hoi an tommorrow and staying there for 3 nights then off to a 5 star hotel in Natrang to just soak up the beach and read a book and take naps. Will be there for 3 nights as well. Last but not least I really splurged this evening. There were some oil paintings that I really fell in love with downtown. I went back and looked at them again and finally decided to buy 2 of them. They are by the same artist and I just really love the colors and they really bring the trip to my mind. It was expensive but will be my only souveniers for the trip

I do have to mention my experience at the Vietnam Post Office. I was sending some really cheap souveniers home to my my mother and a friend. Nothing at all. I drove a scooter to the Post Office and went to the counter. The clerk sold me some large envelopes then asked where I was sending stuff too. I said USA. She reached down and started to bring up papers from underneath the counter. She layed out 6 seperate forms for each envelope. It took me almost a half hour per envelope to fill out the forms. After about an hour and 20 min I went up to the counter again with my stack of paperwork. After about a half hour of her going through each form she weighed the 3 envelopes and told me 400,000 vnd! Thats over $20 US. After 2 hours I just paid the money but never again will I mail anything from the Post Office. What an experience in bureaucracy.


Will check in again soon
Signing off for now
Dave

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Comments

[Janice]

Ancient Chinese Secret!
My back hurts just looking at those woman doing laundry. My head hurts just thinking about mailing a letter! Bravo for braving it out!