Hanoi

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The bus ride that I was suppose to fear was pleasant enough. I passed out and before I knew it I was there. Where are these horror stories coming from?



With a destination in mind I grabbed my bags and started walking, but not before chewing down on some more street food. I "chatted" it up with some locals who knows what they were having me say and then moved on.



I found my hostel and instantly started working on getting my flit home so I could run to get my India visa. Time flies when you have a deadline and the Internet is crazy. With 30minutes to spare the first public form of transportation I chose to take outside of the main buses dropped me off at the French embassy. I ran to the Indian one where I found out one of my forms was wrong... And I had till 5 pm. To figure it out.



Fixing the situation I handed in my passport to the lovely fellow I had to interview with and was ensured I'd get it back Friday. From there I grabbed a bite to eat.



I wandered the city checking out the parks and decided to go to Halong Bay while I was here. That would be Wednesday and Thursday I decided. I had really wanted to go to Sapa but the time restraints and the idea of trekking, busing back on Friday morning, dealing with a visa and hopping on a 30 hour bus didn't sound to appealing.



Tuesday was gross and rainy. I went running despite the outcries of several people who saw me exit the hostel. Maybe I should have listened to them because my run was crap. I then went to the Museum of Literacy which was just ok and then past the maseleum and army museum.



I booked my trip and went wandering once more. In search of food once more. I headed back to my hostel and enjoyed an hour of free beer and although I had to be up early the next day ended up on a bar crawl with two Swedish fellows. They were awesome. If they weren't I wouldn't have gone, but I had such a blast with them.



We hit up another hostel after a shot of rice wine and then grabbed fresh beer. They told me all about Sweden and the alcoholism and the monarchy and I learned quite a bit about a fake religion that I may join (just kidding) and we ended the night grabbing kebabs and strolling in the rain. I invited them on a tour of jersey so I better start preparing that!
The rest of my time in Hanoi society was pretty dull but my trip to Halong Bay was fabulous! Coming up in the next entry. i vacant believe I almost forgot BUT I ate dog while in Hanoi and you know what it was delicious!

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