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Published: October 26th 2007
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Hang Bac Street
I thought it was ironic, given the man lying back on the motorcycle. After the stress of the day before, it was good to finally be on a flight to Hanoi- not until after Cathay Pacific insisted that I couldn't get into Vietnam if I didn't buy a return ticket and then refund the return part after I left. Yeh. So three lessons learnt there: a) always read the fine print. b) get a credit card, even if you don't usually use it, have one. c) airports, while in general designed to be user friendly, can turn around and decide they don't like you and want to make your life as difficult as possible- be wary of airports.
I arrived at Hanoi airport and caught a taxi into town (N.B. the taxi is rather expensive, apparently there's a much cheaper minbus for anyone planning to go there in the future). After a while looking for a hotel, I finally settled on one in the old quarter which seemed a pretty good deal. I went down to use the free Internet, but it was pretty slow, so went looking for an Internet cafe. I was walking around the lake with this purpose when I saw some computers in the Tourist Information Office. I asked
Some motorcycles
I'm going to miss those things when I get back home. In Vietnam- motorcycle is king! how much the Internet cost. It was free. So I was just there, totally exploiting the free Internet of the Tourism Office, when who should walk in off the street but Roger. He was looking for a place to call Ranga, who was also in Hanoi. I knew Roger was flying into Hanoi that day, but it turns out we arrived at the airport at pretty much the same time- and then to meet randomly in Hanoi. Well, Hanoi is pretty big. And there are a lot of people there. And I usually wouldn't set foot in a Tourist Information Office if it wasn't for free Internet. So yeh, it was pretty trippy.
Anyway, Ranga wasn't available to come out to dinner, so Roger and I went walking all around Hanoi trying to find a Bia Hoi- where the beers are so cheap you can buy 8 for $1. That was to no avail, so instead, after an all-you-can eat dinner for some ridiculously low price, we headed the rooftop of his hostel where they have a bar set up. An awesome place to meet other travellers.
Having been to Hanoi before, there wasn't much more that I
wanted to do, so my first full day there was mainly spent wandering around, hanging around the lake and buying a SIM card for Vietnam. That night I met Ranga and Roger, along with a friend of Ranga's from the university, Amy, for dinner. Later that night I finally got to a Bia Hoi, turns out there were a few right near my hotel, for a couple of (less than 15c each) drinks. Thank god I drink beer now.
The next day I went to the Ho Chi Minh Museum in the morning. It was awesome. I loved it the first time around because of the amount of Modernist artworks that it referenced, but the second time around, I had actually read up on what everything actually meant (seeing as the museum was supposed to be about Ho Chi Minh), and enjoyed it even more. I was one of the stragglers who at 11.20 am were being pushed out of the door, the lights being flicked on and off (unsurprising considering the official closing time was 11am). Then I went to the Temple of Literature, and met Lou, Jess and mum there. They had flown in that morning. After
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Guernica by Picasso, in sculpture form. Had to go back to that place! having a look around (and fielding a range of questions from Jess as to why the water puppets weren't there) we went to KOTOs for some food. Brilliant stuff as always. And KOTOs being the restaurant where they train disadvantaged and street kids to give them skills in the hospitality sector, I felt good all round. Then it was off to Hang Gai, to accompany mum and Lou with their Hanoi purchases. I was generally used as a haggling mediator, but it was good being able to give advice on things, especially when mum came close a few times to buying things I'd already bought as presents.
The next day, I went to check out the university that Ranga worked at. That night, Ranga was busy with uni business so I met Roger at his hostel for a few goodbye drinks and a rooftop BBQ, considering he was heading off to Halong Bay the next morning. It might not have been my hostel, but that rooftop was a great way to meet people: I think in the course of the night I got talking to some Canadians, Dutch, Aussies (of course) and a Yank, not to mention chatting to
The temple of literature
A tranquil place... totally surrounded by the horns and revs of motorcycles. a range of other nationalities in passing.
I woke up on my 5th day in Hanoi and it suddenly dawned on me how short 3 and a bit weeks is to do the whole of Vietnam. So, it was time to leave Hanoi and catch the train down to Hoi An. That day I spent at Lou, Jess and mum's hotel, hanging by the pool, then eventually going out for dinner and a walk around the lake. I went to the train station after saying goodbye to mum again, and got the 11pm train to Da Nang. It wasn't an experience I'd recommend: what with 3 layers of bunk beds, rendering sitting up impossible. But then again, I guess it was definitely an experience.
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