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Published: December 8th 2009
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Steve and Maja - yes we do love them that much they get a whole blog dedicated just to them - and the events that happened during the time they were in Hanoi.
Tuesday 13th October 2009 - The day of my Course Meet and Greet; we were expecting Steve and Maja to get into Hanoi around Lunch time, so we started our day with walking to Fruit Shake Street (has a nice ring to it) for some breakfast - it was delicious. There are all these glasses filled with different fruit, and you point to the one you want (lots of pointing done here) and they tip condensed milk into it, and give you a spoon and a bowl of crushed ice - and you put the ice into the cup and squash it and the fruit down - to make a Fruit Shake. Ha - magic! I knew it would be a good day with a breakfast like that.
We got a call from Steve & Maj while we were having our Fruit Shakes, saying they were in Hanoi already. And they were going to freshen up and we’d see them a bit later on that day…we arranged
to meet at the Church in The Old Quarter. So Luke and I looked at some shops around the Church, but I was so excited about seeing them, that we stood in one spot so we could see them coming - ha, and what a laugh when we did see them - biggest smiles walking towards us waving with their Ski Rider polo’s on!
We took them to the little food stall just down from Hanoi Backpackers for a tasty meal - it was great fun watching them take in the craziness of Hanoi, and poor ‘Giant Steve’ (compared to the Vietnamese) sitting on the kids plastic stool at a kids plastic table - with his knees pretty much hitting his chin. We spent the afternoon wandering around Hanoi, walked passed a few Vietnamese Men releasing their bladders on a fence - a bit gross, but Steve and Luke walked a little taller for the rest of the day.
I called Luke-e after my course meet and greet, and went to meet them all at a restaurant where they were having dinner - one of the Men, Al’s his name, in my course offered to drive me and
Out for dinner
Minhs Jazz Club is just across the road ended up staying and having a beer with us too. After Al left us, we decided to check out Minh’s Jazz club - which was across the road from the restaurant we were at - bit pricey in there but worth it for the music. The house band plays every night, they
e all top notch jazz musos...hard to tell if Luke and Steve like the music or the scotch better.
Wednesday 14th October 2009 - We had drinks with them at Hanoi Backpackers after the first day of my course - which was lovely, I came out of my course to meet Luke-e on the motorbike, we were having a bit of a chat with some of the students in my class and all of a sudden Steve & Maj appeared from the Markets.
Luke-e showed us all photo’s of the Apartment we decided on renting that day, so we spent the night celebrating; we got stuck into our beers, and reminiscing about Ski Rider. It was getting on a bit so we decided to wander around to find some dinner, ended upstairs at the Restaurant we were at the night before - and after a great dinner
there - found ourselves back at Minh’s Jazz Club - Luke and Steve sat back with their 21yr old Scotch.
Luke and I spent the next couple of days getting settled into our apartment, and I was really busy with my course so we didn’t see them again till Saturday when they came to have a little look at our new pad, and they brought us moving-in gifts - coffee plungers, and Maj gave me a bunch of flowers! They headed to Sapa for a couple of days and also went on a trip to Ha Long Bay - we caught up with them afterwards for a night out a Bia Hoi with some friends they’d made.
Sunday 25th October 2009 we caught up for some Indian Cuisine with Steve and Maj - I was feeling so under the weather after my course graduation the night before. Steve, Maj, and Luke-e were feeling fine though, and the Football (Soccer for all those Aussies) was on at the Irish Pub - Finnegan’s, so off there we went. I had a bit of a nap leaning up against the wall - then eventually more drinking, laughing and reminiscing about Ski
Rider and how much we love being friends - I hopped back on my drinking horse and had two G&T’s - my new favorite drink thanks to Steve! I can remember leaving the Pub yelling out to Steve and Maj as they faded into the distance “I need a name for my horse”.
Tuesday 27th October 2009 - I think Luke and I spent most of the day lazing about in bed - we’d had two huge nights and deserved it. Steve and Maj came over for a farewell dinner - as they were flying out today -
Wednesday 28th October. We were all pretty wrecked, so we weren’t adventurous as the nights prior, but we had a great night - drinking (not as much), laughing and talking about how Luke and I definitely had to make it over to Sweden for their Wedding.
We got an sms from our Landlord, Long, the next day to say the neighbours who live underneath us, complained about us ashing our cigarettes out the window - woops! We had a delicious dinner - Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls, and also some deep fried things. It was a really lovely night - saying
good bye was a bit sad.
Such a fun time having them here though, experiencing the first full week with them, and moving into our house. Can’t wait to see them in Sweden!
Or at Ski Rider next season……haha! 😊
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Steve and Maja
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Good Times!!!!
Hi Guys Can believe you've done about 10 blogs already and we've only just found them! Its really nice to look back at the pics and remenisce now we're back in cold dark Sweden haha. Looks like you're having an amazing time, big congrats on the jobs for you both! We'll be following you from now on and day dreaming wishing we were still on the road. Keep having fun and have a beer hoi or 2 for us. Big hugs, Steve and Maj of the Swedes x