Asia Diary - Day 4 - KL to Hanoi

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Woke up at 3:45AM to check if it was worth going back to sleep. Somehow set off Nadine’s wake up call by nudging her phone (Satie’s Gymnopodie No.1) and decided we may as well get up. Got the Hotel “Limo” (minivan) to the airport, arriving at 5:20AM. Had an extremely smooth trip with hardly any turbulence (probably because of the early hour), waltzed through a very relaxed customs and immigration (no immigration cards) before being picked up by the Hotel’s courier (never had someone in an airport hold up a sign for me like that (not counting the “Old Man Miezitis” episode of course).
Then experienced Vietnamese driving. Wow. They have left hand drive, but that doesn’t mean much. The louder your horn is, the more right of way you have, unless you’re a motorbike, then just fit in wherever you can. The highlights were:
• Old lady with her pushbike in the fast line of the 6 lane highway.
• The roundabouts, which were actually massive free-for-alls like the Arc de Triumph
• The women going the wrong way down the one way street while texting on her mobile.
• Our driver complaining about the poor behaviour and then doing the same thing himself.
Got to the Hotel, where the receptionist was quite nice. Our rooms were nearly on the top floor of this tiny building with no lifts and uneven stairs. Quite a hike, but at least we didn’t have to carry our bags.
Wandered around the streets looking at various sights and getting used to the traffic rules..or lack of them. The most dangerous time to cross it appears is when you have a green light at a pedestrian crossing.
Saw the locals get excited about seeing a crocodile in the central city lake. They were all rushing to the edge; I was expecting someone to full in or at least to throw a chicken in to see what it would do. Everybody here carries a chicken.
Saw a women de fleaing her cat and then another de fleaing her grandmother. Saw a Vietnamese dwarf, a man carrying a wardrobe on the back of his motorcycle, tons of weddings and a cool historical propaganda poster shop.
The mug in the toilet had this written on it, “Guanghua. The beautiful rose atmosphere to be good grudge it will be pretty gorgeous all and will be fragrant always and the comfort which will carry it does as a favour and the soft outstretched hand it is joyful.”
Went out for tea to a place called Koto (via coffin street) which is for homeless kids to learn a trade. It was pretty good and cost us about $5 a meal with $1 beers and $7 cocktails.
Caught the rest of the Apollo documentary on nat geo channel before going to sleep on the boards they call mattresses.

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Photos

Nice cakes
I think the most elaborate one was about $AUS20

Serenity Hotel
Our Hotel with no lift and crazy steps.

"French fries"
They were squishy as well, but quite nice. Only lightly fried.

Vietnam Pizza
Ilialian food was everywhere in Hanoi - go figure

Nads as a local
Just off the plane, theis woman accosts Nads and puts all this stuff on her and then demands money. We hadn't been to the bank yet and had none, so she got very huffy.