Blogs from Hanoi, Red River Delta, Vietnam, Asia - page 5

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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi April 5th 2018

We’re staying in the Box Hotel, central of the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The culture is so different to Thailand; we’ve said it has more of a Chinese/Japanese feel which we love. But we love how beyond cheap Vietnam is more; local beer costs 17p and vodka costs £2.30 a bottle which is dangerous but fantastic. Mind you the vodka tastes like beef crisps but we’re running with it. The currency is incredibly difficult to get your head around considering it’s 31,000 VND to the pound. We’ve also noticed that theft happens pretty often in Hanoi; I’ve saw 2 theft attempts and a pick pocket within the space of a five minutes along one particular street, all on tourists. It’s really important to keep your your wits about you and belongings close, trust no one. The ... read more
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District March 17th 2018

After my first blog, you'll be happy to hear that day two has been exceptionally better so far. I feel like a strong, independent woman who got a good nights sleep. Its 5.00PM now and I am taking advantage of this time to write before my journey up to Sa Pa. I've put my trust in the good people here at the Rendezvous Hanoi Hotel to book my overnight train to Lao Cai. That's where I am left to organise transport to Sa Pa - at 6.00AM in the morning...the joys of a 'carefree' traveller! Jetlag worked its magic and at 6.00AM this morning I woke up feeling ready and hungry. I shared a room with 4 others and somehow 3 had already left - maybe they just couldn't handle it and caught the first plane ... read more
Taken at the Temple of Literature
You guessed it! Train Street
My lunch today

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District March 16th 2018

24 hours ago I was standing outside Harrison's departure gate in Auckland International airport wondering to myself, why and what the hell am I doing? Unfortunately the waves of being homesick hit hard, and right now, I don't understand what made me want to fly to S.E Asia all by myself. I'm hoping that a decent nights sleep and some local street food (I know, I know) will ease my anxiety. Little things that I have come to realise so far - I packed WAY TOO MUCH - Walking around isn't as scary as people say, condensed milk in coffee is amazing. My first personal motto is 'This is my trip and I can do what I want'. Let me explain; After dropping my outrageously big bag in my hostel locker, I put on my brave ... read more
Hoan Kiem Lake

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi March 1st 2018

After a busy first couple of weeks in Vietnam we moved onto Hoi An where we’d decided to stay for a week. We’d only heard good things from other people who had been there and were excited to see for ourselves what all the fuss was about. We stayed at a home stay away from the main old town area called Red Home Guesthouse and we were spoilt with a great breakfast every morning which included a platter of fresh fruit picked straight from the garden. It was nice to stay in one place for a while and Hoi An, whilst being a bit of a tourist trap, was very chilled out with a very slow pace of life and once all the lanterns were lit in the evening very easy on the eye. We did ... read more
Mr Hung of Red Home Guesthouse
Scooter Convoy
View of Ha Long Bay

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi January 20th 2018

Nous avons pris le bus local à l'aéroport et avons facilement trouvé notre auberge de jeunesse. Après un dîner de papier de riz et oignons frits, nous sommes allés nous coucher. Le lendemain, nous avions un tour à pieds de Hanoi gratuit avec notre auberge de jeunesse. Au bout de 10 minutes, nous étions dans la cathédrale Notre-Dame (que les français ont construit après avoir détruit un des temples adorés des vietnamiens lors de la colonisation) et lorsque nous sommes sortis de la cathédrale, la "guide" et le reste des gens étaient partis ! Vu la guide, une jeune ivre de la veille qui n'y connaissait rien, c'était pas une grosse perte. On était quatre, Shaun, une péruvienne, Nicolas, un français et moi. Nous avons fait notre propre tour à pieds et sommes allés au café ... read more
Notre-Dame d'Hanoi
Harriet Potter!!

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District January 9th 2018

Early start on Sunday. At Changi Terminal 2 for 7:20 am for the 9:20 am flight from Singapore to Hanoi. Couple of minor hiccups trying to check in automatically as Caitlin and I were fine but Reuben's Vietnam visa for some reason wouldn't register. Took a few minute to sort then through. Departure formalities here very easy and straightforward. Really good flight with Singapore airlines. And for the trainspotters it was a Boeing something 200. Seemed to have a little more room. Service was excellent. Arrived Hanoi around midday. Disembarked and formed a queue for border control. This was old school. Long lines moving slowly, but moving. Got bored and worked out they processed 2 people in an average of 56 seconds. Doesn't sound long but put 60 plus people in the line and you do ... read more
Temple on the lake...
Walking to the French Qaurter...
Hanoi Opera House

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi January 8th 2018

I ate some ants the other day. I thought they were just ant eggs with rice. And I eat chicken eggs so I thought it’d be okay. And maybe they were just eggs but I could see the fully formed ant, legs reaching for the sky amidst a bowl of rice. Embryos? I ask the table of co-workers. They don’t know. I stop with the ants and Sarah and I order some tofu. We are sitting cross-legged at a long bam... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi December 27th 2017

We pile our fifteen suitcases into a small black taxi. Our driver is slight and friendly and doesn’t speak but turns the AC up he when hears us complain about the heat. We pass by rows of houses smattered along the road. Their balconies rise up four or fives stories, not more than ten feet wide. Motorbikes pass us but n... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District November 27th 2017

Ich steige in den fahrenden Bus ein. Mitten auf der Straße war jemand ausgestiegen um mir beim Einladen meines Rucksacks zu helfen. Anschließend wurde ich die Treppen in den großen Bus hochgeschoben. Ich laufe durch den vollen, klimatisierten Bus und setze mich auf einen der freien Plätze auf der Rückbank. Der Bus ist voll mit Chinesen. Wir fahren durch die Stadt und es steigen noch einige wenige Europäer zu. Gequetscht sitzen wir im kalten Bus und fahren Richtung Halong Bucht. Wir halten nach 90 Minuten an einem touristischen Shop mit überzogenen Preisen bevor es weitergeht. Nach 3 Stunden trifft der Bus in der Bucht ein. Die einzigen wenigen Reisenden in meinem Alter steigen aus und werden einer neuen Reisegruppe zugeteilt. An der Bucht tummeln sich Menschenmassen, die warten auf ihre Boote gebracht zu werden. Ich sitze ... read more
Tropfsteinhöhlen
Kajakfahren in den Weiten der Halong Bucht
Aussicht vom höchsten Punkt auf Monkey Island

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi November 26th 2017

We met the other trippers at a briefing meeting last evening with a full tour of 12 comprising 7 male & 5 females all eager with anticipation for the trip ahead. A slow & mostly uninteresting morning start with a walking tour to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum & the surrounding gardens & temples. After lunch we were all fitted to our bikes & set out on a short 20 km introductory ride around the chaotic city of Hanoi to test our nerve against the bustling motor scooter traffic. Couldn't do it without a guide directing traffic. The rIde allowed us to meander around the many parks, lakes, and the palatial tree-lined boulevards as well as the primitive conditions along the dusty back streets for many poor classes. Dinner was BBQ street food in the Old Quarter. ... read more
Changing of the Guarad
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