Blogs from Red River Delta, Vietnam, Asia - page 8

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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
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi November 25th 2017

Arrived tired after a midnight flight & an elapsed 15 hour trip. Settled into Hotel before venturing into the bustling old town. Slept well until a chorus of diesel freight trains announced the start of their working day at 4 am. An unseasonally cool start to the day with a slow & mostly uninteresting drive to the launch port at Halong Bay. The overcast conditions did not deliver the picture postcard emerald blue waters under sunny skies and imposing limestone peaks (karsts) but was still spectacular anew gave a good sense of the scene under ideal conditions. Meals have been sumptuous & decorated with the most amazing vegetable carvings. Our Vietnamese host has a charming way of addressing the lady guest & Ruth is becoming quite comfortable in being addressed as Lady Ruth. Fun activities included ... read more
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi November 1st 2017

One of the first skills I’ve had to learn in Hanoi, was how to navigate traffic. In Hanoi, traffic consists mostly of a never-ending flow of scooters. To get across, you need to walk confidently, and predictably, and let traffic flow around you instead. It was disconcerting at first, but eventually I got the hang of it. Don’t let that scare you though – Hanoi’s busy traffic is actually part of its charm. It was a rare sight, seeing so many people on scooters. I particularly liked the ladies who rode pillion - they would sit with both legs on one side of the motorcycle, like they did in old Asian films that my dad and I used to watch. I stayed at a hotel in the Old Quarters, which is the tourist hot spot in ... read more
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi October 6th 2017

Hi readers, I write this as I try to relax after a day of travels and hours in airports. This morning after breakfast Bryan and I had to go out to collect our washing ready to pack our cases. We have done this in each city. In Siem Reap straight in front of the hotel was a laundry where a lady takes your washing for $1USD per KG to wash, dry, iron and fold. It was a great service as the hotel has to charge $2 approx per item. So we did all we could as we were going through about 2 sets of clothes a day. When we found out our tuk tuk driver could take us around to a laundry in Phnom Penh we thought that would be great before we leave to have ... read more
Ho Chi Minh airport Vietnam
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta September 29th 2017

Reflecting back on the highs of our two weeks in Vietnam, the first thing that comes to mind is the friendliness and good nature of the people. At every turn we were approached by friendly locals looking to practice their English with us. Our first encounter was with a little girl of 5 who approached our table in a cafe in Danang (encouraged by her parents). We were stopped on numerous occasions in the streets by students doing their homework which involved them inviting a tourist to chat with them for a few minutes while they recorded it for their teacher. Interestingly, it wasn't just the youth learning English. In a post office in Hoi An, we happened upon an elderly lady practicing the English alphabet whilst her daughter, who was running the post office, helped ... read more
Donal helping a local student with her English homework
Banh Mi sandwiches
The town of Hoi An, with its yellow colour scheme

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District September 23rd 2017

i was to pickup out train tickets from a certain window at Bejing train station that is hige Ileft susie with the luggage to find the window after going down 3 flights of steps i go to window one the lady points to window 5 so I go there give him a conf number show him my passport he gives me one ticket He says he needs wife passport too so I run. Ack up the steps and a 1/8 miile ger her passport go back and get her ticket. We make it on the train the compartment next to us and 1/2 of our compartment belows to a chinese family grand parents brothers a daughter and 2 grand daughters the little girl 5 kept entertaining us and soon all the kids in the carriage ... read more
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi » Đống Đa District September 23rd 2017

We Arrived here in Hanoi at 6 am. The hotel said we couldnt check in till 10 or so , so they let us use thier spa to shower in what a treat that was. Than we had breakfast had about 200 items on buffet so from strvation to gluttony!! Susie says more tthan 200 costs 20 bucks but means we only eat once s day normally just snack the rest of day. hai loa prision is a block from our hotel sio we spent an hour touring it It was openeded in 1890s held revolutionaries over the years and during the vietnam war held American pilots including Sen McCain fior 5 years it was not a nice place They put dissidents in shackles in celks somr were shot or giuiitioned back in the 30s , ... read more
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Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi August 6th 2017

This was our first experience volunteering since we started our travels. We were picked up by there driver in Hanoi and taken to the farm which was an hour and a half drive north west. On arrival we were shown to our respective male and female dormitories and introduced to a few of the English speaking staff working at the farm. We were then taken up to the big boss office to meet president Quyn and her management team. We had a brief chat about our backgrounds, our travels, the farm itself and then sat down to our first lunch with the De Trang farm staff. The food was good and the company very friendly and welcoming. That afternoon our 'work' was a tour and meeting the animals and staff working throughout the farm. We were ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi July 31st 2017

After our respite in Phong Nha, we arrived on a beautiful sunny day in Hanoi on tip top form - minus a disturbed sleep from Jack on the bus. We trotted off to find the "Hanoi Backpacker Hostel" and bizarrely a whole dorm named 'Geraghty' (anyone believe in fate?). We had a big to do list that day so cracked on after dumping our bags. First on the list was getting ourselves on a 2 day 1 night trip to Ha Long Bay at a price that wasn't going to make our eyes water. After playing the game at different tour desks for half an hour or so, getting free bananas and water for our trouble, we decided on going with "tour guide Tony" and managed to secure a tour for the following morning. First box ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi July 22nd 2017

Like last time, information from the bus company on what was going on was in short supply. Unlike last time, there were more people on the bus than food supplies this time; the bus stopped a lot on the Laos side picking up more and more people each time, to the point where there were more people than sleepers, and then more people than space. It soon resembled an Indian sleeper carriage - strangers sharing double berths and people cosying up to each other in the aisles. Getting out of the bus became a game of minefield trying to avoid stepping on someone. It wasn't a pleasant experience; especially for a ride meant to last 24 hours. I awoke on-board a steaming bus, barely able to breathe, to find the bus had stopped and so the ... read more
Ba Dinh Square
Railway Line
Ngoc Son Temple




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