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Published: February 18th 2006
Well I've final got out of Hanoi, not that it was a bad place, just had enough of it as there'snot too much to do, but drink.
Going to condense this slightly as been a while since I've added an enty and a lot of the stuff has been the same.
First I give my opinion on Vietnam as a whole, well where I've been so far, are you all ready? In general it's a pretty good place, people are friendly enough, but most are trying to sell you somethig, or give you a motorbike ready to wherever your going, or a cyclo ride, or just begging, but they're not even proper beggars, they just see you as Western so assume you'll have money to five them. It does become a bit annoying as your hassled every 10meters down the road, but I just was my usual rude self and ignored them, or gave a firm, "No thankyou."
It's been not to bad as hooked up with an Aussie geezer in the Hostel in Hanoi, he could speak Vietnamese which helper. Although it wasn't for him as he was being offered marriage all over the shop to get the girls out of here and suppose the whole family later.
Hanoi is a pretty busy place. The roads a pretty small, maybe get 2 cars down and everyone rushes about on there motorbikes, well I say rush, they try, but there's so many of them they never get that fast. It's a bit scary at 1st if you do geta ridewith them, but you kind of get used to it, well until they go through a gap between a truck and bus just big enough for you. :-s
The city is ok, not the greatest I've been to, but not the worse. It's quite quaint, with the mix of asian and French influences on the buildings. Food is pretty good, there's a lot of backpackers there so they cater for Western food, but plenty of local stuff, I've been eating loads of prawns. There'snot Macd's or any of those places here, they're not alowed. (and it's not actually bothered me)
The best part of being in Hanoi has been the trip toHa Long bay I went on, which I suppose isn't in Hanoi. Me, Dan (a guy from my China trip) and Hamish went of a 3 day trip to a place called Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba island. It was pretty cool as we meet a wicked Dutch couple how we got pretty pissed with.
The trip consisted of a boat trip from Ha Long Bay to Cat Ba island, it took about 3hrs. The boat was pretty cool. Was a wooden boat, had a restuarant part, underneath that cabins and above a deck you could sit on. On the cruise to Cat Ba, we stopped of at a cave and a very impressive cave it was, although it was a series of caves in my opinion. They were huge, took about 30mins to get round and were pretty impressive inside.
After that we cruised a little more, secenry was pretty impressive. We sailed between loads of limestone islands and floating villages. At one of the villages we went kyacking. A women rowed over from one of the villages with the kyacks and we had to get in down the side of the boat, a little hairy, but ok. Had a still paddlem went to an island then went back. I was going to go for a swim as the water was pretty warm, but glad I didn't as Hamish went and got stung by jellyfish. We offered to piss on him, but he declined. After that we sailed to Cat Ba, moored just off the island and stayed there the night. There wasn't much to do, so we played drinking games with the Dutch couple. Got pretty hammered, well Karoline the Dutch lady did, it was her game to, Ha Ha.
Next day we went on to the island and dropped our stuff of at the hotel, got showered and then off for a trek. The trek wasn't really explained to us, we just thought it wouldbe a walk up a hill, but it was pretty tricky. The hill was steep and there wasn't a path, just a trail through the forrest. I found it pretty tough and there were some older French people with us who couldn't hack it, don't blame them though. Typical Vietnam, just want your cash, no warning.
After that, the day was pretty relaxing really. Chilled at the hotel for a bit before another boat ride to Monkey Island. The weather was good, for the 1st time in Nam, so caught some rays on the boat before we got to the Island. The island is pretty small, there's 1 beach a couple of hundred meters across and it has wild monkeys. Will, you'd fit right in. The monkeys were pretty cool, let us take pics, but they could be vicious. the locals don't treat them to well so if you get to close they go for you. Pretty funny watching people being chased down the bech by these little monkeys. Much like Col with Will, except she fights back more.
After that it was back to the hotel and free time. This involved, sleep, food, beer, not all in that order. Next day we sailed back, petty uneventful really, I jus slept my hangover off on the deck of the boat.
Then I was back in Hanoi and trying to get out. Choices were 22hrs on a bus, 19 hours on a train, 1 hr on a plane. I know it's not a very backpacker thing to do, but it was plane for me. Figured I'd just lose more time the other ways and the plane was dirt cheap. So booked my flight which was for yesterday and spent a couple of days chilling in Hanoi. The highlight being going to a waterpark that wasn't open so we went to the theme park there, that wasn't really opem. You could sit in some rides and puch them round. Some worked, a big wheel for instancewhich I was made to go on, not fun at all, it was big, maybe 200 meters high. I didn'y like it.
That pretty much takes me to know. I'm in Hoi An, which is cool. It's like a small costal town. Some nice bars, although they shut at 11pm, food os good and some good stuff to see, but will see it properly tomorrow. They've also got loadsof tailors that will make you suits, jackets etc so have had 2 suits and a coat made, I'll look very Lock, Stock.
Right then, off for a shower as I've been sweltering all day and then hopefully watch Man U beat the Scousers, again.
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Willybobs
non-member comment
Zang!
The monkeys sound awesome!