Hoi Hoi Ha Noi

Arrival: 05 November 2010

After five nights in this manic city there are a few things I have learnt..

Traffic in the Old Quarter

• They don't have Poweraide.
• Hanoi's footpaths are for motobikes so you are better off walking on the road
• Hanoi's roads are life-threatening so you are screwed either way.
• If you have to cross the road, just start walking and hope you don't get hit but a bike/moto/car/bus otherwise you will never get anywhere

• There are more boats in Halong Bay than anywhere I have ever seen... EVER. Not quite the Indochine dream but still an amazing place to visit.

Halong Bay from the Surprising Cave

Floating fishing villages off Cat Ba Island

 
There are also a few things I still haven't learnt:

Street eating - Hot Pot and Bia Ha Noi

• Don't eat too much.

• Don't drink too much Bia Ha Noi (Hanoi Beer) as recovery is rough without Poweraide.

• How to stick to the budget.

• Never stand under the shower when you turn on the sink tap, as it is likely that your travel companion has forgotten to adjust the control to the 'sink option' and you will get more water than you bargained for.
• Water resistent is not waterproof... RIP retro-watch (I enjoyed the 3 days we spent together).
• What exactly is the hose next to the toilet for?