Hanoi

Before getting to Hanoi, a little about getting here.

So we turn up to the new Survanbumi (spelling?) airport at Bangkok nice and early as the taxi driver took the toll-way (damned driver from the airport didn't. Grrrrrrrr) Anyway, we check in and wander through the duty-free shops when the gate number changes on the board - to the other side of the terminal, about 1.2 kms away. We wander over to the new gate to find a Thai 777 to Tokyo occupying the gate. But we're told to wait and there are other people from the check-in queue around. So we wait, and wait and no aircraft arrives - or any Vietnamese passengers. It's just the Western passengers. Meanwhile we can see a Thai Air Asia (our cheapo airline) 'plane pulls up to the other gate...

The gate staff are all Thai air and initially refused to talk to anyone when I asked them to "Radio only Thai Air - no phones at gate, but trust signs - signs are right" After more asking, they finally pick up the phone and call someone - but we get nothing out of them. So I decided to start a revolution/rebellion and started the long long walk to the other gate. Everyone else followed and luckily I was right. No apologies from any staff though. And then the transfer to the hotel never arrived at Hanoi airport...

But onto Hanoi. It's a chaotic place in some respects - it's traffic makes Bangkok look like a quiet little hamlet somewhere. The classic view of Hanoi (alright, so it's the classic view of Vietnam from 'Good Morning Vietnam' is one of everyone cycling everywhere. Well that's modernised slightly. They now all have mopeds, which are everywhere. All you can hear, 24/7 is the buzzing of a million 50cc motors and the constant beeping of tinny little horns. It's like being in a very humid bee hive.


A quiet Hanoi intersection.

The Vietnamese allegedly drive on the right-hand side of the road, but other than the road markings I've not seen any evidence for that at all. No-one signals or stops for red-lights. But I've not seen any accidents - yet. Oh, and everyone parks their scooters on the footway, forcing you to use the road to walk along...

But it's certainly an interesting place. The old quarter, where we're currently staying is an eye-opener. The shop fronts are tiny, so everyone conducts their business in the street - from Welding and bamboo ladder construction to cooking. The street kitchens are fun and the foods pretty good and very cheap. They also have beer outlets on the street fronts called Bia Hoi, which get fresh beer delivered everyday from one of three breweries. A glass (2/3 pint) costs about 30p and it's really nice.

We went to see Uncle Ho, but unfortunately he goes on holiday (A Ho Ho Holiday? - sorry, couldn't resist) to Russia every year in October/November. Not bad for a guy who's been dead since 1964. Apparently he's sent back for re-embalming every year. We've been to see the Water Puppets - it's like the Muppets but in a swimming pool (Rachel's description) It's actually very good and very traditional. It's a puppet show, but the sticks are hidden under the water and it's accompanied by a traditional band.

Tomorrow we're off to Ha-Long Bay to float around on a Junk for two days (which had better not be a Junk - again, couldn't resist) before returning to Hanoi for a night before getting the sleeper down to Hue, just north of where the Typhoon Xangsane hit, but apparently Hue escaped without too much damage at all.

I'll leave you with some more stats...

Number of Cyclo Rides - 1
Number of Cyclo Rides offered - Between 50-60 a day = 100/120
Number of tanks seen - 5 (better than Bangkok)
Number of Embalmed Communist Leaders Seen - 0 (Very disappointing - wanted to get up to 66% seen, am still stuck at 33%)
Number of times been a (Vietnamese Dong) Millionaire - 1