Ocean Stars 2 Hotel Hanoi

... on a sleeper train before, but I actually slept pretty well, all things considered. That still didn't make 5.30am a very pleasant time to arrive though, feeling like I'd slept on the floor in my clothes! We then took a minibus up to Sapa, all trying to stay awake, to be greeted by Hmong women trying to get us to buy things the second we stepped groggily off the bus! Later please, not now..

... 1975; and Vietnam "on the road to building a rich nation,a strong country and a just, civilized society". One of the ladies that worked there, when I told her that it was an impressive amount of information, said there was still "over one hundred thousand historical photos and documents in storage areas in the museum dating back to 1858". Now that would be a guaranteed long term employment opportunity
I found it all very interesting and I ...

... re on a losing streak with little cash left, and the board is covered with hotels, none of which belong to you. At any moment you could lose it all – what little you have left anyway. The relief of making a safe step toward the other side of the street is like rolling the dice, moving your man and landing on one of the only few spots that hasn’t got a hotel. Yes! I’m alive and still in the game! At least for now.

... rice paddies. Before entering the tunnels, we will see a short introductory video showing how they were constructed, followed by an exploration of the maze of tunnels, some of which have been widened to allow tourist access. Also on display are various mantraps and the remains of an American tank as well as numerous ...

... bar, lottery shop, fruit stand, living room, bath room (especially if it rains, since then many people take the free shower on offer), bedroom and much more. Looking at the street life was so interesting and colorful that one never got bored.

From Saigon we took the night train to Nha Trang, which was another special experience, since we booked too late so we got stuck in second class, which means 6 people crammed into one tiny room with only hard sleepers… The ...

So throughout our travels, we've noticed a few funny things about southeast asia. Now I must preface this with the statement that southeast asia has so far been an incredible place, with very friendly people and amazing sights. However, being the American that I am, I can't help but point out some of the more hilarious things I have picked up along the way (this is Sarah writing). 1. The Asian Utility Nail One of the most obvious, strange, glorious, awe-inspiring ...

... at the recommended restaurant (in Frommer's), we encountered a slight increase in price: from 12,000 VND pp to 100,000 VND. As we sat waiting to be served, we thought it best to try our luck somewhere else. Venturing further down the street we came across another establishment. The price was still the same but Emma negotiated a free beer, so how could we refuse. Cha Ca is a bit of a DIY dinner. The ingredients consist of rice noodles, fish sauce ...