Phuc Thanh Hotel Hanoi

... 737-800 landed with about 30 minutes delay at 11.30 PM Hanoi time. At the Airport I was picked up by the prearranged shuttle bus which brought me straight to my hotel. For the next 2 days I stayed at the Golden Sun 2 Hotel which was situated in the middle of the old town of Hanoi which was quite nice and convenient. Once I arrived at my hotel I immediately went to sleep as it was already quite late.

The next morning I got up at 09.00 AM and had my breakfast which was ...

... the worst B.O. I've ever experienced from under them armpits probably because I went a week without a shower. That fricking blue backpack has been packed and unpacked I don't have a clue how many times, and I'm still useless at it. I've got used to using 3 sheets of loo roll after a **** (especially when its not solid) and also having to clean my bum with a hose then walk out the toilet with your pants soaking. I can say 'hello', 'thankyou', 'how much' and 'good ...

... your beer ... its not the most tranquil place to have a beer considering there are motorbikes and cars beeping their horns the whole time - but its a good spot for people watching. When the police come along they make everyone sitting on the road get up onto the pavement - but the second they are gone you are back out on the road again. There was a blackout at the hotel that night so a few of us stayed out drinking and found a local bar with 2-4-1 cocktails ... regretted this ...

... entire group was prepared to explore the cave. We
entered the cave and made our way through a series of obstacles,
crouching at times along the way. We ended up at another opening which
was very scenic and we took pictures. Next we headed to the "dark
cave," where we couldn't see own our hands in front of our faces after
we were all turned off our flashlights. Once the novelty of being blind
wore off, we turned the flashlights back on and made our way back to
Hanoi, Vietnam seasiabound

... experienced it elsewhere in the world.
Our hotel is not bad and the rooms are comfortable. Unfortunately, they overlook the street and we are woken up every morning around 5 am by a long monologue by incomprehensible vomi loudspeakers placed in front of our rooms. None of us ever had the courage to stand up to see what it was so the mystery remains on the message content that is either the call lancinant Merchant ice is a long speech by Communist propaganda. We ...

... most interested in the "American War" (known to us as the Vietnam War). At the museum, like the museum in Lao, they did a good job of referring to Americans as imperialists and aggressors. The highlight for me was of old American airplanes and jeeps that were captured during the war and on display. There were also some good models of tunnels that the North Vietnamese built during the war to evade American bombings. After waking returning from the ...

... India we had to dodge rickshaws, bikes, cows, poo piles, people spitting beetle nut juice, beggars, other people, and cars, but even in their backward Indian way there was some organization to the system. In Vietnam it is nothing short of organized chaos, which turns crossing the street into a real life game of chicken. If you stand there no one is stopping and you're never crossing the street. If you go, you just have to find a hole and go. People will ...

... tops, I like cheap beer. Today we went to Van Mieu, Hanoi Flag tower, Army Museum, One Pillared Pagoda and ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Booked our 3 day/2 night cruise of Ha Long Bay. Sorry about the lack of detail but cant be bothered to type another essay/ really informative blog for it to be lost again. Off for a few beers tonight, think we have earnt it, have walked miles today!

... fisherman, who was mending a net. Her aunt was a farmer who tended a small plot of land. Their house had three permanent walls with a fourth that reclined up during the day. It had a wooden frame and straw siding. The dirt floor was elevated to keep rain out. The house consisted of one large room in front and a small utility room in back for cooking and
bathing. No running water. But, they did have electricity...for a big karaoke system. They ...

... breakfast as a good excuse for having a bigger lunch ;)

I'm not really sure what we did today to be honest, we had a bit of a wander, did some internet stuff, then sat in the guest house garden reading books, which was lovely.

It was absolutely 'scorchioooo' today, with cloudless blue skies, and Luang Prabang was saying goodbye to us in all her glory.



I remember waking up really excited because I ...