Hectic in Hanoi

Despite a few people we met being quite negative about Vietnam, we ventured to the north from Cambodia and arrived in Hanoi. Vietnam has loads of character and we are loving it here.

Coutryside views from Cat ba island

We are staying in the Old Quarter which is quaint and manic at the same time. In a city of 4 million people there are about 2 million motorbikes that pack the streets and the pavements which makes wondering around an adventure in itself.

Here, the women really do wear the cone shaped hats and everyone either travels by motorbike or bicycle, carrying their worldly goods on the back (anything from fruit and flowers to live animals, 5 foot trees and ceramic ornaments!)

The city buzzes with the sound of the constant honking horns and people shouting at each other on the streets (they don't talk, they shout). Each street corner is packed with locals eating noddle soup for breakfast and snacks throughout the day.

Halong Bay

The Vietnamese are known to rip you off, and they do try hard which can be frustrating at times when you know there is nothing you can do (more of that later!)

From Hanoi we managed to arrange two trips, the first to Halong Bay to cruise around 3000 islands (islands is a loose term as they are mainly rocks jutting out of the sea!) But it was great to be on an organised trip (with someone else doing all the planning for us!) and we met some great people. So we cruised around the islands for a day with a stop at some spectacular caves, then stayed o/night on a boat which was pretty cool waking up in the middle of the sea (despite rats loudly scurrying above our heads in the middle of the night!). We then arrived at the only inhabited island, Cat Ba, to trek in their National Park then spent the afternoon kayaking. The next day most people headed back to Hanoi but we stayed in the hope of some beach action but once again were let down by the weather so we hired a motorbike and toured around the island. This gave Harry some practice for the second trip we had planned, motor biking to the Chinese border!

Rish in cone shaped hat with streeet seller-Hanoi