Apocalypse Now

Trip Start Nov 12, 2008
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Trip End Apr 30, 2009


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Flag of Vietnam  ,
Friday, November 14, 2008

"Hanoi ... shit; I'm still only in Hanoi ... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle. When I was home after my first tour, it was worse. I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the jungle. I'm here a week now ... waiting for a mission ... getting softer; every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter."

Day 2, Hanoi Old Quarter

We're not quite sure if Charlie still squats in the bush getting a bit stronger, but we are sure that he certainly drives every kind of rickety, dangerously overloaded vehicle on what can only be described as the suicidal streets.  From the minute you step out onto the street there are thousands upon thousands of mopeds, pushbikes, buses and the occasional car all honking at you, weaving from side to side and generally disobeying any rule of the road or humankind.  The little green man on the few zebra crossings appears to be simply a trap to trick foreigners into crossing...

The hostel we are staying in is pretty good.  Basic, wire hanging out of walls, a window that tricks you into thinking the middle of the day is nightime but ahead of the western curve, a toilet and a urinal!!  The hotel staff are super-helpful if a little keen to book you onto the hideously over-priced tours.

Today we got our bearings, walking around the centre of town which spread out around the Hon Kiem Lake, pretty nice temples in the middle and giant tortoises (allegedly!).  Like all of these countries, you get accosted everywhere you go and you have to be pretty firm but otherwise the people seem pretty friendly.

We managed to visit a mad market over three levels built of dubious build quality selling everything and anything.  On the streets its packed with people selling everything from live fish, fresh (!) meat, clothes, cloth and everything else you can think of.  We picked up a couple of Cold War watches from a tiny little shop near the hotel, no doubt they should last a couple of days at least.  Still getting our head around currency and budgetary constraints.

We're off into town tonight, hoping to take a boat trip to Ha Long Bay over the next couple of days.

I'm still laden with cold, Raza is fighting fit as always, but for both of us sleep is slow in taking hold, hopefully the body clock should adjust over the next few days...

Byeeee
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