Day fifteen – Bangkok -> Osaka

And so it began to draw to a close.

I got up at about 9:30 and had a light breakfast. I’d definitely eaten too much the night before, but it had been worth it. From there it was just a matter of working out what I could pack and what would have to discard before checking out by 12.

Day fourteen – Bangkok

I woke up to the sounds of the air conditioning and the Spanish Football League at about 8am. I’m glad I’m not paying this electricity bill!

Showered, breakfasted and left around 10. I went back to MBK to check out those sandals I saw yesterday. In the process of picking them up I also bought a lamp for my bedside table. I don’t know how I’m going to fit all this in my bags to go home! I already know I’m leaving at least one t-shirt behind since I ripped it a bit tripping over on the boat in Halong Bay, but I might have abandon more clothing to get all this in.

I had lunch at Burger King one last time so i could get my fill of Whoppers and onion rings to last me a while.

Walking to the BTS station I was so busy looking for traffic before I crossed the road that I failed to notice the roof of the cart in front of me. *BANG* My glasses were on the ground and blood was coming from my left temple. The ladies at the cart gave me tissues and a band aid so the whole thing was cleaned up quickly, but not without some embarrassment. Why can’t I go a week without smacking my head into something? It’s been a few years since I’ve drawn blood though.

I picked up some juice from the Seven Eleven on the way back to drop off my stuff at the hotel. Then it was back to the Aussie Pub & BBQ for beer and footy.

It was a great game – only two points in it – and the crowd were really getting into it. I’ve really missed this kind of communal activity! I also had some wedges with chili sauce and sour cream while I was watching the game. I can’t tell you the last time I did that! It’s amazing the things you miss.

From there I wandered and ended up at an Irish style pub where I had a couple of beers and a cheeseburger and chips. I want to have fish and chips but I’ve always been disappointed by the adventure. It’s never the same as back home. There was Premier League on the TVs there too, so I watched a couple of games in relative comfort.

From there it was back to the hotel via Seven Eleven, more TV, more football. Indulgence! Yes!

Day thirteen – Bangkok

I woke up early – about 8am. NOT planned, but I guess it was a good idea to get to the markets early. I got ready, breakfasted downstairs then checked how i was going to get around today. Having internet at a decent speed in the hotel room is really worth shelling out a little more for.

I left close to 10am and caught the Skytrain from Nana for Mor Chit. The detailed instructions on how to go to the markets were not needed as the train cruised past them as it pulled into its final destination. The roads were swarming with taxis, street vendors, motorbikes, cars and people of all shapes, colours and languages.

It was getting hot too. I grabbed a bottle of water (for 10 baht!) and drained it pretty quickly. I was wetting my t-shirt quite nicely (thankyou) after a few minutes of starting my wander through the undercover stalls. I wanted to find a new satchel to replace the one I bought here three years ago. After an hour or so I settled on a leather one which looked nicely weatherbeaten already. I ended up using that as my shopping bag and filled it with lights, scented oils, and a couple of shiny baubles.

I found the same restaurant where I had lunch three years before and had their Pad Thai again. I had sat next to the kitchen to I could watch the cook put it together and smell the herbs as she added them to the pan. It was soooo good. The restaurant was very busy though, so I didn’t have much of a chance to relax and watch the passing parade.

I went for a wander through the furniture and home good section and dreamed of things I would buy for my mansion after I won the lottery. There was a lot I wouldn’t buy too. Some things were really, really tacky. It was interesting to look at the other customers and wonder why they were pondering buying such kitsch.

Emerging on the other side of the market complex, there was what looked like a shopping mall over the road. I went in to get a dose of air conditioning and to have a look around. In one corner of the second floor there was a place doing foot massages, so I got one to relieve my tired feet and just to relax for a bit. My back was still in a bit of pain in the morning so I wanted to have a break to make sure I didn’t do anything nasty to it. The masseuse was awesome and the customer next to me was snoring away, so the effect was a mixture of relaxation and distraction.

After that wonderful hour it was back to wandering and shopping. There were some amazing shops selling the most incredible old junk. There were more shops selling tack. I ended up buying a couple of glasses frames to take back to Australia the next time. I got a nice discount so they ended up costing me about 3500 yen for the pair. Pretty good!

I went back through the markets for one more look and then took the Skytrain to the National Stadium station to go to MBK and meet a friend, Mol.

Mol and I have been chatting on the internet for a couple of years now. She has a boyfriend these days, so were meeting just to have dinner and hang out together for the first time.

I went to the Cultural Centre and Art Gallery first though as I had some time to go before our scheduled meeting time. There was an exhibition of photos of the Tahi King and Queen meeting foreign dignitaries and going on state visits, which was pretty dull. The rest of the gallery had been sublet to private art galleries and manufacturers, which were also mostly dull. There were a couple of highlights though; a wall of old pencil sharpeners and some nice black and white prints.

I went into Siam Central and had a look around. It was a new-looking place with a lot of designer shops at designer prices. There was a guitar shop though and the prices on a couple of pieces were certainly more than reasonable. Tempting, but not tempted.

From there I went into the MBK building which was all shops and people everywhere. It was also wall to wall bargains and it was a good thing I’d spent most of my money for the day at the markets beforehand and hadn’t brought my credit card!

Mol called me and after a bit of confusion about where to meet, we sorted it out and met. She’s a really short and thin girl, even for a Thai, so we made a funny looking couple!

She took me through the Siam complex of shopping centres to one where she likes to eat. The shops were all high end designer label stuff – not my thing at all. The prices we checked were ludicrous, naturally.

The restaurant she chose served traditional Thai fare. We had spicy fish cakes (which weren’t spicy at all) a beef salad (which WAS spicy!) and a Tom Yum Kai (made with lots of coconut milk). All were delicious. We ate and chatted for an hour or so then wandered back to the MBK building past the expensive baubles. It was good to meet in the flesh and be able to talk about all sorts of things. Once again, I’d been the first of her internet friends she’d met in real life; that’s three for three from this site so far…

We had dessert in a nice ice cream shop there then she went to meet her boyfriend. I caught the Skytrain back to Nana, so we parted ways. It was good to meet her in real life. It makes such a difference to the online relationship as well.

Once off the train I stopped over at the hotel to dump the plunder, refill the wallet and head out into the warm night.

I took the back streets to Soi Cowboy and the bars there. I went into Rawhide first as it came recommended. There were a number of girls dancing naked on stage, so that was a good start. The music was pretty kitschy though. One girl sat next to me – a 20 year old cutie – but her English was limited and she wasn’t trying to make it any fun, so I just watched the Premier League on the TV and snuck peeks at the stage to see what was going on. They had a bit of a faux lesbian show which was dull, but they also put three girls in the shower stage in the corner, which got the old fella moving. The girls were obviously friends, so it was pretty good fun to watch.

After the football finished I paid and left. I ended up going into Our Place at the other end since the staff there motioned me in and I wanted a place to go. What a stroke of luck though. There were a lot of young, cute girls in there AND they were having fun. Always good to see. I ended up with a lovely looking girl named Mo. We were together the whole time but a few of her friends also stopped by. One of them was quite drunk but smoking hot and loved to bump and grind. She was also a little bit dangerous and liked to bite! A few ladies drinks later and I had three girls all over me. It was fun, and I thought Mo might go barfine, but she said all the coyote dancers there couldn’t barfine. Oh well. I guess that’s why they were all gunning for ladies drinks! We continued to talk for a while. Mo actually went to Singapore to dance once very couple of months, so that was the first time I’d met an international bar girl.

I was running out of cash again, so it was time to head home. It was also getting on for two o’clock! How did that happen!?

The heavens were being lit up by lightning as a storm was closing in and soon the rain started to fall. I caught a cab as the rain started to pelt down. He dropped me off at the Seven Eleven so I could grab a couple of snacks and I ended up having to sprint the few hundred metres back to the hotel. I was soaked as I entered the foyer.

Back in the room it was Premier League on the telly, chips and chocolate milk in bed and eventual dozing off.

I woke up early – about 8am. NOT planned, but I guess it was a good idea to get to the markets early. I got ready, breakfasted downstairs then checked how I was going to get around today. Having internet at a decent speed in the hotel room is really worth shelling out a little more for.

I left close to 10am and caught the Skytrain from Nana for Mor Chit. The detailed instructions on how to go to the markets were not needed as the train cruised past them as it pulled into its final destination. The roads were swarming with taxis, street vendors, motorbikes, cars and people of all shapes, colours and languages.

It was getting hot too. I grabbed a bottle of water (for 10 baht!) and drained it pretty quickly. I was wetting my t-shirt quite nicely (thankyou) after a few minutes of starting my wander through the undercover stalls. I wanted to find a new satchel to replace the one I bought here three years ago. After an hour or so I settled on a leather one which looked nicely weatherbeaten already. I ended up using that as my shopping bag and filled it with lights, scented oils, and a couple of shiny baubles.

I found the same restaurant where I had lunch three years before and had their Pad Thai again. I had sat next to the kitchen to I could watch the cook put it together and smell the herbs as she added them to the pan. It was soooo good. The restaurant was very busy though, so I didn’t have much of a chance to relax and watch the passing parade.

I went for a wander through the furniture and home good section and dreamed of things I would buy for my mansion after I won the lottery. There was a lot I wouldn’t buy too. Some things were really, really tacky. It was interesting to look at the other customers and wonder why they were pondering buying such kitsch.

Emerging on the other side of the market complex, there was what looked like a shopping mall over the road. I went in to get a dose of air conditioning and to have a look around. In one corner of the second floor there was a place doing foot massages, so I got one to relieve my tired feet and just to relax for a bit. My back was still in a bit of pain in the morning so I wanted to have a break to make sure I didn’t do anything nasty to it. The masseuse was awesome and the customer next to me was snoring away, so the effect was a mixture of relaxation and distraction.

After that wonderful hour it was back to wandering and shopping. There were some amazing shops selling the most incredible old junk. There were more shops selling tack. I ended up buying a couple of glasses frames to take back to Australia the next time. I got a nice discount so they ended up costing me about 3500 yen for the pair. Pretty good!

I went back through the markets for one more look and then took the Skytrain to the National Stadium station to go to MBK and meet a friend, Mol.

Mol and I have been chatting on the internet for a couple of years now. She has a boyfriend these days, so were meeting just to have dinner and hang out together for the first time.

I went to the Cultural Centre and Art Gallery first though as I had some time to go before our scheduled meeting time. There was an exhibition of photos of the Thai King and Queen meeting foreign dignitaries and going on state visits, which was pretty dull. The rest of the gallery had been sublet to private art galleries and manufacturers, which were also mostly dull. There were a couple of highlights though; a wall of old pencil sharpeners and some nice black and white prints.

I went into Siam Central and had a look around. It was a new-looking place with a lot of designer shops at designer prices. There was a guitar shop though and the prices on a couple of pieces were certainly more than reasonable. Tempting, but not tempted.

From there I went into the MBK building which was all shops and people everywhere. It was also wall to wall bargains and it was a good thing I’d spent most of my money for the day at the markets beforehand and hadn’t brought my credit card!

Mol called me and after a bit of confusion about where to meet, we sorted it out and met. She’s a really short and thin girl, even for a Thai, so we made a funny looking couple!

She took me through the Siam complex of shopping centres to one where she likes to eat. The shops were all high end designer label stuff – not my thing at all. The prices we checked were ludicrous, naturally.

The restaurant she chose served traditional Thai fare. We had spicy fish cakes (which weren’t spicy at all) a beef salad (which WAS spicy!) and a Tom Yum Kai (made with lots of coconut milk). All were delicious. We ate and chatted for an hour or so then wandered back to the MBK building past the expensive baubles. It was good to meet in the flesh and be able to talk about all sorts of things. Once again, I’d been the first of her internet friends she’d met in real life; that’s three for three from this site so far…

We had dessert in a nice ice cream shop there then she went to meet her boyfriend. I caught the Skytrain back to Nana, so we parted ways. It was good to meet her in real life. It makes such a difference to the online relationship as well.

Once off the train I stopped over at the hotel to dump the plunder, refill the wallet and head out into the warm night.

There was a bar around the corner that was showing the first games of the Premier League live so I had a couple of beers and watched a couple of games along with some other punters. Some were fans of the teams playing so there was a bit more audience participation, which made the atmosphere a little more exciting.

After the football finished I paid and left. I then checked and found out it was getting close to 2am! How did that happen!?

The heavens were being lit up by lightning as a storm was closing in and soon the rain started to fall. I stopped by the Seven Eleven so I could grab a couple of snacks and I ended up having to sprint the few hundred metres back to the hotel as it had started to absolutely pelt down. I was soaked as I entered the foyer.

Back in the room it was Premier League on the telly, chips and chocolate milk in bed and eventual dozing off.

Day twelve – Hanoi -> Bangkok

I woke up at 4:30 – WAY too early! My back was feeling pretty tight and uncomfortable but I managed to get some more sleep and got up at six instead.

I got ready, packed and had a cup of coffee, checked e-mail and watched the news until Adam and Katherine got up. I chatted to Katherine while she made her lunch and she gave me some Neurofen for my back, which I will always be eternally grateful!

Adam had to go to work, so we said our farewells. It was almost time for me to catch my airport taxi, so I bade Katherine farewell and walked up the alleyway to the main road and waited for the cab.

It was such a great time to spend with A and K. They were really hospitable and I’ll always be grateful for the way they showed me around their town and let me stay with them. It had been too long, but there is nothing like catching up with old friends. The years disappear as you reconnect, but at the same time it’s great to share all the experiences we’ve had in the meantime and to see how much we’ve grown.

I didn’t have to wait very long for the cab. The taxi was another SUV so there was plenty of room in the back and the quiet driver swerved off down the road to the airport. It was another entertaining trip on Hanoi’s roads, but a brown, hazy morning outside. There were teams of street sweepers cleaning the red dust off the roads. When you added them to the pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, buses and trucks all weaving around each other, it really made me wonder how people could willingly work in such an environment, but there they were.

Check in took a little time as there were many people already in line, but I got an aisle seat without any trouble and through emigration without incident. I bought some coffee at the Duty Free, but for some reason the VISA card machine needed a PIN number to process the transaction! That’s the first time I have ever been in a situation where I’ve needed a PIN for a credit card! So of course I had no idea what it was. We tired the extra number on the back back no could do so I had to tap into my cash reserves to pay the gentleman behind the counter. I hoped that wouldn’t set off red lights and sirens in the VISA head office and they cancel the card… I was  planning on using it in Bangkok!

I had about half an hour or so to wait for the lane to board to I veged out with the rest of the travellers in the departure lounge.

The flight was two hours of uneventful. The lunch today was a couple of slices of chicken pressed something with some smoked salmon and a pumpkin and cucumber salad. Not much but just right. They do a good job on Thai these days.

No troubles at the airport and the taxi got me to the hotel quickly, so it was around the corner for a foot massage and an hour of bliss, then a nap back in the hotel room.

On the way back I passed the Aussie Pub and Restaurant. They were promising to play some AFL that night so I went back at 5pm to watch Adelaide play Hawthorn. I had a Coopers Pale Ale and watched the game, later adding their Fisherman’s Basket to the situation. It was awesome to be in something resembling what I wish I could do at home. The Thai staff in their skin tight lycra outfits were the only reminder that I was not in Oz! I had a chat with a couple of blokes watching the game and enjoyed the eventual Crows victory.

By that time the lack of sleep was catching up with me – even after that nap – so it was back to the hotel room and to bed.

I woke up at 4:30 – WAY too early! My back was feeling pretty tight and uncomfortable but I managed to get some more sleep and got up at six instead.

I got ready, packed and had a cup of coffee, checked e-mail and watched the news until Adam and Katherine got up. I chatted to Katherine while she made her lunch and she gave me some Neurofen for my back, which I will always be eternally grateful!

Adam had to go to work, so we said our farewells. It was almost time for me to catch my airport taxi, so I bade Katherine farewell and walked up the alleyway to the main road and waited for the cab.

It was such a great time to spend with A and K. They were really hospitable and I’ll always be grateful for the way they showed me around their town and let me stay with them. It had been too long, but there is nothing like catching up with old friends. The years disappear as you reconnect, but at the same time it’s great to share all the experiences we’ve had in the meantime and to see how much we’ve grown.

I didn’t have to wait very long for the cab. The taxi was another SUV so there was plenty of room in the back and the quiet driver swerved off down the road to the airport. It was another entertaining trip on Hanoi’s roads, but a brown, hazy morning outside. There were teams of street sweepers cleaning the red dust off the roads. When you added them to the pedestrians, bicycles, motorbikes, cars, buses and trucks all weaving around each other, it really made me wonder how people could willingly work in such an environment, but there they were.

Check in took a little time as there were many people already in line, but I got an aisle seat without any trouble and through emigration without incident. I bought some coffee at the Duty Free, but for some reason the VISA card machine needed a PIN number to process the transaction! That’s the first time I have ever been in a situation where I’ve needed a PIN for a credit card! So of course I had no idea what it was. We tired the extra number on the back back no could do so I had to tap into my cash reserves to pay the gentleman behind the counter. I hoped that wouldn’t set off red lights and sirens in the VISA head office and they cancel the card… I was  planning on using it in Bangkok!

I had about half an hour or so to wait for the lane to board to I veged out with the rest of the travellers in the departure lounge.

The flight was two hours of uneventful. The lunch today was a couple of slices of chicken pressed something with some smoked salmon and a pumpkin and cucumber salad. Not much but just right. They do a good job on Thai these days.

No troubles at the airport and the taxi got me to the hotel quickly, so it was around the corner for a foot massage and an hour of bliss, then a nap back in the hotel room.

On the way back I passed the Aussie Pub and Restaurant. They were promising to play some AFL that night so I went back at 5pm to watch Adelaide play Hawthorn. I had a Coopers Pale Ale and watched the game, later adding their Fisherman’s Basket to the situation. It was awesome to be in something resembling what I wish I could do at home. The Thai staff in their skin tight lycra outfits were the only reminder that I was not in Oz! They were a fun bunch. I had a chat with a couple of blokes watching the game and enjoyed the eventual Crows victory. Icing, meet cake.

By that time the lack of sleep was catching up with me – even after that nap – so it was back to the hotel room and to bed.

Day eleven – Hanoi

I got up at about 8:30, after A and K had gone to work. I lazed around their house for a while, then finally summed up the motivation to head to the Duvalu Wine Bar for brunch. I had their Eggs Benedict, which was simple, but perfect, with the eggs served on top of the bacon which was on English muffins. With a bodum of strong coffee it was the perfect start to the day. I have to fill my quota of good breakfasts since I’ll just have myself as caterer until Christmas.

After that excellent start I went next door to the local beauticians and an hour with Van (pronounced ‘vun’) who came very highly recommended from A and K. She was even smaller then Katherine, which was something of an achievement, but she was an excellent masseuse. She pounded me thoroughly and worked out some of the soreness I was feeling in my lower back (all that swimming, I think, plus carrying a slightly heavier pack) so I went back to the house feeling much, much better.

I got up at about 8:30, after A and K had gone to work. I lazed around their house for a while, then finally summed up the motivation to head to the Duvalu Wine Bar for brunch. The room looked very large, thanks to a mirror covering the entire side wall of the bar – it really added a lot of depth to the venue. The decor was decked our with comfortable semi-booths and tall chairs, all dark wood, deep reds and glass. With the lights down low and Thievery Corporation on the hi-fi it was very cosy. I had their Eggs Benedict, which was simple, but perfect, with the eggs served on top of the bacon which was on English muffins. With a bodum of strong coffee it was the perfect start to the day. I have to fill my quota of good breakfasts since I’ll just have myself as caterer until Christmas.

After that excellent start I went next door to Lancy Spa, the local beauticians, and an hour with Van (pronounced ‘vun’) who came very highly recommended from A and K. She was even smaller then Katherine, which was something of an achievement, but she was an excellent masseuse. She pounded me thoroughly and worked out some of the soreness I was feeling in my lower back (all that swimming, I think, plus carrying a slightly heavier pack) so I went back to the house feeling much, much better.

Just as I got back the sky became very dark and more than a few peals of thunder rumbled across the metropolis. I stayed in to give my back a break, but also to let the storm pass. It actually rained this time – big splodgy drops that really made a sound as they impacted on the roofs around the house. In the end I went up to the roofed balcony to read my book but also to enjoy the weather. I could see a few bolts of lightning from up there and it was then I noticed that every house in the area had at least two lightning rods on the roofs. After a couple of hours the rain stopped so I ventured out for a bit of a walk around the area to check things out. It didn’t take long for the rain to start again so I came back.

Katherine walked in a couple of minutes after me so it was laptops, G&Ts and Facebook for all. Adam came home soon afterwards and joined us.

For the evening’s entertainment we caught a cab into the centre of Hanoi and to Bia Hoi corner. This was an intersection where there are three street bars on the corners. (The other corner is a travel agency) It was also in the centre of the backpacker area of Hanoi so it was non-stop motorbikes, naive visitors wandering about and a recipe for disaster like you wouldn’t believe. The galleries drinking were all seated in their cheap plastic chairs, clutching their AUS$0.25 beers just waiting for the carnage to ensue. And ensue it almost did. It was entertaining just watching the passing parade with commentary from Adam.

From there we went to his favourite coffee shop in all of hanoi, just down the street. There I met his “Vietnamese Grandma”, a sweet lady who was all smiles, and her “Den Da”, a double shot of Vietnamese coffee with sugar and ice. It was awesome!

From there we walked past the garbage collectors doing their thing in the early evening and through a market area to Le Pub, a bar/restaurant run by a Swedish fellow, Joakim, and an Englishman, Matt. The lace was pumping with lots of people, good music and really fun and funny staff. I had a couple of margheritas and a signature burger which went down well. Adam had a pizza and Katherine had noodles on which she poured about half a bottle of chili sauce. We were about to leave when Kim called us in for a drink on him, so we had our evening extended by an enjoyable hour or so. We caught a taxi home with Adam telling the driver to settle down and stop playing with our lives in the traffic (he had to do that almost every time we caught a cab, actually).

Katherine booked an airport taxi for me for the morning and it was upstairs to the laptops and AFL highlights on the telly.

I am going to miss this. I have had an AWESOME time!

Day ten – Halong Bay -> Hanoi

Day 10

Location: Halong Bay -> Hanoi

I was woken up by Jeff going out to check out the early morning light. It was grey and overcast so the sunrise would have been a waste of time getting up for. It was good to sleep a little longer.

We had time for an early morning swim before breakfast and the water was cool and refreshing. The glassy calm surface was only disturbed by us swimmers and the inevitable return of the lady on the boat trying to sell us beer at 7am!

The breakfast was pretty basic with fried eggs, dragonfruit and a variety of bready things, along with tea, coffee and juice. Everyone was pretty groggy, or just relaxed!

From the boat we took our small ferry to the “Surprising Cave” or “Amazing Cave” depending on how you want to translate the Vietnamese. To get to the entrance to the cave we had to climb a steep set of stairs through the rainforest. The view from the mouth overlooked the bay and even with the grey sky and mist it was very impressive. The cave had all sorts of interesting rock formations created through millenia of erosion and the slow action of dripping water. The formations were pretty well preserved although it was sad to see some graffiti around the place. The humidity was very high though, fogging up my glasses and even making it difficult to breathe. It was almost a relief to get into the heat outside. We made our way back down the hillside and back to the boat, passing some locals fishing for crab and shellfish along the cliff face. The ride back to the boat was refreshingly cool, but the cooling system for the engine started to leak, making steam pour from the hatch covering the engine! We made it back to the big boat OK, but the smaller boat was now out of commission.

We had time for a quick swim, then had to pack and be out of our rooms so the crew could clean them before the next tour, which would board soon after we came back to port. I snoozed on deck watching the islands slowly go by while some of the others also napped while others read novels or did their travel diaries. The greyness just wouldn’t lift at all, so I guess I was a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad to have seen this extraordinary landscape.

We lunched at the same restaurant as the day before, but they served different dishes for us which was good. We also stopped at a different place on the way back to Hanoi but it was still selling most of the same souvenirs. The drive back to Hanoi was pretty chaotic and bumpy but we didn’t see any accidents this time. Adam told me that was really amazing since he and Katherine had seen three fatal crashes on that stretch of road.

At one point, in the distance we could see a storm brewing with lightning strikes and some pretty dangerous-looking cloud formations going on. Then the storm hit us. There wasn’t any rain but the wind was whipping up debris and dust from the fields and whipping it across the road. We could see trees bending, branches being thrashed about and people scurrying to get under cover. Then as soon as it started, it stopped about twenty minutes later.

As we neared Hanoi we passed rice fields being cleared of brush for a new crop – with fire. In fact the smoke filled the sky, and was being blown towards the city. It was similar to how farmers clear off unwanted brush in the early Spring, but on a much larger scale. The smoke really blocked out what sunlight was making it through the clouds.

Eventually we reached our destination at the Kangaroo Cafe, said our thankyous and goodbyes and headed our separate ways. I called Katherine and caught a cab to their place. K met me on the street near their place because to actually get to their house I would have had to negotiate a couple of alleyways that were barely wide enough for a motorcycle. She led me to their place, which was a lovely, new-looking four storey house. The first floor was a garage, wide enough for a car, but without any access tot he outside. The next floor up was the kitchen and dining area, next up the living room, then the bedroom floor and finally a roofed balcony and ‘the cage’ for drying clothes. Next door a new house was being built. Actually there were at least four building sites around their place. Adam said that they’d been in this place for a year and a half and there had been construction of some kind going on around them the whole time! I thought it would be be quite a nice area when it’s all done, with new houses everywhere, but with those narrow alleys to navigate. Inside the house had high ceilings and really nice decor. There was a wonderful warm atmosphere and a great feeling of space. I was given the spare room to use, which had awesome French doors leading to a balcony overlooking the street. It was better than any of the hotel rooms I’d had so far.

Adam came home so we had a few drinks as we chatted and headed off for dinner at Koto.

Koto was another training restaurant, situated in the heart of Hanoi, across the road from the oldest university in Vietnam. There were four floors, each with a different theme. We had a look around and then had dinner in the bar/restaurant on the second floor. The staff were all smiling and really good. We started with drinks and a set of spring rolls. For main course Adam had grilled chicken with a dark soy and sesame sauce which was fantastic. It came served with more spring rolls. Katherine had crab and pumpkin ravioli which had a sauce which had more than just a hint of red curry. I had duck fillet n a bed of mashed potato and mushrooms with a mango chutney based sauce. Magnificent. Dessert was a chocolate banana split for Adam with a chocolate mousse cake for me with Katherine helping herself to both.

A taxi back to their place with the pair of them telling me some good places to check out for the next day, more chatting and finally bed time. What a busy and wonderful day.

I was woken up by Jeff going out to check out the early morning light. It was grey and overcast so the sunrise would have been a waste of time getting up for. It was good to sleep a little longer.

We had time for an early morning swim before breakfast and the water was cool and refreshing. The glassy calm surface was only disturbed by us swimmers and the inevitable return of the lady on the boat trying to sell us beer at 7am!

The breakfast was pretty basic with fried eggs, dragonfruit and a variety of bready things, along with tea, coffee and juice. Everyone was pretty groggy, or just relaxed!

From the boat we took our small ferry to the “Surprising Cave” or “Amazing Cave” depending on how you want to translate the Vietnamese. To get to the entrance to the cave we had to climb a steep set of stairs through the rainforest. The view from the mouth overlooked the bay and even with the grey sky and mist it was very impressive. The cave had all sorts of interesting rock formations created through millenia of erosion and the slow action of dripping water. The formations were pretty well preserved although it was sad to see some graffiti around the place. The humidity was very high though, fogging up my glasses and even making it difficult to breathe. It was almost a relief to get into the heat outside. We made our way back down the hillside and back to the boat, passing some locals fishing for crab and shellfish along the cliff face. The ride back to the boat was refreshingly cool, but the cooling system for the engine started to leak, making steam pour from the hatch covering the engine! We made it back to the big boat OK, but the smaller boat was now out of commission.

We had time for a quick swim, then had to pack and be out of our rooms so the crew could clean them before the next tour, which would board soon after we came back to port. I snoozed on deck watching the islands slowly go by while some of the others also napped while others read novels or did their travel diaries. The greyness just wouldn’t lift at all, so I guess I was a bit disappointed, but I’m still glad to have seen this extraordinary landscape.

We lunched at the same restaurant as the day before, but they served different dishes for us which was good. We also stopped at a different place on the way back to Hanoi but it was still selling most of the same souvenirs. The drive back to Hanoi was pretty chaotic and bumpy but we didn’t see any accidents this time. Adam told me that was really amazing since he and Katherine had seen three fatal crashes on that stretch of road.

At one point, in the distance we could see a storm brewing with lightning strikes and some pretty dangerous-looking cloud formations going on. Then the storm hit us. There wasn’t any rain but the wind was whipping up debris and dust from the fields and whipping it across the road. We could see trees bending, branches being thrashed about and people scurrying to get under cover. Then as soon as it started, it stopped about twenty minutes later.

As we neared Hanoi we passed rice fields being cleared of brush for a new crop – with fire. In fact the smoke filled the sky, and was being blown towards the city. It was similar to how farmers clear off unwanted brush in the early Spring, but on a much larger scale. The smoke really blocked out what sunlight was making it through the clouds.

Eventually we reached our destination at the Kangaroo Cafe, said our thankyous and goodbyes and headed our separate ways. I called Katherine and caught a cab to their place. K met me on the street near their place because to actually get to their house I would have had to negotiate a couple of alleyways that were barely wide enough for a motorcycle. She led me to their place, which was a lovely, new-looking four storey house. The first floor was a garage, wide enough for a car, but without any access tot he outside. The next floor up was the kitchen and dining area, next up the living room, then the bedroom floor and finally a roofed balcony and ‘the cage’ for drying clothes. Next door a new house was being built. Actually there were at least four building sites around their place. Adam said that they’d been in this place for a year and a half and there had been construction of some kind going on around them the whole time! I thought it would be be quite a nice area when it’s all done, with new houses everywhere, but with those narrow alleys to navigate. Inside the house had high ceilings and really nice decor. There was a wonderful warm atmosphere and a great feeling of space. I was given the spare room to use, which had awesome French doors leading to a balcony overlooking the street. It was better than any of the hotel rooms I’d had so far.

Adam came home so we had a few drinks as we chatted and headed off for dinner at Koto.

Koto was another training restaurant, situated in the heart of Hanoi, across the road from the oldest university in Vietnam. There were four floors, each with a different theme. We had a look around and then had dinner in the bar/restaurant on the second floor. The staff were all smiling and really good. We started with drinks and a set of spring rolls. For main course Adam had grilled chicken with a dark soy and sesame sauce which was fantastic. It came served with more spring rolls. Katherine had crab and pumpkin ravioli which had a sauce which had more than just a hint of red curry. I had duck fillet on a bed of mashed potato and mushrooms with a mango chutney based sauce. Magnificent. Dessert was a chocolate banana split for Adam with a chocolate mousse cake for me with Katherine helping herself to both.

A taxi back to their place with the pair of them telling me some good places to check out for the next day, more chatting and finally bed time. What a busy and wonderful day.

Day nine – Hanoi -> Halong Bay

Up at 6am. Black clouds. Large black heavy-looking clouds. Oh boy.

Got up at six o’clock to a very dark and brooding kind of sky. I got dressed and ready quickly and checked out. The streets were starting to come alive to the sound of a million motorcycles and cars all beeping in chaotic harmony. It was a short walk to the Kangaroo Cafe, where I had breakfast and waited for my fellow tourists to arrive.

And arrice they did. It looked like quite a mixed bunch. At about 8:15 our guide ushered us onto the bus and we started on our way. He introduced himself (his name was Thuy – pronounced a bit like ‘twee’) and got us all to introduce ourselves, starting with me since I had conveniently plonked myself right in front of him!

I was the only Australian on board. There was a French couple who looked like they were on their honeymoon, Cecile and Christian, there was an Italian couple, Sylvia(?) and Marco, there was an American who lived in Tokyo and his Japanese girlfriend, Adam(?) and Tomoko(?), there was a couple of English gals, Jen and Becky, a pair of English brothers, Dam and ?, an Irish lass, Alison, and a single American lad, Jeff. Jeff ended up being my room mate for the evening.

we travelled through greater Hanoi and into the countryside. Even though the weather was grey and dull, it was still very busy, with people working in the fields and going about their business in many different ways. The villages were made up of the same narrow homes as seen all over the place before except that they were often left in their natural drab, grey concrete with about half painted various shades of yellow, blue, and occasionally green or pink. The traffic circled madly about our minibus.

After about an hour and a half of travelling, we pulled into a very large craft workshop where some of the craftsmen were disabled workers. There were all manner of painting, embroidery, tailoring, jewellery and even marble sculptures being made on site. The prices were also very high and nothing was bought by anyone in our group! I managed to strike up a bit of a conversation with Adam(?)  and that started the ball rolling. We hit the road again, which started to get narrower and windier as we headed closer to the coast. At one point we were following along the railway and even passed a well-loaded passenger train as it made its way to Halong city. Another couple of hours and we were close to our destination. Close to Halong city there were men waving at the passing traffic. I thought maybe they were community orientated men waving at people to warn them about oncoming traffic, but then I realised they were just working for restaurants, trying to wave down passing traffic to come in and eat.

We had a passable lunch at a waterside restaurant where the ice was well and truly starting to break. It was certainly an interesting and diverse group of people. Tomoko(?) and the French couple didn’t interact much, but all were friendly towards each other. There was a very light rain falling as we exited the restaurant and made our way down the the ferry that would take us to our boat.

Our boat was a medium sized junk with two main levels (sleeping and eating) with a roof balcony (for jumping off). There were five Vietnamese crew plus our guide. Some doubled up jobs, for example the ship’s engineer was also one of the cooks.

The bay was grey, misty and mysterious in the drizzle. It certainly didn’t put a damper on the delight and awe we all felt, even though I think we all wished it was nicer weather. It was still majestic, just a different kind of majestic.

We made it out of the central part of the bay with the heavy traffic and rubbish floating in the water and started to enter the labyrinth of the islands. It was magic. It was had to stop constantly snapping photos. The rian picked up so we al had to go inside.

After about an hour or so of cruising we entered a part of the bay which was obviously set aside for tourist junks like ours. There was an island with an artificial beach and a lookout up top – called Titop Island. There were announcements constantly playing and tourist shops on the waterline. It looked perfectly horrible. Some of our group went kayaking around the islands, the italian couple went off to climb tot he lookout and the rest of us stayed aboard the ship until we found a nice patch to go swimming. Of course we ended up jumping off the roof! As the kayakers returned more and more people ended up in the water. Even Tomoko, who had never been in anything apart from a swimming pool, got in. The water was a deep pea=green colour and not clear, but it was warm and perfect for swimming and jumping into. Thuy said it was probably 8 – 10 metres deep.

As evening drew close, we got out of the water, grabbed beer from a pssing girl selling cold brews amongst other things from her dinghey, and started to really relax. These girls ( I think we had three or four pester us thourhgout the afternoon) were from the floating villages around the bay and made their lvinng hawking drinks and eats tot he passing tourist boats. The drinks on board were expensive US$2 (36000 dong) for a can of beer or US$24 for the cheapest bottle of wine. Buying 6 cans of beer from these girls set us back 100,000 dong plus the corkage fee of 5000 per can meant that we were still being charged about half of what the boat’s crew were charging us. We bought beer from the girl, which made her happy, and we started to get stuck into that as we counted down to dinner.

The dinner was a mix of Vietnamese and Western food, which was light, but filling. It wasn’t amazing, but it was more than adequate. We continued to drink and talk as the lights came out all over the bay.

I wanted to get some air so I went up tot he top balcony and came across the crew drinking and eating. They were eating a fish stew with side dishes of soup, rice and pork. They were also drinking what they called “happy water” – rice wine. They motioned for me to drink with them and Thuy, the guide , wasn’t going to let me go . It was pretty awful stuff, like bad sake, but I drank three glasses which pleased the crew and they started to really liven up – especially the engineer. There was a a bit of good natured ribbing but also some fist pumping for the Vietnamese people as a nation who had vanquished the Japanese, Chinese, French and Americans all within a century. I started to get a feeling that behind all this friendliness there was also a sense of the fierce courage and pride of a warrior nation.

Overhead some stars started to appear.

Eventually I made m way back downstairs and continued to enjoy chatting with some of the blokes who were still up. But it was the end of a bsy and tring day, so it was time for bed and to sleep – ready to get up early to enjoy a Halong Bay sunrise.

I got dressed and ready quickly and checked out. The streets were starting to come alive to the sound of a million motorcycles and cars all beeping in chaotic harmony. It was a short walk to the Kangaroo Cafe, where I had breakfast and waited for my fellow tourists to arrive.

And arrive they did. It looked like quite a mixed bunch. At about 8:15 our guide ushered us onto the bus and we started on our way. He introduced himself (his name was Thuy – pronounced a bit like ‘twee’) and got us all to introduce ourselves, starting with me since I had conveniently plonked myself right in front of him!

I was the only Australian on board. There was a French couple who looked like they were on their honeymoon, Cecile and Christian, there was an Italian couple, Sylvia(?) and Marco, there was an American who lived in Tokyo and his Japanese girlfriend, Adam and Tomoko(?), there was a couple of English gals, Jen and Becky, a pair of English brothers, Dam and Jack(?), an Irish lass, Alison, and a single American lad, Jeff. Jeff ended up being my room mate for the evening.

We travelled through greater Hanoi and into the countryside. Even though the weather was grey and dull, it was still very busy, with people working in the fields and going about their business in many different ways. The villages were made up of the same narrow homes as seen all over the place before except that they were often left in their natural drab, grey concrete with about half painted various shades of yellow, blue, and occasionally green or pink. The traffic circled madly about our minibus.

After about an hour and a half of travelling, we pulled into a very large craft workshop where some of the craftsmen were disabled workers. There were all manner of painting, embroidery, tailoring, jewellery and even marble sculptures being made on site. The prices were also very high and nothing was bought by anyone in our group! I managed to strike up a bit of a conversation with Adam and that started the ball rolling. We hit the road again, which started to get narrower and windier as we headed closer to the coast. At one point we were following along the railway and even passed a well-loaded passenger train as it made its way to Halong city. Another couple of hours and we were close to our destination. Close to Halong city there were men waving at the passing traffic. I thought maybe they were community orientated men waving at people to warn them about oncoming traffic, but then I realised they were just working for restaurants, trying to wave down passing traffic to come in and eat.

We had a passable lunch at a waterside restaurant where the ice was well and truly starting to break. It was certainly an interesting and diverse group of people. Tomoko(?) and the French couple didn’t interact much, but all were friendly towards each other. There was a very light rain falling as we exited the restaurant and made our way down the the ferry that would take us to our boat.

Our boat was a medium sized junk with two main levels (sleeping and eating) with a roof balcony (for jumping off). There were five Vietnamese crew plus our guide. Some doubled up jobs, for example the ship’s engineer was also one of the cooks.

The bay was grey, misty and mysterious in the drizzle. It certainly didn’t put a damper on the delight and awe we all felt, even though I think we all wished it was nicer weather. It was still majestic, just a different kind of majestic.

We made it out of the central part of the bay with the heavy traffic and rubbish floating in the water and started to enter the labyrinth of the islands. It was magic. It was had to stop constantly snapping photos. The rain picked up so we all had to go inside.

After about an hour or so of cruising we entered a part of the bay which was obviously set aside for tourist junks like ours. There was an island with an artificial beach and a lookout up top – called Titop Island. There were announcements constantly playing and tourist shops on the waterline. It looked perfectly horrible. Some of our group went kayaking around the islands, the italian couple went off to climb to the lookout and the rest of us stayed aboard the ship until we found a nice patch to go swimming. Of course we ended up jumping off the roof! As the kayakers returned more and more people ended up in the water. Even Tomoko, who had never been in anything apart from a swimming pool, got in, daintily and carefully. The water was a deep pea-green colour and not clear, but it was warm and perfect for swimming and jumping into. Thuy said it was probably 8 – 10 metres deep.

As evening drew close, we got out of the water, grabbed beer from a pssing girl selling cold brews amongst other things from her dinghy, and started to really relax. These girls (I think we had three or four pester us thourhgout the afternoon) were from the floating villages around the bay and made their lvinng hawking drinks and eats to the passing tourist boats. The drinks on board were expensive US$2 (36000 dong) for a can of beer or US$24 for the cheapest bottle of wine. Buying 6 cans of beer from these girls set us back 100,000 dong plus the corkage fee of 5000 per can meant that we were still being charged about half of what the boat’s crew were charging us. We bought beer from the girl, which made her happy, and we started to get stuck into that as we counted down to dinner.

The meal was a mix of Vietnamese and Western food, which was light, but filling. It wasn’t amazing, but it was more than adequate. We continued to drink and talk as the lights came out all over the bay.

I wanted to get some air and take a couple of night pix, so I went up to the top balcony and came across the crew drinking and eating. They were eating a fish stew with side dishes of soup, rice and pork. They were also drinking what they called “happy water”: rice wine. They motioned for me to drink with them and Thuy, the guide, wasn’t going to let me go . It was pretty awful stuff, like bad sake, but I drank three glasses which pleased the crew and they started to really liven up – especially the engineer. There was a a bit of good natured ribbing but also some fist pumping for the Vietnamese people as they drank a toast to the Vietnamese, who had vanquished the Japanese, Chinese, French and Americans all within a century. I started to get a feeling that behind all this friendliness there was also a sense of the fierce courage and pride of a warrior nation.

Overhead some stars started to appear.

Eventually I made my way back downstairs and continued to enjoy chatting with some of the blokes who were still up. But it was the end of a busy and tring day, so it was time for bed and to sleep – ready to get up early to enjoy a Halong Bay sunrise.

Day eight – Hanoi

I woke up at about 7:30 with sunlight streaming in through the skylight in the corner of the roof. The was a little earlier than I’d been hoping for, but at least then I could go for a nice walk before lunch.

I had breakfast around the corner at a Highlands Coffee, which is a Starbucks clone. Their Saigon Breakfast Tea and French Breakfast went down nicely. I grabbed a Vietnamese iced coffee from a cafe around the corner then set off for a walking tour of the old quarter based on the one found in the Lonely Planet. The LP guide’s ideas revolved around shopping – something I was neither interested or needed to do much of, so I skipped generous portions of it and focussed on the more historical aspects.

I spent some time at the temple on the island in the main lake of central Hanoi. The Chinese influence was certainly very strong in its design and artifacts, and it was good to see it being used intensively for its original purpose, not just being overrun by tourists like yours truly.

The Memorial House was certainly well worth seeing. It was a restored merchant’s house built in the traditional style and was well stocked with antiques as well as friendly guides to explain everything. There was even the original toilet, which I’m glad to say was out of order. I saw part of the old city wall as well as some temples.

My route took me along some of the shopping streets which are based on guilds that settled in the old city. There was a street devoted to metalwork, one devoted to herbs (which smelled wonderful), one devoted to towels (I bought one for my trip to Halong Bay), and even one which seemed to be devoted to selling nothing but plastic adhesive tape and reed mats of all shapes, sizes and colours! I didn’t see the street devoted to leather and PVC-wear shops, but I could think of a few women I know who should spend time there!

I sometimes got hassled by touts, motorbike taxi drivers and t-shirt sellers, but not enough to really make a dent on what was an interesting and exciting morning in Hanoi.

Day seven – Hoi An -> Hanoi

I slept in until about 6:30. First time for that for a loooong time!

I showered, shaved and got ready to leave. I wanted some time to wander the streets at my leisure instead of having to rush back to the hotel to pack and be out of the room by 12. I’d just finished up when, *crack*, the electricity went off. The whole hotel was out. Good timing.

I left my bags at the front desk and went for a wander towards the old town. It was my ast day, s a time for “lasts”; last chance to see the old town, last look at the stunning architecture, last Eggs Benedict at the Cargo, last chance to enjoy the hustle and bustle of this lively town. Back at the hotel, the lights were still out, and they were out at the internet cafe as well.

Nothing left to do “but to drink and watch the view”. So watch it I did, with a bowl of Pho Bo. The waitress and I had a long chat. She lived in Hoi An with her parents and six siblings, of which she was the second oldest. She would have been in her early twenties at a guess. She said she worked at the cafe every day and earned about US$55 a month. She probably gave about two-thirds of that to her parents to help pay for her younger brothers and sisters to go to school.

Back to the hotel where electricity was back on, so it was down to Min’s Computer for one last check of the e-mail.

I slept in until about 6:30. First time for that for a loooong time!

I showered, shaved and got ready to leave. I wanted some time to wander the streets at my leisure instead of having to rush back to the hotel to pack and be out of the room by 12. I’d just finished up when, *crack*, the electricity went off. The whole hotel was out. Good timing.

I left my bags at the front desk and went for a wander towards the old town. It was my last day, so a time for “lasts”; last chance to see the old town, last look at the stunning architecture, last Eggs Benedict at the Cargo, last chance to enjoy the hustle and bustle of this lively town. Back at the hotel, the lights were still out, and they were out at the internet cafe as well.

Nothing left to do “but to drink and watch the view”. So watch it I did, with a bowl of Pho Bo – and a bottle of …. water. The waitress and I had a long chat. She lived in Hoi An with her parents and six siblings, of which she was the second oldest. She would have been in her early twenties at a guess. She said she worked at the cafe every day and earned about US$55 a month. She probably gave about two-thirds of that to her parents to help pay for her younger brothers and sisters to go to school. 1 billion people in this world live on less then US$1 per day. I wonder how many people I’ve seen here who are like that? I wonder how many have been like this girl and earn between US$1-2? Another billion perhaps? It helps to put it all into perspective.

Back to the hotel via the markets, where electricity was back on, so it was down to Min’s Computer for one last check of the e-mail.

Another wander, one last plate of Cao Lao, this time from a vendor in the market. A last coffee from a street stall where the ladies were talking about fashions going by their hand actions – much to the amusement of the men around the stall as well as mine!

Finally the taxi arrived – a minivan, which was definitely overkill for the job at hand. The driver tried to go one route, but it was blocked by roadworks so we had to go through another part of town to get to the main road to Da Nang. He merrily beeped at anything else on the road the whole way to the departures terminal.

Once inside I lined up for check in, which had already started, when there was an eruption of noise from another queue. The was actually a fracas between some women going on! Luggage trolleys tipped over, there was a lot of shouting and pushing and even a few arms flailing about! The airport police quickly intervened and order was restored, but one baby close to the action was inconsolable…

The check in girl asked if I’d like the exit row and I said yes. So, we’ll see if their definition of ‘exit row’ matches mine this time around! Once through security it was time for a coffee and a chance to relax.

A nice uneventful flight (with a seat in the exit row) and a good landing in Hanoi. Some poor baby at the back of the plane was in full cry through the whole descent, nearly screaming himself hoarse. The plane came down over rice fields which made for a pleasant view. I had the same driver for my trip into Hanoi – in a Hyundai SUV this time. Despite my pleas to take it easy we ended up weaving in and out of traffic, nearly cleaning up a car or two and a motorcycle or ten along the way! I asked him how many people died every day on these roads and he said between three and ten. He then said there were eight million people in Hanoi. I asked him how many motorcycles there were and he replied twelve million!! (I think he was joking – I think…)

My room at the Spring Hotel was changed since a previous customer had asked to stay one more night, but the room was five dollars cheaper, so I wasn’t complaining. It was the highest room in the hotel though; up four steep flights of stairs, which would be interesting after a couple of tequilas too many. Pretty basic. The cupboard door came off in my hand! The plywood was rotting away. The shower was a wet room. The room also overlooked the road, so I realised I wasn’t going to get much sleep. The TV had about 40 channels but only two of them were tuned in successfully. No BBC, so I was going to have to cope without. No wi-fi access either – can’t get it on the top floor. Never mind. For the price, I don’t mind!!

I consulted the Lonely Planet and thankfully there were a number of restaurants just around the corner. It turned out that the hotel was also a stone’s throw from St. Joseph’s Cathedral, which at night was obviously of THE places to be if you’re young and fancy-free in Hanoi. There were motorbikes loaded with young guys and gals congregating, and a lot of mixing going on on the edges of the square. Cool.

Around a couple of corners and a bit of menu perusing later and I settled on supping at the Gecko Cafe, which lay after a bit of a labyrinth including a climb up a very rickety spiral staircase. The restaurant itself was decked out nicely with comfy booths, the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the CD player, cheap draft beer and a comprehensive menu. I had the Hanoi style spring rolls followed by their signature fried rice which featured lemongrass and bamboo shoots (interesting) and their own version of a Hawaiian pizza made with banana and curry. That was also… interesting. The clientele ranged from a group of local lasses out for cocktails and gossip to small groups of ex-pats catching up on whatever. It was a pretty funky place with really friendly staff and reasonably priced as well. All that food and three beers set me back about US$10.

Back to the hotel – tired, full, happy and ready to settle down. On Facebook my Aussie mates told me they’d be back in Hanoi by tomorrow afternoon. Sweet! Another day of catching up to do.

Day six – Hoi An

Another early morning. This time I took a slightly different route, avoiding the think of the action in the market and taking a circuit through the old town to the other side. This meant I was able to witness a lot more street life and got some nice photos in the early morning light. The sun was well and truly up by the time I got to the river. I found a restaurant serving Pho, so ate a bowl of that as I watched the ferries come in. These ferries were coming in to Hoi An from upstream. They were loaded with people, bicycles and motorbikes. They were coming in at a rate of about one every few minutes, so the waterfront was a constant stream of people going to work as well as shoppers making off with their purchases.

The pho was lovely. Clean white noodles in a beef broth, with slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and lime juice. Just the thing. I might have to go there again tomorrow.

Back to the hotel to a milk coffee and a lie down in bed with the BBC World service on the telly.

Another 5am start.

This time I took a slightly different route, avoiding the think of the action in the market and taking a circuit through the old town to the other side. This meant I was able to witness a lot more street life and got some nice photos in the early morning light. I’ve probably taken close to 2000 pictures just these two mornings! Sorting them out is going to be fun…

The sun was well and truly up by the time I got to the river. The market was in full swing with the street lined with ladies selling vegetables, herbs, eggs and food to eat.

I found a restaurant serving Pho, so ate a bowl of that as I watched the ferries come in. These ferries were coming in to Hoi An from upstream. They were loaded with people, bicycles and motorbikes. They were coming in at a rate of about one every few minutes, so the waterfront was a constant stream of people going to work or wherever as well as shoppers making off with their purchases. I haven’t seen a crash yet, which is amazing given the amount of traffic as well as how chaotic it all seems.

The pho was lovely. Clean white noodles in a beef broth, with slices of beef, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and lime juice. Just the thing. I might have to go there again tomorrow.

Back to the hotel to a milk coffee and a lie down in bed with the BBC World service on the telly. I napped for an hour or so, showered and headed out to check the e-mail, Facebook (thanks!) and to update the blog.

I wonder how many people come back here year after year. Yes, it is so very touristy with only about eight different kinds of shop in town (tailored clothes, shoes, t-shirts/souvenirs, lacquerware, paintings, restaurants, objects d’art and a smattering of tour agencies) but the atmosphere IS relaxed, it’s safe, the food is so wonderful and the locals are always smiling. It does seem like the kind of place that’s worth coming back to time and time again. No wonder the Dutch gent at the Rendezvouz seemed to want to keep it all for himself. No wonder my friends living in Hanoi have been here five times in two years! I now understand…

I took a bag of my plunder to the lacquerware shop where the staff packed it into a box with the I’d bought there yesterday. A fellow came from the post office to finish packing and to sort out the details – and pack it he most certainly did. By the time he had finished with the box it had been entirely covered with packing tape. Absolutely nothing was going to get in or out. In the end the box weighed nigh on seven kilograms and was going to cost me nearly US$30 to send back to Japan via Seamail.

After that I went back to the Cargo Club for a repeat of yesterday’s brunch but I’d missed out by a mere twenty minutes! (The breakfast menu stopped at 12) Oh well. I had a wonderful grilled chicken burger for lunch instead, which was more than adequate. It came with salad and fries, which were also perfect.

The afternoon revolved around my hotel room as I started to really feel relaxed for the first time this holiday – just drifting from one pleasant experience to the next. I spent an hour or so at the Brothers Cafe just down the street from the hotel. The cafe was set within a huge converted two-storey terrace house fronting the street and the river. The courtyard had been turned into a lush garden paradise with a stepping stone walkway leading from the main building at the front to a terraced al fresco dining area at the rear. The garden also featured goldfish-filled ponds, a Japanese bridge and even a minor bird in an elaborate cage to provide atmosphere. I had a coffee and read my book in an almost deserted corner of the property, watching the boats go by and the efficient staff attend to their customers. The price befit the luxury of the surrounds, but a coffee was hardly going to break the bank. I took some pictures of the building and the garden afterwards as it really was a lovely touch of elegance.

I basked in the evening light with my book and a beer on the hotel terrace again. Tonight I quaffed my lager on the second floor though, for something different.

I know I’m hardly the adventurous type, but I came here to relax, not to try to pack as much into the time I had as possible. That style of holiday may be alright for some, but it just isn’t for me.

The sky was covered with dark clouds so it got too dark to read pretty quickly. I must say that the sunsets have been decidedly non-spectacular in Hoi An, but the sunrises have more than made up for them. I feel sorry for those who decide to sleep in on their holidays. Even though I’m NOT a morning person, I’m really enjoying getting up early with the locals and enjoying the energy and busy-ness that comes with them.

For dinner I decided to eat local and walked a couple of hundred metres down the street. A couple of doors down from the Brother Cafe was a ‘training restaurant’ called Dao Tien. All the staff there were from disadvantaged backgrounds, whether they be from poor areas of Vietnam or orphans. The waitress who served me most of the evening came from a village about fifteen hours’ journey away from Hoi An. She said she’d been in Hoi An for about six months and was going to school here as well. She said she was liking it here. There are a number of these types of establishments around Hoi An – as well as other towns in Vietnam – well worth patronising.

I had an entree of Hoi An style spring rolls, which were made with minced pork and deep fried. They came with a garnish of mint, which went well with them and the dipping sauce. Again with the mint! That’s been a real revelation for me on this trip. For my main course I had chicken in a sauce made with ginger and lemongrass with a side dish of mixed vegetables. The vegies came with fresh coriander which was just wonderful. The Asian portion of the menu was the kind where if you came with a friend you should order four or so dishes and share. There was a selection of western style dishes including a choice of pizzas as well.

The decor was typical of many of the restaurants in Hoi An; yellow painted walls with red Chinese lanterns, dark wood furniture and local painted scenes decorating the walls. The music was quiet and allowed the ambience from the street to drift in. Being on the upstairs balcony was a good idea as the smell of garlic, soy and oyster sauce came wafting up from the kitchen below. A dozen skinks or so raced around the Christmas lights that lit up the top of the facade, dining on the insects that were attracted to the bright white light. A couple of Larue Exports and I was more than adequately satisfied.

I embarked on an evening of night photography since the Chinese lanterns on the closed shops were looking particularly photogenic. I ended up in front of the Tam Tam Cafe and a cabinet of luscious-looking desserts. Yup, in I went. I had a ‘Passion Mousse’ with a Baileys coffee which was truly the icing on the cake as far as the evening’s gastronomic adventure was concerned. There was a couple in front of me who were playing what looked like the most elaborate card game I’d ever seen. There were dice, there were cards in front of them face up, there were 10 decks of cards in the middle… I had no idea from where I was sitting. Afterwards I asked them what they were playing and it was a role playing game based on building a civilization! Aaah! Now I gotcha! They were playing a two-person tabletop version but it was designed to be played with larger groups using a board.

It was another lovely evening. The moon was out, there was a light breeze and a little cloud cover. The streets were busy with people wandering about amongst the motorbike taxi touts and street sellers. Apart from a few drops of rain yesterday, the weather has behaved itself very well these three days. I’ve been so very lucky.

What a shame it all has to end tomorrow. Back to Hanoi.