Stark Contrasts - Hanoi, Vietnam 15/5/2010

I could write a list of all the contrasts between Japan and Vietnam but it would take me forever. So I'll mention a few main ones.
1. The climate - we went from 16 degrees in Kyoto to 35 degrees in Hanoi in the space of 24 hours.
2. The transport system - from arguably the most efficient transport system in the world to arguably one of the least efficient.
3. Cost for travelling - comparing beer prices, Japan was around $3-4 while Vietnam is around $1-2 (possibly less)
4. The weather - from relatively sunny or partly cloudy to monsoonal thunderstorms that Dave thinks will "tear my poncho to pieces"

It has certainly been an effort to adjust but for some reason I have found more comfort in the organised chaos of Vietnam than the polite and orderly Japan. After saying farewell to Vince and Ann, we headed off on the Shinkansen for Tokyo and then on to Narita where we stayed in a hostel near the airport. I spent the night suffering insomnia and watched Japanese TV till 1 in the morning. I'm pretty sure one of the shows was about chefs who have really old benchtops - like 100+ years old. At least, that's what Yama, our host, told me.

Upon arriving in Hanoi I was met by an old Vietnamese friend, who we met on our family trip in 2003, Tuan. I was surprised that after 7 years I still recognised him straight away. (Although he couldn't believe how tall I was and asked if i had grown 2 feet since I last saw him)

It was a strange feeling as we weaved through the chaos on our trip into the city. It was almost as if I was coming home to a land I have only been once before for 3 weeks. I suppose, since I am travelling to so many places this year, that anywhere that is vaguely familiar will provide a sense of homeliness - even if it couldn't be any more different to my actual home.

After paying a visit to Tom's House (Tuan's hotel - guess who it is named after?), we sorted out trips to Halong Bay and Sapa. There was a sudden realisation of how short a week in Vietnam is, and our schedule is tight to say the least!

We arrived at our hostel, just after a group of about 5o arriving from Laos. As we had to wait for a while to check in, we took the opportunity to take a walk around the old quarter of Hanoi. It was a truly sensual experience. Our ears were filled with the constant sound of car and bike horns and wafting smells of Vietnamese food filled our noses. As a result, Dave and I were eager to fill our stomachs with some Vietnamese food. We went into what appeared to be an nice restaurant, and upon checking the menu discovered mains were around $5-6. It took us seconds to make a decision and we ordered what could only be described as a feast.

With my stomach filled to the brim, it was time to get some sleep. My eagerness for a cold shower soon disintegrated as fatigue took over and I was asleep before I got the chance to think.

I awoke this morning with the sound of thunder ringing in my ears. The forecasts were right. But with only 2 full days in Hanoi, no weather will stop us. After fuelling up on Vegemite (I left one of my two tubes at Vince's house, much to my dismay), I am ready to head off into the city. Today we are heading to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. I'm sure it will be an experience as I did happen to study Uncle Ho for Modern History in the HSC. I'll make sure I take mum's advice and not cross my arms in there. (sign of disrespect). Happy Birthday for tomorrow by the way mum! (I'll be in Halong Bay tomorrow and I'm not sure if they have reception?)

It is time now to head off into whatever the monsoon can throw at us. I'll try and do another update soonish. Until then, from Hanoi Vietnam, bye!