The plane is late and visa services are a bit of a mess so I'm tired and hungry by the time I arrive and not too optimistic about food. I get in to the taxi and the driver that pics me up (organizeby the hostel) is playing country music: . We cross a bridge that reminds me of the new San Francisco bay bridge, all lit up). I feel like I'm home or maybe just haven't left California. Until we pass a mother holding up a small child, in the gutter, bare butt, to pee in the street. Yep, not home yet. I'm staying in a hostel type room with bunk beds and lockers for my first night and happy to see that it is clean and the Wi-Fi works. I have much gratitude for wi- fi these days as it is the only thing connecting me to home, and now Ace, who I miss already!
I go on recommendation from a group of Australians staying in my dorm to a hotpot place a few steps past the hostel and eat a veggie stir fry, YUM! A Belgian man and his son sit with me at the end of their journey and give me advice on the things they've enjoyed in Northern Vietnam for the past few weeks.
The streets in old Town Hanoi are crowded and busy even at 9pm at night. I'm too late for the municipal water puppet show (which i later learn was sold out anyways) but I think I'll look forward to coming back here again after my visit to Halong Bay (only get a private room next tim!) The streeys here are windy and run into eachother. Its as crazy and more crowded than Bangkok's khao san road. Thankfully vietnamese is a latin based alphabet and easier to read. Most signs are also in english. Too tired from last night's new years eve to explore more after dinner, I head back to the hostel to go to sleep.
