Border crossing complete, I had a decision to make…do I
carry on to Hanoi or to stay in SaPa, northern Vietnam. I decided to bite the
bullet and jump on a train where I could be further numbed by the long road ahead.
Informed there were no trains that day, I was put on a bus
after two coffees and a greasy sandwich. The coffee being super yummy and
hitting the spot, I had heard about Vietnams coffee, which is pretty much
sugared espresso with ice cubes. Thick and strong and black. If you opt for the
milk, you will get a thick layer of condensed milk at the bottom of the glass,
with the hot coffee strained on top, which you then mix thoroughly.
The bus ride was uncomfortable, again my long legs proving
to be the problem, and the guy next to me with his music playing loudly, or
taking up al the foot space (what little of it there was). The countryside was
lush and green with small huts dotted along the roadside every now and then. We
stopped once for food, but I was in a bit of vertigo being once again in a
place where I couldn’t communicate at all. Smiles were regularly shared though
which made the situation no so bad.
We were getting into the city during a silent lightning
storm, which took my breath away, some of those vivid electric bolts stamped
onto my memory. It was a bit rainy but I got off the bus finally, waiting to
see how easy it would be to get to the house I had arranged to stay at.
Straight away I was confronted by an English speaker trying to sell me a taxi
or motorbike ride to the address I showed them. Hanoi is expensive. I opted for
the xe om (say-om) motorbike taxi, which was purely a fatigue and curiosity
decision. With my heavy backpack, small bag on wheels and small day pack, on
the back of a grunty bike with a non-english speaking driver, we raced through
what seemed like endless and crowded and fast paced streets. Crossing a rather
long bridge, we eventually (after a few u-turns) find the small ally way where
the house was supposed to be. Thankfully a guy opened the gate and I could
breathe. The occupants being a French couple and an Ausie girl (the one I had
talked to via email) seemed tired, but who was I to
complain, arriving a day early to squat as long as I could at their place.
The house is 4 stories, I am on the top in a room also
occupied by a shrine for Ho ChiMinh that belongs to the owners, who share half
of the house. It has a hard foldout mattress and no aircon, so its stuffy and
super hot, but I’m in no way complaining.
First day exploring Hanoi, I had maps and guide books and
prase book given to me to use, and off I went. Another xe om took me to the old
quarter which by most standards is the center of the city. Bustling small
streets, packed to the teeth with stalls of all sorts, each street seems to
have a theme, like souvenirs or silk or shoes or markets or decorations or
furniture. It is of course a sort of maze with all sorts packed four stories
high and motorbikes screaming through at all times.
There are many lakes dotted around Hanoi, and the main one
in the center is nice to wander. As there is no internet at the house Im
staying at, I had my laptop in my backpack ready to find a WiFi café. My first
attempt had average coffee (now that I have this high expectation) and the net
didn’t actually work, so off I went with a list for shopping, completely
practical, a sim card so I could try get work for a few weeks, and an adaptor
plug. Trying to find the right street or stall or person that wont rip me off
took a few hours, but eventually with help from strangers and wandering the
maze, I found both items, now stressing a lot about my budget, I managed to
find a café on the fourth floor of a building with good WiFi, and a menu that
didn’t break the bank.
Back to the house across the 2km long bridge that crosses a
long brown lake, I met another housemate, a Vietnamese girl from America. She
has the smallest sweetest voice and manners that break my heart. We chatted for
a while but I eventually stopped bothering her and went to my lofty
room/outdoor roof area and hung out in the hammok, my new favourite activity.
I had received a text from a couch host I had sent a message
to, inviting me for tea and dinner. So in the evening off I went to meet him at
his apartment. Over the bridge I glimpsed a sunset peeking through black
clouds, and when we turned into the other direction I was again witness to
magnificent lightning.
Although it was very nice of this guy to invite me over, the
conversation seemed strained and he was an interesting type of individual...to
put it nicely. I later met his
Australian neighbor who had a different take on things. Its funny when very
strong personalities clash, in a friendly and kind of polite way. A person who
plays music but would never take the time to listen to other peoples music, to
me is a very self-absorbed way of life.
On my return home I had nice talks with Ella, she is having
issues with the housemates, so I was the friendly ear for a while, it was good
though as I think she opened up a bit and we will have some fun during my stay
here.
Today I woke early ready for an interview, which got
cancelled around 8am. I was bored and sticky, so decided to wander a bit and
try find some good coffee. Which I did. It was some of the nicest coffee Ive
ever had. Kind of frothy crema, sugared espresso, and it was cheap.
In the afternoon I went to an interview, but pay is monthly
and I only want a few weeks casual work. I met and talked to the owner of a
café that specializes in TipTop icecream, he was very friendly and also had
some delicious coffee.
I wandered around trying to find a hostel that might let us
stay for free if I can work or paint there, but had no luck, so I walked around
a lake or two, up big streets busy with the roar of the bikes, and searched and
asked everywhere for a supermarket. As the center of town, it is so different
to anything like Chinese cities.
Eventually, due to exhaustion I got a xe om back to the
house, where I showered to no avail, dripping constantly. After a while of
relaxation and stretching (muscles are sore from the stairs and bed and buses)
Ella and I went for dinner, which was really good, and then a cheap cold beer.
We were the only girls out, and it seems he customs and ways of Hanoi are not
so far from those of China. I expected it to be more open I guess, but even in
Zhengzhou the lines aren’t so blatantly cut.
We stayed up pretty late talking, and I dozed off in the
narrow hammok. Woke early to heat and sun so went back to an unrestful sleep in
the stuffy room. What I would give for aircon at the moment. Very much looking
forward to the luxury, or of the breeze that China has at this time of year.
