Yesterday was awesome, I got onto the net from the house and
made sure I emailed a few people I had met in hostels along my way, it pains me
to imagine loosing touch with some of them. Especially a dude who might get me
a job in Dali!
In the afternoon I heard from a couch surfing contact whose
profile was funny. He came and collected me on his motorbike and we drove
around doing odd jobs before going back to the house he’s staying at to get
some fan action. It was a drippy day for sure and the fan was the only
available respite, and we talked for hours about music, home and parties. He
comes from Mallorca, Spain, but has a scarily similar lifestyle as many Kiwis.
His flat mates are all very friendly and strange in their own ways, the
American DJ and producer put me in this melancholy mood as it was just like
talking to any of the boys back home, and a funny Dutch guy who describes his
teaching style as hilarious punishment, and a dude from the UK who seems dopey
and slow but is actually really nice and just constantly stoned.
It was very cool to find people I felt so at home with, the
guys played chess while we drank beer and talked and listened to various music.
We later on went to a reggae bar, which I wouldn’t rate very high, then a bar
called half man half noodle, which has very good food and a very expat
atmosphere. I invited Ella out with us but we didn’t last long, as with the
construction and heat, I start to droop pretty early these evenings.
16th September
Am chilling out during siesta time at Mateu’s house. He
moved into a new flat with ghost flat mates. It again has construction right
outside. Third place I’ve stayed at in Hanoi and third place to have loud
construction going on all day unless it torrentially rains as it has a few
times in the last few days.
So since I last wrote, I have cruised around Hanoi with Matt
a bunch of times which has been a highlight. We get along really well and Im so
glad to have made a close friend of him. His flat mates at his last house were
funny as so I have seen them a few times since then.
Josh arrived, sneaking up on me and scaring me half to
death. He bought me chocolate! YAY! And an awesome Aotearoa print t-shirt with
a design Pip did (friend in Ak, professional ta moko artist), so Josh and me
hung out the rest of the day. We did a mission into town and walked the
streets, but I was in a very melancholy mood so it has been a bit weird
figuring it put wandering with Josh who seems a bit less street savvy so I try
to educate him on customs and general awareness, which seems strange and Im not
sure if I am always very nice about it, poor guy haha.
So we wasted days with coffee and chatting and chocolate,
rain coming and going, sometimes so loud we were woken up with a fright, or had
to block our ears for the tin roof over us.
On Tuesday we decided to move to a hostel, out of the budget
but I felt stranded by the rain and we were wasting money on transport to and
from the center of things. Ella
came with us to find the hostel in a taxi, with all our gear it was a relatively
hassle free transition.
The hostel is split into three buildings. Constant
construction on the buildings in between of course. Situated down a small lane
filled with bars and cafes and travel agencies, as is a lot of the old quarter.
The people we first met happened to be three kiwis, awesome, and of course
after a few days and beers we found a connection between Joshes school mate
growing up with Hana (also)
Last night, after wandering around slightly crankily lost in
the myriad of streets and bustle of the area, trying to find a place to people
watch and have a cheap beer, we ended up at a bar right across from the door of
the hostel. It was devoid of music and customers, so we told the owner that he
needed music to get people in, so we cranked it up, and hours later it was full
of people, me entertaining them all I think, drinking away and sharing music to
make the bar the most happening place in Hanoi.
Hope we can recreate that atmosphere at least once more
before leaving. I have a shopping list for my missions tomorrow, while Josh is
figuring out a visa for china. Fingers crossed he can come.
For now I decided
it would be best to move out of the hostel and into Matt’s new establishment,
where I thought Id get some peace and quiet. Perhaps up on the roof. At least I
have the Internet and a kitchen to brew coffee in. Yes I bought an industrial
size pot to brew coffee in for the festival plan to go to in LiJiang. And if it
works out I will also take it to Phat in New Zealand for new years, where I’m
sure it will be a big hit. I don’t have a clue why I am opting to carry kilos
of coffee and a huge jug around everywhere with me. But its worth it if I can
make a few kuai from it.
Another thing about Hanoi are the animals. Geckos on the
wall with pale skin and black beady eyes are my favourite. Rats scuttling
around outside restaurants in the middle of the night are not so cute, but a
natural thing to expect in a city like this. Its definitely dirtier than China,
streets thick with grime. The worst part of the noise is not the motorbikes and
their foggy suffocating pollution, its not the construction, it’s the regular
barking dogs or screeching whining cats. I think pets here are eaten? Or maybe
just neglected in huge ways. I have heard not so nice stories of animal abuse
and pet treatment since getting here.
I am happy chilling out here though, not so keen to do lots
of missions, but instead hang out around the house and go on small motorbike
missions to west lake or some museum maybe. Id like to make some poi to
practice with for the festival. Practice my origami too perhaps. We’ll see what
the next few days brings anyway.
