Sorry for the radio silence, it has been a busy couple of days. So we got on our plane to Vietnam! We were both very excited to be somewhere new and couldn't wait to start exploring! Hanoi is absolutely CRAZY but in a really good way! There are so many motorcycles on the road it is unbeleivable and we have had to learn how to cross the road all over again- the best way here is to walk slowly, dodge and take the odd gamble. But it's ok because they always avoid you and know exactly what they are doing. The noise of beeping is sooo loud and constant- even throughout the night. They seem to use their horns for no apparent reason other than to add to the general chaos. Our first impression of Hanoi was that it was very French, the architecture in particular. This was great because it made us feel at home especially when we went to visit the lake (the biggest in Vietnam). Another positive side to Hanoi is how unbeleivably cheap it is! We thought that after such a rough few nights, we deserved to have a clean and more upmarket room for the night. Hanoi has more than enough posh hotels with extremely cheap rates. We eventually settled for Sunshine2 Hotel which had a massive room with a power shower and our own flat-screen computer for free internet access. We splashed out a whopping 5 pounds each for this luxury!!! We then found a restaurant reccommended to us by a Dutch family and we have eaten there every night since never spending more than 4 pounds between us for a meal and drinks. A major difference between here and Thailand is that there are a lot fewer tourists and as a result, the English of the locals is TERRIBLE! Even the 'English guides' cannot understand a word we're saying! It is very very difficult to communicate, especially when booking tours and dealing with money etc. As i'm sure you have all heard, our trip to Ha Long Bay has been postponed for a couple of days due to the Typhoon that has hit it along with China. Although disappointed at first, we have made the most of these few days and have grown to really like Hanoi. Today, we went to visit the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. Google him if you have forgotten GCSE history- haha! If like Elodie you ignored the Mausoleum part, you too would have got the shock of your life when there in front of you was the actual body of Ho Chi Minh himself. We were both intimidated by the poker-faced guards that lined every corridor of the HUGE tomb. It had a red carpet and was very grand and we were led everywhere by loads of these guards. We were extremely lucky because having been told that it was shut for the day at 10.50, we wandered disappointed towards it at 10.57 and still saw a small queue so we joined the end and happened to be the very last people through security! Despite Zack having his camera taken off him, Elodie passed through unchecked. Once inside the tomb and faced with the guards Elodie remembered that both her camera and phone were in her bag and as a result was terrified that either would go off and she'd be arrested! Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, neither happened. The fact that we were last in also meant that we got to see the guards lock the tomb and parade out of the building. Then we paid a mere 34p to get into the Ho Chi Minh museum which was both interesting and quite strange at the same time- Elodie did not find it so interesting and found the body a lot more fascinating probably as we explained earlier because she had not realised what was in store.
We then had the rest of our day planned out from our trusted Lonely Planet book and set off walking to the 'Hoa Lo Prison Museum' which we both found really really interesting. The prison was used and built by the French who imprisoned the Vietnamese communists and then afterwards by the Vietnamese who captured American pilots who had been shot down during the Vietnam war later on. In the French part of the museum, it was quite disturbing to see the cells which had models of the prisoners, especially the women's cells which included their babies, and the tortures they had to suffer. The contrast between the treatment of the Vietnamese and the Americans was astounding. How the former dealt so kindly with their prisoners after being dealt with so harshly themselves is amazing. Those who do Politics, you'll be interested to know that the personal effects and clothing of John McCain are kept at the museum. We then treated ourselves after all the walking, to lunch on a restaurant floating on the lake. We indulged in a Western meal after all the noodles and rice, which consisted of a tuna sandwich, a croque monsiuer and chocolate sundae- deeeeelicious. We are going to rent some bicycles tomorrow and the next day we are finally off to Halong Bay! Due to Zack's bargaining skills we cancelled our initial trip with Hanoi Backpackers and went to Sinh Cafe - a place which organises all of the tours (we were told this by two guys who had spent 6 months in Vietnam). As such, we got a better boat (junk) and the same tour for half the price! (Unlucky Clo). Moreover, with Elodie's excellent planning skills we have lost no time at all. Despite our gains we opted for a cheaper hostel - nice but slightly freaky deaky - we are sleeping on the top floor aaah! However, this economic decision did mean that we have money to buy some DVDs!!! At 60p each we can't wait to do a bit of shopping tomorrow. Any requests??? Anyway, just had another delicious meal at our favourite restaurant and are now off for some much needed sleep.
Elodie - Aww Grandma don't be scared we're having fun and being very careful! Dad- I was speaking to some Belgian boys and they were saying about the cycling and how much they love it etc and how they all go to see the Tour of Britian in London every year. I hear Cavendish won something? And Lance is out of the running? Renting bikes for 1 pound tomorrow for the day, should be fun! Claire- I hope you have a really good time in Paris!!! and everyone else going! The Harry Potter party sounds BRILLIANT! I bet Angela was Luna Lovegood??? And Jamie, I can't wait to see all the pictures.
Zack- having a fantastic time, a very happy traveller indeed! We have been so lucky with the weather - it is tipping it down now but we are all cosy in our hostel. Dad - hope you are enjoying the weekend, get some rest before the second week begins! Are their any DVDs that you wanted especially? They are really good quality so just name the title and I'll find it - ask Mum too. I will send you a longer email tomorrow. To the Croyde Crew - miss you guys, keep the comments coming! xxxx
