Bikes, bikes and more bikes!
"Tram phan tram" - bottoms up!
Imagine a city where there is a mass of motorbikes that swarms the streets without any traffic lights. I spent a good part of yesterday just having cold beers at the street side cafes in old quarter watching the chaotic traffic; amazing. Just a note, please do remember to look "up and down" and "up and down" till you are safely across the street as they comes from all sides! The noise is deafening but after 2 days here I dont hear it anymore because already half-deaf!I
Fortunately for me, I was on the same flight as Winnie and her family, they gave me a ride to their hotel in town and from there I encounter the Hanoians' warm hospitality when one of the bellboy send me, backpack and all to my hostel.
Travelling with Flo, a white guy does not help. I think they locals hear 'ka-ching' when they see the caucasians. Prices are jacked up at least 10 times - everything cost 100,000 VND - from taxi rides, 2 cups of coffees etc etc but they will gladly accept the 10,000 VND when you insist that is all you are going to pay. Many will say it is still cheap after the conversion but I don't think that is the point. If we accept, this just confirm that it is that easy to rip off foreigners. Seriously I was put off from buying anything after a few attempts. The old lady at the road side even try to sell me a fried flour ball for 5000 VND!
Scams are also common here - when you book your accommodation online and they have these beautiful rooms/ airport transfers and customers' reviews, only to get there and find a shithole that has appropriated the name of another popular property.
Another tip is not to put your luggages in the boot. That night retuning from Sapa, I saw a taxi driver who refused to open the boot for 2 caucasian ladies until they pay more money. They were surrounded by a few other men and seriously, this is the last thing we need at a 5am arrival and it can be scary for ladies travelling, alone or not.
Hanoi is interesting, with congested and narrow back-streets. I spend a day wondering around - streets of merchandise of all sorts - bamboos, steel, sundries, spices and herbs, sunglasses , shoes, toys, grave headstones, Buddhists offerings etc.. Pho and Bai Hoi dens are at all corners where you can stop for a bowl of noodle or a round of beer. ( If you don't mind the rubbish around you as you eat) I was hesitant initially but today I couldn't resist it and join the locals squatting at the road side having a bowl of steaming hot Pho Ga. :)
All said, It is nice and there is order even in the chaos but I wouldn't spend more than a week here unless you want to breath in smog and go deaf!
Halong bay's limestone islands are gorgeous which I strongly encourage anyone going to stay a night onboard. We visited the Hang Sung Sot which has 3 chambers. In the 2nd cave, there is even a pink-lit "penis -rock" which is regarded as a fertility symbol. We also had an hour of leisure kayak into the hollow centers of the limestone islands. It is so beautiful and tranquil as we float about in our kayaks.
Sapa sits overlooking beautiful valley, lofty mountains from all sides and also where the H'mong and dzao minority tribes lives. The mountains are often shrouded in mists but on the first day when we got there we caught a clear view of the scenery. It was spectacular with cascading rice terraces spilling off the slopes and of the mountains.
One of it is the Fansipan which is the tallest peak in Vietnam, sitting at 3143m.
You can trek up the summit of Fansipan which is only 19km from Sapa but it will still take about 3 days to complete as terrain is rough and wet.
Unfortunately it is too touristy for my taste. The moment you bring out your camera, the locals crowd you asking for money for taking their pic or trying to sell you souvenirs. Though they don't have formal education, the kids have a good command of english as we found out from our short conversation with these 2 little girls who managed to sell me some trinkets. ( In return we got to share the packet of their leftover titbit- really sweet,I meant the girls, not the titbit)
**Note - there is a love market on Saturday, which acts like speed dating minority style. Though we missed it as we were there on a weekday, it will probably be an interesting sight.
We rented a bike for the day and took to the mountain roads and going to the local villages. We visited the CAT CAT village and another unnamed village that we chanced upon. We also rode to the Trom Ton Pass - the road between Sapa and Lai Chau and eventually lead you to the Silver Waterfall. It was a little tough on our backsides with the muddy roads and bumps but the scenery was breathtaking so it was worth it.
That night when going out for dinner, we had this old H'mong old lady persistently trail us for about 10mins, asking Flo "opium opium?" Haha, what is about ang mos and drugs, eh? It was hilarious to have someone so old trying to hard sell us drugs :)
it is also at Sapa that I have my first bike riding experience! yaa-hoo.. video to follow!
So far, it has been a great trip and Flo has been a wonderful travel companion! It is amazing that we spend 5 days together without any mishaps thought we dont know each too well. He has been very patient especially when I always stopped for photos taking and move off only after I got it right :)
It is kinda strange to be travelling alone again for the last 2 days.
Here is the summary of the guests house and restarants -
Hanoi -
City Gate Hostel US$15 p/night (Friendly when they are trying to tout their tours)
Hanoi Backpackers - US$6 for dorm (Aussie style with rooftop parties and lots of backpackers . I think they overcharged us for the train tickes though)
Thu Giang Guesthouse -US$10 p/night (Spacious, basic and Clean. Daughters speaks good English)
Restaurants -
Hanoi garden - courtyard ambience, So-so food and a little costly
69 Bar restarant - Nice Cha ca (Fish in Hotpot over charcoal)
Cha Ca Long Vong (**) - Serves only Cha ca @ 70 000 VND
Pho24 ( Fast food pho)
Streetside Pho - cheaper
Baguette and Chocolat - no longer at location indicated in Lonely Planet
Bars -
Funky Monkeys
Finnegan's Irish Bar ( stays open after midnight behind close shutters)
HaLong Bay
South Pacific - New Junk boat @ US$65
Sapa
CatCat View Hotel - US$12 p/night (Spacious, clean and great views)
Another suggestion - Lots of 'pirated' books on Vietnam and Lonely Planet. Better to just pick up one upon arrival ( Cost about US$5)
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