Goodmorning, Vietnam!

It has been over a month since we’ve posted anything and for that I’m sorry.

Lucky for you, I’ve got an excellent memory… For the most part. Lets see…

We arrived in Hanoi after a short flight from Luang Prabang bleary eyed and ready to track down our new digs for the night.  I had the bright idea to book a hostel ahead of time which is infamous in the area for copious amounts of partying.

I’d done a little research on Vietnam to get our bearing on what to expect and felt like I was prepared for the worst – which never came.  We split a cab with a couple of Irish guys to lessen the $20 price tag (yikes! Backpacker budget – remember guys) and careened down one of Vietnams freeways.  Now, I’ve driven in Mexico City, endured traffic in Manila, and skirted through gridlock traffic in Taiwan, but nothing prepares your for the craziness that is the Vietnam roadway.

There’s a constant Morse code of horns relaying all types of messages.  There’s some type of unspoken understanding with Vietnamese people that you are required to drive with a phone in hand, especially the motorbike riders.  Painted lines for lanes on the roadway are not acknowledged.  And somehow it always seems that your first ride in a new country you are always blessed with the lunatic taxi driver.  This was no exception.

After enduring the blunt introduction for about 45 minutes while we got to know our travel companions we pulled off the road right next to a garbage truck.  Some broken English about how our hostel is ”two streets over cannot drive there” and we were sent walking.  Gathering our things, we started walking in the direction our taxi driver instructed and found ourselves walking down a street with hundreds of Vietnamese people sitting in little tiny plastic chairs on the sides of the street and sidewalk eating peanuts and drinking tons of beer.  I hadn’t read about this while researching this country, but I think I’m going to like it!

We stayed at Hanoi Backpackers – A top notch party hostel, not exactly the best choice for Kate and I, but if you are single and looking to meet people. Game on.

The next couple of days we spent touring the area around Hanoi.  They’ve got a great system for their shopping.  Entire streets are dedicated to one item, it’s actually pretty cool.  Need some rope/twine/lace/thread/chain?  No problem, go to street XYZ.  The entire street will have vendors on both sides selling spools of any type of securement needed.  Examples of other streets: baby clothes, helmets, sunglasses, shoes, winter clothes, buttons, kitchen wares.

We also spent these few days looking on line for bikes to purchase for our trip down to Saigon. (Ho Chi Minh City)  Eventually we settled on a pair of bikes from a couple of guys travelling together that made the journey up from Saigon.  I was pretty surprised to find out that one of the guys had never ridden a motorcycle before riding one for the first time in Laos 4 weeks earlier.  Honestly, looking back now I feel like we should have inspected the bikes a little more thoroughly, but all in all they got us all the way down to Saigon.  It’s not an adventure unless something goes wrong, right?

Check out the video I took on the side of a street - Looks a little crazy doesn't it?
Well we proceeded to buy motorbikes so we could become a part of the swarm!