Beamed down in Hanoi

Tuesday 26 November

I'm off to Hanoi - or I hope I am. I've booked a return ticket to Saigon (much cheaper than singles) plus a single Saigon to Hanoi. I'm trusting that any delays to flights, baggage and immigration do not destroy this cunning plan.

I left the hotel almost dead on midday and got the MTR to the airport, arriving in good time and checked in to Saigon. The flight was bang on time and so there was no stress going through immigration, collecting my bag and transferring to the national departures area for the flight to Hanoi. Arriving there was also made incredibly easy by the hotel having thrown in someone to meet me and drive me into the city.

That’s where the fun started. He seemed a nice guy, late 20s, who waited while I went to the ATM. We had a stand off with another car just trying to get out of the parking bay. The lane wasn’t big enough for two and my guy was not giving ground. Windows were wound down; words exchanged; and after what seemed like an eternity the other car backed off. We set off on our journey. Overtaking on the inside, weaving in and out; hurtling up to the car in front and giving it loads of horn and flashing lights. And the milepost said another 23 kilometres before we reached our destination.

Then we saw a scooter with no rear light. I made a comment. Then there was another. How dangerous I thought. Very rapidly I came to learn that this was the new normal. Why one doesn’t see a string of accidents I do not know but this style of driving seems to work in Vietnam.

Hanoi itself struck me that first night as very different. The hotel is in the old quarter and the streets are teaming with people, the pavements are pretty much unwalkable with parked scooters, street restaurants and shops spilling out onto the pavement. So one walks down the road, along with the scooters and cars. That first night I decided to go for an ultra simple walk as unusually for me I found it hard to relate to the map the hotel had given me.  I must have looked the newly arrived innocent and within five minutes I was being pursued by a guy on a scooter with a girl on the back who jumped off and propositioned me 'You want lady'. Back to the hotel for a night’s sleep; alone.