After a long day in the air (17 hours plus a 2.5 hour layover) we got into Hanoi. All the flights were on time and flights were uneventful. We got checked into our hotel around midnight and got a good 6-7 hours of sleep. The airport in Hanoi is very impressive lots of glass and absolutely spotless being a Communist country the military operates the immigration so you get a bit of a serious vibe when clearing customs.
I cool day in Hanoi with temperatures of 18 and a drizzle it’s still much better than at home. Lots of walking and just seeing this city of 8.5 million people. Streets are narrow and sidewalks are used as parking lots for the millions of scooters that are everywhere. You sort of take your life in your hands when crossing the streets but the traffic weaves around you amid the constant beeping of scooter and car horns.
The shopping and retail sector is thriving in Hanoi where every inch of real estate is occupied for housing and businesses. The smells of all the street food stalls and constant buzz of activity is a sensory overload.
Getting a early start the streets were not all that busy but as the day progressed it got much busier.
View from our Hotel dining room over looking Hanoi
Train street
We stopped and had an egg coffee (delicious) along train street where you can sit along a railway line that is literally 5 feet from where your sitting. We missed out on being there when a train goes by, but we will try to be there for the next few days. This evening we went on a street food tour with a local guide and we joined up with another couple from Germany we had a wide variety food and drinks for almost 3 hours it was a great way to see the city and get a taste of great Vietnamese food. Tomorrow we head out to the countryside for a bike tour along the Red River and some banana plantations.
At the Note Cafe having a Coconut coffee
Street food tour
Finding work in Hanoi
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