Hanoi

50c pick and mix. That's Hanoi.

Busy but slow. Yuck yet beautiful. Friendly and awful. It has it all. Just depends on what you pull out.

I spent about 4 nights here in all. It's like the port to all of the places around it.

My first day was spent sitting next to the nearby lake, just relaxing for once and as I'd planned, reading a book. I never actually read more than a few pages though as every 5 minutes I'd get approached by a local wanting to practice their english with me. I didn't mind one bit and I ended up teaching a group of uni students english out of a book they had.

Later when the sun had gone down, I headed back to my guesthouse; grabbing dinner on the way. When I got back I actually started reading but was shortly joined in the dorm room by 3 polish guys and a Catalonian. They were drinking and invited me to join them. We talked for a bit and then they headed off for the town and me for bed.

Didn't realise at the time what this meeting would bring about...