The last place we got to visit at the end of our travels was the capital city of Hanoi, Vietnam. This definitely rivals Bangkok when it comes to chaos and a crazy atmosphere. We are convinced that Hanoi is the motorbike capital of the world. Also, because so many merchant set up their merchandise on the sidewalks, and everyone parks their motorbikes on the sidewalks, you're forced to walk in the street with all the madness. You definitely need to be on your game, keep your head on a swivel, and stay alert. We felt like Frogger sometimes trying to cross intersections.
We had two more nights with our group, plus three nights where we would be on our own before coming home, so we were excited to get to stay in one place for an extended period of time (5 days would be the longest we were in one place since Tahiti at the beginning of the trip over six weeks ago). We did a lot of walking around the city and the Old Quarter to familiarize ourselves with it. We also went to see a Vietnamese Water Puppet show (one of those cultural things that's been a part of their history since forever that you need to see once since you're there....but once is enough). We went out for dinner and drinks with our group on their last night and had one of our best meals since being in Vietnam at a very authentic restaurant called Little Hanoi. Some of our new friends were continuing the tour the next day into Laos, others were heading back home, and still others had months of world travel ahead of them. We thought our 47 days was a long time but found out it was one of the shorter trips being taken among our travel companions.
We had been going strong for so long and seen so many sights that we were perfectly happy to relax for our last three days and not feel like we had to go be tourists. It also helped that a storm was passing through and it was pouring rain off and on. We shopped, ate good food, hung out in the hotel room, and went to a spa. We had to take advantage of the good massage prices one more time before leaving Asia. (I got one of those awesome massages where the gal actually stood on my back and walked all over me....still trying to get Emily to try that one on me). We also did the most "I miss home" thing you can think of. We went to a huge mall, ate at Pizz Hut, and saw Captain America in 3-D.
We took this trip thinking we needed to travel and get it out of our system, but I think all we did was catch a bug and now want to do it more than ever. However, even though a part of us wanted to keep going, a big part of us was ready to come home. We missed our family and friends and the comforts of home (such as a soft bed, lack of giant cockroaches, beef that tastes like real beef instead of mystery meat, movies without Asian subtitles, going 5 seconds without hearing the 'beep beep' of a horn, and the list goes on.....). After a 21 hour journey including a 5 hr layover in China, we were back in the "real world". See ya soon!
Emily and two of the UK girls, Chloe and Georgia, hit it off.....obviously.
Mapping out our day at Highland's Coffee....the Vietnamese version of Starbucks.
William, our tour guide through Cambodia and Vietnam....he's a good ol' boy from Alabama who now lives in Malaysia. He was so excited to get to hang out with another American and be able to talk football.
The shoe district....Em and I tried hard to find some shoes....but again, this country was not founded by large people.
Whether you're in the womb...
....a few months old...
....or a wee little lad, you're never too young to hop on a motor bike in Vietnam.
When the weather does this.....
Emily does this.....
....and my reward is this...
....and all is right in the world.
A really cool tree....
