So, i walked out and then just wandering around Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem area. Very very tempted to eat street food, but i have that thoughts going on in my mind that the next stall will be better... so after walking for more than 15 minutes, i still haven't had anything yet. hahaha. so finally when i saw my guesthouse again, i knew i have to settle for anything appear next. BUT, to my shocking horror, on the next stall, i saw "naked" rats lying on the table, awww.... so gross, i really do not have the guts to try mouse flesh, so i have to skip this one. Luckily on the next stall they have more customers and they seems to sell more normal food. so okay lor, i just sat down on this little tiny stool, pointed my forefinger out to signal the lady, and automatically she made me a bowl of noodles with char siew, fried wantan and a bowl of soup with mushroom and vege and more wantans... hahahaha.... okay lah, i think it is their version of wantan mee, only more spicy, more herbal leaves, bit sour bit sweet, and the noodles were like half soupy half guan-low... but it was definitely a good dinner... cost: 15000VND (about RM3.30).
After dinner, i walked back to Real Darling, talked to Luong, the lady at the counter, about tours... ordered a Bia Hoi (Vietnamese beer) for 10000VND (abt RM2.20), sat at the lobby and did some reading. When a Jap girl, Minako, appeared, apparently just returned from Halong Bay tour, i chatted with her for quite a while. She is a fun loving and open minded girl, she worked as an announcer for a TV shopping channel in Tokyo.
By 10.30pm, I went back to my room, took a hot shower & slept by around 11.30pm.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Hanoi - Day 1 (31/10) PART 1
The flight was delayed, Air Asia mah, what do you expect? so when i arrived, i was already very tired and hungry, not to mention helpless. My adventurous spirit was gone. when i saw my name (& fren's name) on a paper held by a man (taxi driver), i just went straight to him & hop on the taxi. OK OK, at first i wanted to ignore the taxi provided by the hotel i booked, coz i have emailed them to cancel but no reply from them. But then when i saw this young man waiting & in fact he might not get any passenger to go back and cover his fuel to come to airport, i pity him, that's why i follow him.
i arrived at Real Darling Cafe Guesthouse at around 7pm (malaysian time 8pm) to check in to the twin room i've booked (which i have emailed to them a day earlier to change to a single room coz my travel partner won't be joining me for the 1st 3 days), but like what happened to the "cancelled" taxi, they forced me to take up the twin room with an offered price USD7 instead of the original USD8. well, so it's only 1 dollar difference to the single room which would cost me USD6... so i said WTF, give me the twin room then, but i demanded single room for the next 2 nights, but i guess they just have too much empty rooms, or is it bcoz they are too lazy or just not cost efective to change room and change linen, they offered me to stay in the same twin room with the single room price USD6... well, good enough, i'll take it!
Then like any usual hostel/hotel here, they started to push me into buying their tour packages. OK, they are not that pushy really, they only started to hardsell when i asked... so it's partly my fault, i have given them the opportunity to harrass me.... wuahahahaha! anyway, i just told them i was too hungry, maybe i should talk to them only after dinner.
So, i go to my room #305 through a series of steep staircase, a very basic room with no table or no nonsense at all, just 2 single bed, a hanger, cable TV, basic bathroom with hot shower. the staffs are frenly and helpful too. all in all, a good hostel!
i arrived at Real Darling Cafe Guesthouse at around 7pm (malaysian time 8pm) to check in to the twin room i've booked (which i have emailed to them a day earlier to change to a single room coz my travel partner won't be joining me for the 1st 3 days), but like what happened to the "cancelled" taxi, they forced me to take up the twin room with an offered price USD7 instead of the original USD8. well, so it's only 1 dollar difference to the single room which would cost me USD6... so i said WTF, give me the twin room then, but i demanded single room for the next 2 nights, but i guess they just have too much empty rooms, or is it bcoz they are too lazy or just not cost efective to change room and change linen, they offered me to stay in the same twin room with the single room price USD6... well, good enough, i'll take it!
Then like any usual hostel/hotel here, they started to push me into buying their tour packages. OK, they are not that pushy really, they only started to hardsell when i asked... so it's partly my fault, i have given them the opportunity to harrass me.... wuahahahaha! anyway, i just told them i was too hungry, maybe i should talk to them only after dinner.
So, i go to my room #305 through a series of steep staircase, a very basic room with no table or no nonsense at all, just 2 single bed, a hanger, cable TV, basic bathroom with hot shower. the staffs are frenly and helpful too. all in all, a good hostel!
Impressions about Vietnam (Hanoi)
1.
Well, similar to Korea, the road and driver seat are on a different side from Malaysia, but unlike Korea, the traffic here is simply hopeless. The moment the taxi entered Old Quarter, bikes and bicycles were swamping in from all possible directions, really i didn't bluff!! Nothing you can do about it, but just have to be extra careful and lay an extra eye before you decide to cross the road - look left, look right, look left again seems really helpful here. and my driver honked o so often, and even more often, honked by others. seems like honking is Vietnamese's favorite passtime.
2.
Everything is so SLIM here, men, women, streets, shops, doors, alleys, staircase... all so narrow and long... ok, even the country itself is long and slim on the map, so no wonder lah!
3.
Weather, arghhhh, the weather is awful here - raining, drizzling nonstop. The damped road and water splased from bikes and from my own slippers didn't help at all. the back of my pants are now full of black dots and marks from mud, and ok, the mud from the roadside is black in color one.... gross...
4.
Vietnamese just throw their rubbish on the side of the road, simply like that... there's no dustbin, except in your room. and i think there should be ppl cleaning up the rubbish from the street very often, coz i don't see rubbish piling up anywhere....
5.
Men are goodlooking, women are pretty... surprisingly they are very good looking bunch of ppl. women are generally more friendly than men, men seems to be a bit cold to outsiders. they are extremely curious about foreigner, especially Angmohs... hahaha... and all other Asian looking ppl are either from Japan or China. hahahahaha.... and they never say thank you... not very polite.
6.
there are more bikes than human here. and there are more bikes for hire than tourists... every corner you turn, they will be ppl on the bike asking you whether you want a lift (for a fee of coz) or not... sienz... but you just have to smile at them, waves your hand, reject politely, you should be alright, they won't bug you.
Well, similar to Korea, the road and driver seat are on a different side from Malaysia, but unlike Korea, the traffic here is simply hopeless. The moment the taxi entered Old Quarter, bikes and bicycles were swamping in from all possible directions, really i didn't bluff!! Nothing you can do about it, but just have to be extra careful and lay an extra eye before you decide to cross the road - look left, look right, look left again seems really helpful here. and my driver honked o so often, and even more often, honked by others. seems like honking is Vietnamese's favorite passtime.
2.
Everything is so SLIM here, men, women, streets, shops, doors, alleys, staircase... all so narrow and long... ok, even the country itself is long and slim on the map, so no wonder lah!
3.
Weather, arghhhh, the weather is awful here - raining, drizzling nonstop. The damped road and water splased from bikes and from my own slippers didn't help at all. the back of my pants are now full of black dots and marks from mud, and ok, the mud from the roadside is black in color one.... gross...
4.
Vietnamese just throw their rubbish on the side of the road, simply like that... there's no dustbin, except in your room. and i think there should be ppl cleaning up the rubbish from the street very often, coz i don't see rubbish piling up anywhere....
5.
Men are goodlooking, women are pretty... surprisingly they are very good looking bunch of ppl. women are generally more friendly than men, men seems to be a bit cold to outsiders. they are extremely curious about foreigner, especially Angmohs... hahaha... and all other Asian looking ppl are either from Japan or China. hahahahaha.... and they never say thank you... not very polite.
6.
there are more bikes than human here. and there are more bikes for hire than tourists... every corner you turn, they will be ppl on the bike asking you whether you want a lift (for a fee of coz) or not... sienz... but you just have to smile at them, waves your hand, reject politely, you should be alright, they won't bug you.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Temporary plan in Vietnam
31st October 2007 (Wednesday)
Arrive at Hanoi in the evening, check in to hotel... remember to book hotel before going!!
Checking out Hanoi night scenes, maybe talk to ppl and newly made friends about traveling in Vietnam.
1st November 2007 (Thursday)
Have to book train tickets to Sapa and also package trip to Halong Bay in the morning. If possible also buy tickets for the water puppets show.
Spending the afternoon drinking dripping coffee by the roadside watching Vietnam ppl and lifestyle.
Maybe catching the night train to Sapa by 11pm if manage to get tickets.
2nd November 2007 (Friday)
Hopefully arrive at Sapa in the morning... check into hotel and walk around Sapa town.
Afternoon exploring H'mong village and do some hiking, watching terrace field.
3rd November 2007 (Saturday)
Morning market at Sapa highland... witness all minority tribes gather to sell cultural goods and accessories, get myself something too... shirts maybe.
Catch the afternoon train to go back to Hanoi.
Reached Hanoi in the evening, check in back to hotel.
Night hopefully go to Jazz Pub to listen to live music and spend the night.
4th November 2007 (Sunday)
Morning 7am going on trip to Halong Bay
Reach Halong Bay in the afternoon, hop on junk boat, enjoying the sceneries, hopefully no mist!
Overnight on junk boat.
5th November 2007 (Monday)
Sunrise watching on the junk.
Cave exploring, maybe even kayaking depends on the tour package.
Evening back to Hanoi.
Savouring Hanoi street food and a little shopping.
6th November 2007 (Tuesday)
Museums, parks, temples, travel spots.
Eat eat eat, shop shop shop.
Water puppets show at night.
7th November 2007 (Wednesday)
Last minute shopping and exploring...
And it's bye bye time in the late afternoon.
Arrive at Hanoi in the evening, check in to hotel... remember to book hotel before going!!
Checking out Hanoi night scenes, maybe talk to ppl and newly made friends about traveling in Vietnam.
1st November 2007 (Thursday)
Have to book train tickets to Sapa and also package trip to Halong Bay in the morning. If possible also buy tickets for the water puppets show.
Spending the afternoon drinking dripping coffee by the roadside watching Vietnam ppl and lifestyle.
Maybe catching the night train to Sapa by 11pm if manage to get tickets.
2nd November 2007 (Friday)
Hopefully arrive at Sapa in the morning... check into hotel and walk around Sapa town.
Afternoon exploring H'mong village and do some hiking, watching terrace field.
3rd November 2007 (Saturday)
Morning market at Sapa highland... witness all minority tribes gather to sell cultural goods and accessories, get myself something too... shirts maybe.
Catch the afternoon train to go back to Hanoi.
Reached Hanoi in the evening, check in back to hotel.
Night hopefully go to Jazz Pub to listen to live music and spend the night.
4th November 2007 (Sunday)
Morning 7am going on trip to Halong Bay
Reach Halong Bay in the afternoon, hop on junk boat, enjoying the sceneries, hopefully no mist!
Overnight on junk boat.
5th November 2007 (Monday)
Sunrise watching on the junk.
Cave exploring, maybe even kayaking depends on the tour package.
Evening back to Hanoi.
Savouring Hanoi street food and a little shopping.
6th November 2007 (Tuesday)
Museums, parks, temples, travel spots.
Eat eat eat, shop shop shop.
Water puppets show at night.
7th November 2007 (Wednesday)
Last minute shopping and exploring...
And it's bye bye time in the late afternoon.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)