Ros here! We have arrived in the crazy mayhem that is Hanoi! For the last few days we have been exploring the Old quarter - without much for pavements, this has involved a lot of dodging of scooters, bikes, cars, puddles and street vendors! (an experience not for the faint hearted!)

The street food culture is amazing - shop fronts selling food to the masses who sit outside on childsize plastic stalls. We got to sample 6 or 7 dishes on a street food tour - definitely worth doing if you come to Hanoi. Our highlights were the papaya salad and spring rolls...a few of the other dishes were more of an acquired taste!

Last night we escaped the hustle and bustle to enjoy an overnight cruise around Halong Bay. Although a long way to go (4 hours in a minibus), it was definitely worth it to see the stunning natural beauty of the limestone formations. Kayaking in the open sea was great fun - although pretty scary once the waves got up! We certainly appreciated the hot shower on our return to the boat!

I am currently drafting this on a train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh (located about 2.5 hours south of Hanoi). The train tracks are a legacy of the French in the early 20th century, running all the way from Hanoi to Saigon. The inside of the train is also pretty old (1950s) - the only modern feature being a couple of flat screen TVs in the middle of the carriage showing, amongst other things, a hidden camera show and a show about fishing (Its only a matter of time before Richard Branson introduces this to Virgin trains!)