Hanoi was my first taste of Vietnam and what a good place to get into the swing of things. I arrived late at night because the airline was in no rush even though I was and by the time I got to my hostel the English speaking staff had gone home, nightmare! I managed to sort out a room and sleep.

next day I set about having a look around and yes I got lost, again! I briefl retreated back to the hostel for a beer before asking directions to the main sites before getting lost again. I then worked out I had to turn left from the hostel not right and after that I was good.

In Hanoi I saw a very nice buddhist in the middle of the main lake in the old quarter and was so preaceful (by the way I might become a buddhist, its an awesome religion trust me!) before getting on a ricshaw and went to the army museum to see an interesting collage of downed US aircraft. Made me laugh!

In the evenings as I said on the Ha Long blog I met some Kiwis and Aussies at the hostel and we sepnt the evenings trying to down the supply of Tiger beer. Great thing about beer here is you dont get hang overs which is grand if you need to go out and do more stuff the next day.

The wierdest thing I did in Hanoi was to go to a place choose a snake, watch them kill it, remove the heart and put on a plate whilst still beating, drain the blood and bile into a bottle of rice wine and watch them prepare the meat. the question you will ask is a good one and yes I did drink the blood and the bile but christ I will not do it again! Snake isnt the nicest meat and I didnt really like it so I wont have it again, much like the frog I tried the next day.

That was about it for Hanoi for me. A hectic city with a great heart but in need of moderisation. Next stop Hue on the Night Train.