Arrived Hanoi late in evening after 90 min flight plus more than an hour in car, the driver of which struggled to find our hotel in the Old Quarter. This was the closest we have got to sense of humour failure but all was restored by ginger tea in the fantastic 'boutique' Essence hotel.
After a good night's sleep and breakfast (food, drinks and sleep feature highly in maintaining our sense of well being!) we walked the streets and spent a great day at the Vietnam women's museum (we discovered that most museums close on Mondays), followed by chicken noodle soup at a small cafe and the interesting unique experience that is the water puppet theatre. Several men and women up to their waists in water and behind a curtain, operating the puppets on poles, and telling Vietnamese folk tales. Not one to be missed if you come to Hanoi.