Well i have now left Hanoi but thought i had better fill you in on my culinary experiences. Thanks to Joanna Edghill - thanks honey!!! - i ended up getting quite drunk on snake wine, which is quite disgusting, and that old favourite, snake blood and snake bile...with vodka. Seriously i am not joking, we were taken outby jos workmate Thang, who is lovely, to a restaurant a bit out of the centre. As we drive in there is a big picture of a snake on the wall but i'm thinking that's okay, i'm sure thats not all they serve, quite fancy some noodles and pork tonight...!!! Well no, they only serve snake and tortoise and he has ordered us the set menu, a feast of reptile...we had every part, bones, skin - actually very tasty, meat, snake spring rolls...The food was really good once you got over what you were eating but im not sure i can say the same for the bevarages served. Snake blood is as disgusting as it sounds, i thought i was going to heave but didn't have a lot of choice but to knock it back and smack my lips!!! ummm ummm. Plenty of water to wash it down and thankfully it stayed there! The snake wine came out of bottles with real snakes and also bees in the bottom, tasted rank but pretty strong. We did have a very good night though, was a lot of fun and Thang told us a lot of interesting things about the food we were eating, snake is actually pretty tasty and is supposed to have medicinal qualities - possibly true as amazingly i felt quite fresh the next morning.

Also went to New Century night club which was bit surreal, Jo got chatted up by a few vietnamese which was amusing!! They have these Hennessy boys in overalls who constantly top you up with drink and ice, so attentive. It is impossible not to get wasted!! Was very good to see another side to Hanoi but next day i was quite glad to be getting the bus to Laos for some time to relax - far from the motorbike horns!