My first blog from my travels! I am currently in the Hanoi Backpackers hostel which is really nice, apparently it's the nicest hostel a lot of fellow backpackers have stayed in so I am fearful of what's to come......

After an EXTREMELY long trip getting here (12 hours from London - Singapore, 3 hour wait, 3 hours from Singapore - Hanoi) I dumped all my stuff and tried to nap but the humidity here makes it quite hard to nod off and the fan doesnt do it's just well enough!

The taxi ride from the airport was an experience. MENTAL! All you can hear are horns, horns, and more horns. People know how shaky I am in cars nowadays so you can imagine me trying my hardest not to look petrified!! It was quite depressing as well, there are a lot of poor 'slum' looking places which are like, 10 minutes outside the city centre. Most random sight though was a massive brown cow strolling alongside us on the highway!

After my short nap I met an American girl called Betty (who is half Vietnamese) and we went to the water puppet show up by the lake which was 40,000 dong (roughly about 2.50!). It is a traditional show with a sort of band and then..water puppets!! I have some videos and photos so shall upload them when I've got some more time.

Had the most disgusting pizza for dinner (I ended up eating just the dough!) and made sure my diet coke had no ice (see I am responsible mother!). Then got back to the hostel ready to pass out but ending up chatting for ages, and when I finally retired I couldnt sleep and managed to drop off about 4am......

This morning I went out with these lovely Irish girls and we booked a trip to Halong Bay for tomorrow morning!! 3 days/2 nights, one of which is on a boat (karaoke and bar, aah it will be like being back at city bar in notts!) and the other night is spent in a 2 star hotel on the island cat ba. The whole place looks incredible (it is the picture accompanying this blog) and I can't wait to get some awesome pictures to make you jealous!

I'm off to the market now to have a stroll and hopefully get a bit of lunch if I get the courage to try stuff.....and I thought my palet was getting so much better...

Oh and if I survive the whole trip without getting knocked over by a 'moto' i'll be very thankful!

Til the next blog xxxxxxxxxx