Well what can i say about Hanoi CRAZY i think the best word to describe it. there is so much traffic aboutand it is comming from all directions.

We arrive late in Hanoian manage to find a room, there are 4 of us and we manage tofind a cheephotel in the centre of the old quarter called Blue sky. after dumping our bags, we go on the search for an ATM no money at all. After a few attemps we manage to find one that worksand get lost in the process, there are lots of roads and most of them look the same, we find a huge lake witchis the centre of the city and eat, there are somany resturants and street sellers and everything else that youcan imagen.

Walking around the streets afterdinner Me Michael Craig and Richard get so lost we allhave maps and they stilldont work that well as we no what street we are on but every time we turn a corner we are some where completely different,i supose it doesnt help that im not to good at reading a map. after a long walk we manage to find the hotel again, i go tobed while the other go out exploring again. I the morning we decide to go to Ho Chi Minh Mausaleum where Ho Chi Mihns body is kept, but after a long breakfast we find out that is shuts at 11am (think HoChi Minh must be busy in the afternoons lol) so we have to gothe next day, for thisday we explore the roads look so different in day light and the traffic is stillcrazy defently dont want to beon one of the bikes. We visit a Museum of history,not what i was expecting i thought there would be soemthing on the Vietnam war but nothing that was allin a different museum around the corner but couldnt be bothered maybe another time.

More walking around the streets and the next thing i no it dark. i went to look around a night market toseewhat was about so much stuff and lots of people. we i get back tothe hotel the guys have rented a DVD playersowe watch a film In tothe Wild, about a guywho goes travelling a dies probably not the best filmto watch.

Early morning as we want to see Ho Chi Minh huge queues but for some reason we miss half of itnot sure why the guard let us cut in but not complaning, the body was not what i was expecting it didnt look real justlike a wax work (there are rumors that madam tusaudes tidys him up each year) had to be really quiet and wear prober clothers that covered your legs and shoulders, the buildings were amazing realy pretty large and looked very posh.

Another market that sold somuch material from silk to cotten and everything in between. tonight we went outdrinking t aclub didnt get home till 5.30 in the morning was so tired and we we catching a bus toCat Ba island what is by Halong Bay with over 2000 islands, wellnot all of us make the bus some slightly grumpy from lack ofsleep and michael get the bus and boat to the island so we can sleep for ever.

hope everyone is well at home and i will speak to you all soon,