Dear diary (I've lost trackof how many days I'm intomy travelling & what the actual day is - just surviving by date only!!),

Arrived in Vietnam (Hanoi) last night (25th) & was more than pleasantly surprised to find that my rucksack was there waiting for me in Lost & Found!

Hostel is really nice & owner very helpful & friendly. Threw my stuff in my dorm & took the plunge & went to talk to a few people! Sharing dorm with 5 others (Canadian, American &a Kiwi), who all seem a good bunch. Also met 2 girls who, wait for it, yep come from Essex (I tell ya, we are taking over the world!!).

Everyone seems to be doing the same kind of route (i.e. Hanoi then south to Ho Chi Minh & across Cambodia) so am sure we'll bump into each other along the way.

We all went out for a few beers (Mat, even you wouldn't mind buying a round of the local beer here at only 12p a pint!! and it wasn't that bad either). Moved onto some bar(Dragonfly) where drinks slightly more exspensive (about 40p a pint!!).

The local police 'busted' the place at about 1am & we were all asked to leave (with our drinks) & to come backin abut 10 minutes - all very weird!

Got back to hostel about 2am, just enough time for a quick drink & off to bed, which was actually one of the best nights sleep I've had for a while.

Spending the day wandering around Hanoi & then of to Halong Bay (that's what picture is of) tomorrow, so plenty more to come.