Another early start, as we were picked up to catch the bus to Hanoi at 7.00am in a minibus & decanted into the main bus which left on time at 7.40. It stopped at intervals to pick up people & deliver items & eventually arrived in the My Dinh bus station in Hanoi at 11.00. Owen found a taxi & we drove to our hotel where we were cordially received. After welcome drinks etc we were told that we had been moved to a sister hotel & that our baggage ...

Saturday 9th April It poured in the night & d*** was up in with terrible gut problems so, at about 5.30, he reverted to Immodium & prayer, as Owens class had hired a bus for 20 to go out to a giant hydro scheme for a day on the water. On the way we stopped at a stall selling water buffalo meat, again quite an experience. The bus arrived at 6.45 & off we went north towards Na Hang. Eventually, at about 10.30, we arrived at the lake having driven thro...

Thursday 7th April A late start today as Owen didn't have any classes. After a leisurely breakfast we walked up towards the university, d*** had a haircut & then into coffee at a tiny empty cafe run by an elderly couple. From there we took a taxi to the Golden Barbecue for lunch. This was a Korean restaurant where the food was cooked on a brazier in the centre of the table & we had a fine meal. On we went to the 15th storey of the Palace Hotel, the tall...

Wednesday 6th April Up early today as we had to be at the university by 7.30 as we were going with some of Owen's students in the university bus, to Tan Trao, in the hills about 50km from here, to see a reconstructed hut, set in the forest, where Ho Chi Minh had spent time in 1945 before the Rising against the French. This is a site of great import to the Vietnamese. As Ho Chi Minh became very sick there he was nursed back to health by General Giap his major sup...

Monday 4th April Cool & dampish as we dragged our bags out of the station & took a cab to the My Dinh bus station for our ride to Tuyen Quang. Here we found the ticket window & were on a bus in 10 minutes from arrival. It set off & on the way it stopped to pick up more people using stools in the aisle until it was totally full up. It certainly got a move on & we only had the 1 pit stop on the way. The countryside was initially very flat &...