Hello from the capital, Hanoi.

Left Hoi An yesterday at 8am, took a four hour bus to Hue. because of my time restrictions i only got to stay there for the afternoon before i had to be back on the bus to head up to Hanoi. Spent the afternoon going round Hue and the Citadel, and hired a cyclo to take me around it which was cool. got on the bus at 5pm and travelled about an hour before i realised my seat was infested wth cockroaches, they were literally everywhere. i asked the driver guy to spray or move me to another seat and he said the bus was full and that he had spreayed (even though he didnt bother!) luckilya couple of nice aussie guys heard my plight and had a spare seat next to them to i was able to move seats away from the infestation. Eww it was so gross they were all over me, there was no wayi would have been able to sleep so i was really thankful. 14 hours later arrived in Hanoi this morning. Went to Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, which is where his dead body is encased, whcih was a strange experience, we waited for over half an hour just to walk past his dead body. twas all very strange. then we went toa museum about him. i am sharing a room with the two aussie guys, which works out really well as theyare leaving tomrrow and so am i. one of the aussie guys was born in Vietnam, (his name is Vu Du, how cool is that!) and became my tour guide for the day, and helped me to negotiate when buying another backpack and when booking my trip for tomorrow. tomrrow i am going on a 3 day/2night boat tour to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island. i have heard mixed reviews about it, but hopefully i should get to dosome kayaking in the caves. i spend one noght on a boat and the other on the island, then back on Sunday.
I like Hanoi so far, it is busy like Saigon, but there is a lot more propganda and love for Ho Chi Minh, where as in the south they dont really seem to like him and the culture seems a lot more chinese influenced up here, and the weather ios cooler. the streets are narrower which makes it crowed but easier to cross the street thatn saigon!
Thanks for all of your get well messages, i am doing fine now.
Prob wont be online until i can get back so speak to you then!