After setting off from my hotel at 5 pm in the evening, we finally made it to Hanoi about 26 hours later...to say it was the longest bus ride of my life is actually true and no exaggeration! Immigration in Vietnam is actually more confusing but also more strict than in India (which I already thought was a little over the top). The best thing about it is someone makes sure you have a proper visa before signing you out of the country you have just come from so you are not 'trapped' at the border.

I also made some new friends, a bunch of American lads who are travelling for the next 7 days doing a 'crash course' in Vietnam before flying home again. I think it started at the bus station when they were thinking about ditching the transport after seeing the bus...I did have to laugh and insist that American's were used to travelling in Luxury and if they ditched the bus they would just be proving the stereotype correct!

Although we all had a good laugh about the bus which was supposed to have 'beds' but instead had these weird bus seats which stayed in the reclined position and nothing else. 26 hours later, a joker who took our money and left us at the wrong hotel and we're sitting in the lobby soaking up the free Tiger beer...yes...I said FREE BEER! This blog will be written in two sessions due to the beer...