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Archive for September, 2007

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Hanoi: Bia Hoi Ahoy!

Sunday, September 30th, 2007

With our bags bursting at the seams, including our extra bag – a small wheely bag stuffed full of wedding clothes, we said goodbye to Hoi An and caught an overnight bus north to Hanoi.

Two minutes into the trip, whilst the bus still slowly made its way along the flat straight streets of Hoi An, the lady in front of me started vomiting. Poor thing, it must be no fun getting car-sick, but come on – at least the previous chunderers we’d encountered had the excuse of winding mountain roads. Perhaps it is Bec and me who induce the vomiting, rather than the vehicle’s movement – the sight of a skinny tall redhead with pasty skin trying to squeeze into a tiny seat sends them over the edge. Thankfully she regained her composure and managed to halt the vomiting, hocking and spitting and the remainder of the trip passed rather smoothly.

[read on]

Hoi An: The Saviour

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

After our lengthy, frustrating journey to get there, Hoi An proved itself to be worth the effort. Not for the first time, it was our saviour on a visit to Vietnam.

My friend Conor, writer of the greatest travel blog ever and superhero to orphans across Nepal (seriously, check out his blog at www.conorgrennan.net) described Hoi An as ‘quaint’. And, as usual, he was pretty much spot on. Well, certainly when it comes to describing the architecture in the World Heritage listed town; for the narrow streets with their one and two storey terrace like buildings showing cracked yellow facades and wooden shutters over the windows conjure up few other words. The women pedalling dusty old bikes under their traditional conical hats, young and old alike, give the town an even greater old-timey feel.

[read on]

Thanh Hoa: Where are we?

Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
Our relief upon arriving at Thanh Hoa a little after 9pm, and finally being off that damn bus from the Vietnamese border, was tempered somewhat by the fact that it was raining, we were in a non-tourist town with no ... [Continue reading this entry]

Nameo: One of those days…

Saturday, September 1st, 2007
It was August 14th when we left Vieng Xai. We had planned to leave the day before to head across the border into Vietnam, but were told that buses only leave the border three times a week. So a lazy ... [Continue reading this entry]