Ha Noi!!
I decided to try out the Airport bus to go back to Bangkok’s airport – it has a really long name that I am bound to misspell, plus the pronunciation only slightly resembles the written version. Easy as pie!! The bus came past about 60 seconds after I found the bus-stop which was very lucky. I’m told it goes past every half hour. It took about an hour and quarter and I caught it at about 3pm – busy time but not the worst of the traffic. After checking in I had some cheap dinner – yes it is possible to get a cheap meal at the airport!! Downstairs near the Airport Bus pickup / dropoff area is a food hall. Buy THB100 per person in coupons and you will change a fair bit of it back to cash. Oh yes, I figured out how to use the Thai food hall coupon system thing. You just have to make sure you don’t forget to get your unused amount refunded the same day. Anywhere else in the airport and you’ll pay through the nose for food and drinks.
The flight was barely half full, I would guess at a bit over a third and I think most of the passengers were from either Hong Kong, China or Taiwan – looked like a tour group, boisterous lot they were.
This time not only did I pre-book my hotel in Ha Noi, but I also got them to arrange to pick me up from the airport as I decided I was just not interested in having to bargain with Taxi drivers again and I knew that the airport is a fair way out of town. I spotted my driver almost instantly and was whisked away in no time in a brand new unmarked sedan. At USD11, it was well worth it I think. I arrived fairly late at night but the receptionist accompanied me to a stall to get a baguette. We ate in the dining room / kitchen of the hotel and then slept in nice bed – bliss.
My first full day here – yesterday – I wandered around. Found some antibiotic cream for some sores that don’t want to heal, found the Kangaroo Cafe and basically just drank in the atmosphere of the Old Quarter of Ha Noi. I changed to a different hotel – this one has no lift, but also has no street noise to blast me awake at 6am. Today I did basically the same thing again. We are having a few good thunder storms this afternoon. Tomorrow I will be up early as I have signed up for a 3 day tour of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island. Will write again when I get a chance.
At last I am up-to-date with regards to writing. Next time I will concentrate on updating photos.
Tags: cheap eats, Ha Noi, Travel, Vietnam
mjb
So what made you choose Cat Ba Island? I haven’t heard of it but I guess it must be famous for something.