Hi guys,
We are currently in Hanoi, the northern capital of Vietnam, with only one week to go on our oriental adventure. We are finally settling into this environment, being more adventurous, and eating more of the wonderful food that surrounds us in the streets. We haven’t tired of noodles or rice for every meal (with the occasional western meals slipped in).
One of the culinary highlights was a delicious meal where we selected a fish dish, only to see them go to the small pond next to our table and catch it, cook it up in coconut milk, then prepare it in front of us in rice paper rolls. We also have been privileged to try sea urchin, artichoke tea, and an amazing selection of tropical fruits. We have also sampled just about every beer that is available. It is all very cheap.
During the last week, we have travelled further north from the quiet and funky Hoi An – known for their resourceful tailors. We both bought quite a few items of clothing, all custom made for between $10-20. We hired a couple of old rickety bikes to get around town. We are now coping with the traffic a little better, especially in these small towns.
Travelling north from Hoi An we made a fortunate last-minute decision to stop at Doc Let beach – a very beautiful spot with nothing more than the beach, a restaurant and a private beach bungalow. We fitted in a sunset swim in the rain, followed by an early morning swim at sunrise the next day (we went back for a nap afterwards of course – we are on holidays).
We are beginning to pick up a bit more of the language. It is a lot easier to learn as you go along, as you can get instant feedback if you say it right (or wrong which is most often!). Occasionally we are able to order our food in Vietnamese!
From here we have a few days in the mountain village of Sapa close to the Chinese border, with some trekking to the surrounding hill tribes. The weather in central Vietnam was hot and sticky, a little uncomfortable even for us Darwinites – we must spend too long in airconditioning at home. Up in the mountains, it should be cooler. For the final few days we will be sailing around beautiful Halong Bay, and we should be able to use up our remaining film in this very photogenic spot.
See you soon,
Clare and Rob.
Other letters from Vietnam:
