Only two days in Vientiane has obviously been enough. Not enough banter is going on.
It had fair pissed down in the night, not that I heard it, the Air-con and fan make too much of a racket.
A taxi is due to take me to Wattay International Airport at 11.30 I have already checked with reception and it is booked. I'm starting adopt a 'expect nothing and you won't be disappointed' sort of approach and make sure I check that what's supposed to happen will happen rather than just leave it to chance.
I have been quite surprised at the lack of bites I have got here, especially it not being too far from the Mekong River. I think I got more when I was in Malaysia from the sand-flys.
That said, Laos is a Malaria Hot Spot and it only takes one. Yesterday when I was rummaging in my backpack (I'm tending not to unpack as I'm not in any one place long enough) I found to that the bottle of Mosquito repellant I had in a wash bag had leaked. The bag was now just a mass of a black glue type substance, it looked as thought it had been attacked by the Ebola virus. Fortunatley I was able to remove it in one piece only getting the gunk on my hands and avoiding it contaminating the rest of my backpack. It really does make you wonder what evil ingredients are in DEET. Nevertheless, I shall continue to use it and to take my anti malaria tablets..
Strangely the taxi did arrive and I was deposited at Wattay international airport for my 90 minute flight to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi.
Going through immigration the officer asked me where I had stayed in Vientiane, I tried to recall but after a few failed attempts he accepted near the 'big monument'
The flight was uneventful, save the landing, I did wonder at one stage as we sped down the runway if we were ever going to stop. Immigration was no issues despite all the rumours of if taking for ever. The lady officer had a problem reconciling me face with my photo but I suppose that's what you get for having a $5 haircut!!
My expectations were met and as I expected there was no one to meet me at the airport. This time though, rather than ring the travel agent in Bangkok I thought I would make my own way there, it would probably be less expensive and certainly less frustrating. There was a warning in the airport to be wary of taxi touts so I did the right thing and asked at the information desk. I was quoted $30 return, despite the fact that I was travelling g out of Vietnam overland it was still $30. Thinking that was a bit steep I headed outside where I negotiated $15.
The airport is about 25km outside the main city and I was staying in the old quarter. I was taken to my hotel and as I tried to register found that no booking had been made. After about 10 mins of ringing around it transpired that the Taxi driver had taken me to the wrong hotel. No worries, it was only a couple of hundred metres down the road, except it wasn't. What should have been my hotel was an empty shell being refurbished. There were a couple of Vietnamese chaps working there, they invited me in, gave me a cup of Vietnam tea and fag and started ringing around. Got knows how and why but about 10 mins later a chap arrives on a motorcycle, shows me my booking on his mobile and tells me he will take me to the 'new hotel'. The 15k rucksack was put on the front of the motorbike, I got on the back and we were off into the melee of down town Hanoi. It wasn't vey far but was quite an experience, there are no rules, just sit on your horn and point the bike in the direction you are going. It did cross my mind that my insurance may not cover this reckless behaviour.
You know when it starts to dawn on you that you've been had, that's what I was starting to think about the travel agent in Bangkok. The room and hotel is not what I would have chosen and I was beginning to think that I would have been financially better of doing it all on the hoof. That said, it was all still within my proposed budget so I was not going to let it spoil things. I had a bed and they knew about the trip to Ha long bay in the morning.
The more I think about it Bangkok is just a hotbed of con artists. I will know next time. If you go there just have your wits about you, the vast majority only want your money!!
It is said that you either love or hate Hanoi, it is very busy, supposed to be a bit dangerous too.
After settling in my room and using my PacSafe net to lock my backpack to the wardrobe I went out for a wander and a bite to eat. You really have all on not to get knocked down such is the traffic.
As I was leaving the guy on reception told me to put my backpack in front of me and make sure my camera and wallet was safe. He gave me a card with the hotel details on it in case I got lost. Me, get lost..... Never..
He suggested that I head for the lake. This year Hanoi is celebrating it's 1000th anniversary. That is why it is so busy. The anniversary is not till the 10th and the celebrating will go on till then, every day.
The noise and fumes are overwhelming. I found a lovely little bar and had a meal if Vietnamese chicken fried noodles. It was delicious.
After that I headed down to the lake. Quite a few of the streets around the lake had been cordoned off and there were shows going on a thousands of people milling about. It was quite exciting.
Sure enough, when I came to leave I had no idea where I was I relation to the hotel. Answer, jump in a rickshaw! There's me being driven round the streets of old Hanoi, in a rickshaw being cyclic by a bloke who is not a day under 80.
Well, you have to and it's ploughing money into the economy.
So an exciting day. I have two nights in Hanoi before heading south. Looking at the first bus trip. It starts at 7.00 and I don't get to Hoi An, my next stop till the following day. Makes the trip from Luang Prabang seem like a walk in the park....
Still no photos as the broadband is shite. But they are there ready to be uploaded.
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Location:Thanh Hà,Hanoi,Vietnam
thought i'd take some time out to read your latest trip blog - especially after your comment about - proactive contacts
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