Hanoi - the capital of Scooters

Arrived on the 28th August to Hanoi airport after flying from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur and then to Hanoi. Was weird being on 2 planes that had Kuala Lumpur in common but were actually completely utterly different. The plane from Langkawi was full of Muslim people and majority of the women was wearing the whole black outfits covering their faces and bodies. To then get on the Hanoi plane with Vietnam people that looked at us strangely, checked in plastic bags, do not have a clue how to queue (very english comment to make), and some of them were very friendly. We got talking to a guy from Birmingham who was visiting family in Vietnam his job was a bit of import and export which sounded a big dubious and a guy on business flying to Vietnam and then he was going back to his house in North London. The other main thing we discovered with them is that they dont listen to the flight attendants. If the seat belt sign is on they would all walk around going to the toilet and when the plane was landing you could see people turn their mobiles on, especially when it had just hit the ground. They all got their mobiles out and the flight attendants was running down the aisle shouting at them..

Anyway on landing at Hanoi the next big is to get a taxi which is something we were warned about in the Lonely Planet guide as they are really bad at the airport for either taking you to a different hotel and telling you it had moved or by clocking the meter so it runs faster. The taxi rank we finally found was one recommended by the tour guide so was perfectly fine.

The journey though was an adverture in itself (always seems to be with the taxi drivers). As we drove nearer to the city what seemed to be a mixture of cars and scooter drivers with helmets on started to change to multiples of scooters with 2 people on. Simon counted 4 on one of them at one time and all having a deadwish. The taxi driver just constantly beeps his horn so they know he is behind them and then they carry on and when you get to a junction its like heh the lights are on green in all directions go go go and so they all did and they all came out safely at the other end with me screaming in the middle of it. I was very glad we was in a car not a scooter. I thought the scooter driving was bad in Kuala Lumpur its nothing compared to here.

For our late night tea we went to Koko a charity restaurant around the corner, Simon had sausage and mash such a Vietnamise meal :-) , luckily we didnt have to attempt to cross the road. We heard western people stood outside saying right ok we can do this, i will go first follow my lead, and the women saying no no i think we can find a way of getting back to the hotel without having to cross the road.