Hanoi!

Long post alert.

So anyway, Im in Hanoi now. Its in Vietnam for you retards that don't know where it is.

Its been quite an adventure since i arrived. Many things have already happened. LOTS of things.

Okay, let me start from the departure date.

I arrived at the airport, waited 1hr for the girls to arrive and checked in. I was not abit excited at all for what that is coming up for me. I was not eager to go to Hanoi for the internship. 2months isn't a short time and I had absolutely no information on what im going to do over there. I don't even know what the people are like there. The only exciting thing that actually makes me look forward to that day is the plane ride!

Its been 2 years since i had a plane ride and im darn excited. I've also grown to like the liveries aka colour scheme of Vietnam Airlines. I was also excited to take the best of the small-classed planes - the Airbus A321. It met my expectations very well. I was amazed at the seat pitch available. It was very very good. I loved it. It was quite an enjoyable ride. Best part was the ride in the air.

The engines were thrusted to such force i thought i was sitting beside a thunder as the plane roared down the runway. SHIOK feeling. How many times do you get to speed down somewhere in Singapore so fast and so smooth? I just love the feeling of the G force as it speeds up for take off.

I also felt the most amount of turbulence ever. It was extremely bumpy. Constantly in fact. Once we crossed KL and above the South China Sea, the air got really bumpy. It was on and off which was fine. But from the route from Ho Chin Minh to hanoi, it was the bumpiest. Fun. The seatbelt light came on for about a good 30mins.

Food sucked, btw.

Arrived in Hanoi on time. Loved the landing. Exited the plane and was amazed at what i saw. Right in the transit area, directly after the aerobridge linking the plane and the terminal, was a guy holding a card seeking attention of one of the passengers. I mean, how did someone enter the air-side like this?! Interesting sight.

It was a small airport. Basic. Extremely basic. I don't know about the departure hall, but the arrival hall was mediocre. One duty free shop and a little bar plus some money changer and thats all you get. Swatting flies with the electrical net thing was apparently a past time there. Sparks flew around as those buggers get electrocuted. It was a sight.

Somehow when i exited the airport, there were lots of taxi drivers waiting to fetch passengers. Its as if they knew that I wasn't local. Im quite happy I dont look local. The vietnamese guys are really a bunch of ugly freaks. The girls are a mile from the guy's looks.

So currently my apartment is about 4 stories high, completely dedicated the 7 people. It was comfortable and cozy. Just that i had no pillow. I miss my pillow and bolster.

Best part is that the wireless connection is finally settled! So i can use the internet 24/7. HAHA.

Adventures have also been a common thing here now. From the most basic of crossing the road to the most crazy thing of actually being locked out outside of the terrace house all because there was a bolt that no one could reach. Received lots of stares, but i think because we were all well dressed and we had lots of groceries and probably because of my TIMBUK2 bag so they knew we were not burglars. haha. It was done in the end after about 15mins of tugging here and there on the big metal gate.

Taking taxis in Hanoi is easy, but not cheap. A typical ride of about 3 to 4km can cost about $3.50? Been taking it for 2 days already. Money is gonna flow out fast. Singapore's taxi costs about $4+for about the same distance? Food isn't cheap too cos im living and working in an area where its considered alittle "up-market", supermarkets are quite common, not a difficult sight. Been on a chocolate milk and redbull rampage. SHIOK. Water here is dirt cheap. Really dirt cheap. A 5L tub of mineral water costs SGD1.50. YAY. But because of all my rampages, i hardly ever touched mineral water.

Food wise its awesome, selectively.

Have you eaten something thats considered like an intestine kind of dish that has pig blood? in it. It was cold, tasted raw and bloody. I spat it out immediately. I was completely disgusted at it. I had to drown myself in rice to remove the taste. I was told it was very popular among the vietnamese. CRAZY ASS. 3 meat 1 veg for SGD1.50 =))).

Also tried the famous vietnamese sauce made up of 100% fermented anchovies. The anchovies are mixed with salt and put in a tub to ferment for a few months to form a clear brownish liquid. Honestly, it tasted just like vinegar. Don't know whats the hype about it.

Tried Pho aka beef horfun. IT ROCKS LIKE HELL! I've never tasted something so delicious before. It was inexpensive and it had a really great taste to it. Filled with tons of onions and beef with the sweetest natural tasting soup. Its no wonder its the most popular dish in Vietnam and the equivalent popularity of Singapore's efficiency. Approx SGD2. Coke was 50cents for 300ml=)

Its the original vietnamese dish thats cheap. Other food prices are comparable with Singapore's. Vietnam's food is really good.

I miss home alot. I knew im gonna miss home before im leaving. But last night i really missed home so much. Home is so much more comfortable. I was so adamant that i refused to call where im living now home. The girls do that, but i don't. You can only have one family, one home.

The weather has been increasingly warm. It isn't gradual at all. The day i arrived it was as cold at night as hell. The next day, it was still cold. But for the 3rd day, GOSH. It was warm already. Not singapore's warm, but still warm. Today is ULTIMATE warm. I really hope the next day will help us to cool off.

Life isn't cheap here. I did not even splurge or spend on anything other than necessities and im already $50 poorer. Real fast. Im gonna have to control myself if i want to survive without withdrawing more money.

And im called cute! HA!

So other than the food here, i've been looking forward to looking around. I was invited by the guys to go to Halong Bay for a day. I WANT TO! But it was a rush. We had to go and come back in a single day. I don't want to rush an enjoyment. Might go visiting around tmr instead with the staff, mostly females.

And i saw something i've always wanted to see. A 3/4 developed chick in an egg. HAHA! It was OMG AWESOME. Our staff in the apartment was cooking it and peeled the shell off infront of me. I could identify everything! From the head to the tail, the beak, eyes, nostrils, everything! I was offered a taste of it and OMG. It tastes just like egg yolk LOL.

Now whats left is the fried insects. i HAVE to try it. I don't care.

On a side note, i've already had my first fall in Hanoi. LOL. The kerbs here are different from the ones in Singapore. The kerbs here are slopy and meant for bikes to go up and mark along the pavements. So i was trying to board a taxi i just flagged and i lost my footing and fell down right on my butt. I thought it was quite funny and turns out everyone laughed with me. Even the taxi driver. haha. He was kind, he tried to help me up.

My brother also told me about the uses of sidewalks here. The sidewalks here so far from what i've seen, is for playing badminton, sitting down to have a meal, chit chatting by squatting and for stall owners to spit their tea around. Interesting culture...

Crossing the roads have also been fun. Not scary at all. Just walk normally and you will get past just fine. Its like water in a river, the water will just take another route to avoid the rock in it's path. me, being the rock and the bikes being the water.

Im counting down till the days i leave Hanoi. I want Singapore.

Im contactable at 01672314420 if you want. Charges is your tai ji. I dont know about your charges. HAHA.

CIAO