Hanoi trip (Day 1)

Han San, Elaine and I took the 4.55pm flight to Hanoi on the 15th July from LCCT via Air Asia. Our other friends, Jo Anne, Leng Sim and Pixie had arrived a day earlier in Hanoi. Our air fares were basically free as we booked the tickets when Air Asia released one million free air fares to the public earlier this year. The plane landed approximately 3 hours later in Noi Bai International Airport.

Weather was not great at all as it was very hot and humid the moment we stepped out of the plane. It is summer time now in Hanoi, so I can't do much about the weather except to bear with it. The airport itself..much smaller than our previous Subang International Airport. Ok, I am not going to elaborate more about it.

We waited for almost an hour at the baggage claim after clearing the Immigration. Oh mine..there were passengers from 3 flights waiting at the same conveyor belt. Now that explains why huh?

The driver for airport transfer was already waiting at the arrival hall with the placard. I can't recall what van we got into but along the way to the city, the roads were not very well litted with street lights. Approximately 30 minutes later, we were much nearer to approaching the city and that was when I realised that the traffic in Hanoi was chaotic with motorbikes everywhere!!

We reached the hotel about 10pm Hanoi local time. As we alighted from the van, we were greeted by the hotel operators. It took us some time to get things sorted out for the hotel rooms as well as the day trips itinerary. Not only that we arrived late because of the delay in the luggages, but we had not even had our dinner. Sorry to say but I think the person who was attending us at that point of time seemed be confused with all the informations we had provided weeks earlier before our arrival. I just don't get it. We had laid all plans nicely, even printed for him and all he has to do was just to stick to it.

Anyway, after placing the luggages in our own rooms, Leng Sim, Han San, Elaine and I scouted for food around the area. It was close to 11pm..and most shops were already closed. We ended up in a local shop subsequently. Not knowing the local language at all, we simply called our food from the menu that was on the wall.

Here's what our food look like. We ordered Choa Lun (actually it's eel congee) and I can't recall the other one. It tasted like shark fin soup minus the shark fin of course. Very starchy..but they all tasted YUMMY!! Probably because we were hungry =).

Day 2 to continue..Hoa Lu and Tam Coc