WOW! Tour™ 7
Good Morning Vietnam!
by Alvan Toh

Day 1
Stepping out of Hanoi Noibai Airport after a 2 1/2 hour, we didn't have to wait long before we were being lead to an MPV that managed to squeeze all of us in. It was relatively quiet at the airport and nothing prepared us for what we were about to encounter once we hit the highway. The immediate thing was the driving. Vietnamese never stop beeping their horns, not in aggression but to warn others. It was ok at first, but when motorcycles, cars, big lorries and loads of vans all do it at the same time, it starts to get on my nerves a little. It's hard to identify any traffic rules whatsoever. Nevertheless, it adds to the list of unique Vietnamese cultures. We arrived at our cosy little "home", Thu Giang guesthouse, after an exciting and colourful 1 hour ride from the airport. Looking around I realised the streets of Hanoi were actually cleaner than what I had expected. At the same time, I was amazed by the ways the local people transport long wooden planks, livestock, baskets and even furnaces on tiny scooters and still be able to avoid causing any accidents. They are masters of saving petrol and space as one scooter could bring a family of four on a day trip to the market. First day in Hanoi was spent exploring the streets, taking tons of photographs and taking in how the Vietnamese people go about living their everyday lives. Of course not forgetting trying out the famous beef ph? (pronounced as "fah" by english speakers) and chicken ph?. We made a brief stop at the Hoan Kiem Lake and the rest of the night was spent exploring the Dong Xuan Night Market and gulping down mugs of local beer that cost 30 cents each!

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