Day 11 - Hanoi

We head off this morning after a light breakfast, full of spirit for our first full day in the far east. We were not disappointed!... although it took a couple of hours for Immy to relax with the chaotic roads, as the video I took this morning at 7:30am does not do justice to the full extent of the madness that is the Hanoi road systems... we later learnt that the best way to get round is in the rikshaws. We explored the temple on the lake, the street markets and all was good, until one of my designer flip-flops decided to break, the leather bit between the toes snapped!!... leaving me walking about like a lame ostrich!.. very cool!

What was cool was three corners later, two young Vietnamese chaps came runner after me, with all the cobbler tools necessary to fix the flip flop. not only did they fix them but they resoled them, polished them and buffed the suede! - awesome job done, and there lie my first mistake, and lesson learnt in Vietnam!!:: - - no matter how impressed and taken back by the enterprise, skill, cunning and wit of the Vietnamese people... always discuss price before the work is done!!!

Whilst the work was being done on the flip flops, we became prey to all street merchants, and along with a newly buffed pair of flip flops, we could have walked away with all and sundry (and an empty wallet).. but managed to contain this to a dozen bananas and a pineapple, but the picture is priceless!... oh and the flip flop repair only cost about half the cost of a new pair after some difficult post sale negotiations.

We sipped beer at various points, watched the water puppets and generally took in the full flavour of this crazy city.. a bit of down time now before we take in some dinner.