Get off the pot in Hanoi 😄

Arrived in Hanoi last night despite poor overall condition. As a German citizen, I get a 15-day visa-free stay, and since I'm flying to the Philippines at the end of the month, the 15 days are enough for me (for now)... Entry was possible without stress or bureaucracy👍 The airport ("Noi Bai") was also modern and clean.

Without planning how to get to the city center cheaply, I initially had to pay for a cappuccino to access WiFi and valuable information!👌 I then took the shuttle bus for €3 to the Old Quarter, where my accommodation was located. After getting off, I was completely overwhelmed. Too many people, too many motorcycles and cars on narrow streets. The sidewalks were either filled with parked scooters or occupied by people. Endless smog, motorcycles pushing through the crowds of people... It was really intense and much more intense than Istanbul or Bangkok. My mood wasn't exactly improved due to an impending bout of diarrhea (is that how you spell it?🤔). It was late at night and all I wanted was to shower and sleep. Eventually, I found my guesthouse (private room with shared bathroom for ~€12) and did just that!

Of course, I only had a few painkillers and charcoal tablets with me. I took charcoal tablets in Laos, and I got some electrolytes on the way. I went to a "pharmacy" again today and got some more stuff... I hope things will get better soon😒

I had to change my guesthouse today, I quickly found an even cheaper one. I didn't see much of Hanoi today, but at least I made arrangements to look at motorcycles and bought the first one (a 125cc scooter). I took it to the repair shop for an oil change and some minor repairs, so it should be ready for the first ride. However, I noticed that after the mechanic repaired the speedometer (which he wasn't supposed to do🙈), the light has a loose connection and only works when turning😬 So I have to go back to the shop tomorrow...

Initially, I was thinking of heading to Sa Pa (in the mountainous north) tomorrow. But now, due to Montezuma's Revenge, the issue with the scooter light, and the fact that it's Saturday and there will be a lot going on, I will stay another night in Hanoi and rethink my plans. Maybe I'll skip Sa Pa and head to Ha Long Bay, which is definitely a shorter distance🤔

Driving in Hanoi was definitely a challenge, and now I understand why Asians wear face masks... You end up inhaling a lot of smog. Despite that, it's still kind of fun, even though I've already seen three accidents today😀

Update:

I'm feeling better! Hallelujah!🙏💪🙌 I have finished my Asian tablets and I'm feeling better! Yesterday, I attempted several food trials, which were delicious but not digested for long, but today I'm back in business!👌 So, I've been trying out a lot of food and my view of Hanoi has become somewhat better! I could even stay here for a few more days!👍

Yesterday, I moved to a hotel about 1km from the Old Quarter. There's still a lot going on here, but it feels like there's one level less of noise, smog, and hustle on all fronts.

Because of this, I've fallen into a generous mood and booked another night at the hotel, and I won't move on until tomorrow. I pay ~€21 per night, but that includes breakfast, a "fitness room" on the 10th floor, and a scooter parking space right in front of the door. The room is clean, the service is great, so overall I think it's okay🤓

Yesterday, I walked around the neighborhood of the hotel and already felt like I was improving, so I finally tried Vietnamese coffee (I would say it's like mocha with sweetened condensed milk), Bia Hoi (self-brewed beer that you can get on every corner in the early evening), Banh Mi (sandwich - also available on every corner), and Bun Cha (a caramelized soup with noodles, herbs/salad, and meatballs - absolutely amazing!).

When I wanted to have a coffee in the evening, the waiter communicated with hand signals and with the help of a picture on the wall that they also have coffee that has been digested by cats (who knows what he really wanted to say🤔)... in any case, I naturally tried that too, and I have to say that it wasn't even that great for a price of €3.50!😄 It was okay, but a normal Vietnamese coffee would have been just fine...

Today, I just walked around the neighborhood and checked out the area towards the Old Quarter. My hotel is right next to the "Train Street," a small inhabited street/alley that has a train track running through it and trains pass through a few times a day. I was there shortly before 3pm and watched it (a train rolls through at 3:30pm) and it was exactly as I had read before. A street with a track and a few residents hanging around... the adults come and go, the children play on the tracks... but everyone is extremely friendly and in a good mood! Considering that a few foreigners probably come by every day to watch and take pictures, it was quite surprising. Just before 3:30pm, 2-3 other tourists gathered next to me, the locals waved excitedly and assigned us our "safe" spots, and then the train passed by at maybe 10-15 km/h. There really wasn't much space left on either side... after that, everything went back to normal in an instant😀

Then I continued and spent some money here and there to pimp my scooter (phone holder/small extra bag for driver's license, vehicle registration, and bribery/rain cover for the backpack), took some more photos, and I'm back at the hotel now to plan the next few days... that's about it. Good night!✌️