6.2.2018 - Flight to Hanoi

The flight from Frankfurt was quite relaxed. It departed from Terminal 2, where everything is chilled and not as chaotic as Terminal There are a few customs officers there, dressed casually, and they mainly approach Vietnamese women, asking if they have money with them and searching through their carry-on luggage. I don't know the background. It was pleasant on the plane, with everyone being calm and the catering being good. There were occasional servings of juice and water.

With the time difference, we arrive in Hanoi at 6:30 am. The subsequent passport control is quick and smooth, but we have to wait forever for the luggage. I am picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel directly in the "Old Quarter" in the center. The many motorcyclists who weave their way past the car on the right and left are impressive, and you have to be careful as hell. It takes about 1 hour to cover the 35 km distance. I can already check into my room at the "May de Ville" hotel, even though it's early in the morning. It would have been a nightmare if I had to wait in the hotel lobby, tired with no room ready. I go straight to bed. In the afternoon, I go to the center, which is just a stone's throw away, and look for an ATM where I can withdraw several million dongs without paying too much in fees. 28099 dong = 1 euro. It's easy to become a millionaire. In the end, I don't succeed in either. There are not that many millions available at once, and there are some fees, but they are manageable. After successfully and accident-free crossing the streets multiple times (the pedestrian crossings are only symbolic), and circling the small Hoàn Kiém Lake, I also look for something to eat. Then I go back to the hotel because Hanoi itself and the gray weather, both together, have only a little attraction.

Tomorrow we will go to Halong Bay, which will surely be an improvement (not difficult), but I probably won't be able to upload a report there because there is probably no Wi-Fi on the boat.