Back in Nam....

Hello all,

I write this post to you sitting in the backpackers hostel in Hanoi. It wasnt that long go that I started my trip into vietnam. I spent my first night in Saigon in agony due to what I boil down to be food poisoning from a deep fried banana street vendor. I was actually quite worried because it was the first time I've been sick abroad and my international health insurance ran out a few days ago. Regardless of this I got to see a bit of saigon while I was there. I made friends with a few english guys who were on the same bus as me. It ended up being great because they had met a vietnamese friend a few weeks ago in sinok ville cambodia, so she showed us around the city and even invited us all to her house for a home cooked vietnamese meal. When I went to see if I could book some train tickets to hanoi the person at the front desk told me that flights were actually cheaper! So I saved 12 dollars and about 30 hours of travel time. I caught the 20:35 flight into Hanoi. I was still feeling pretty badly when I arrived so I went right to sleep. Like all of the other south east asian cities Saigon and Hanoi are a serious assault on all the senses particularly smell and sound. You cant walk anywhere without the buzz of about 50 motor bikes wizzing by. And as you walk down the street you cant help but take in all of the not neccisarily bad, but bizzare smells comming at you from all angles. As far as taste there is one word that comes to mind pho (pronounced fa) wich is probably one of the most characteristic elements to vietnamese cuisine. It's a noodle soop with all kind of wonderful spices and leafy vegies and can be ordered with your choice of meat. Im glad to say that after taking some prescription medicine I took with me from the states I am feeling much better. I was able to meet up with a few friends from school up here and it was great to see some familar faces but unfortuantley they are leaving today after we visit the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Luckily for me I'm off to why i most wanted to visit Vietnam in the first place, Halong Bay....