Hitchhiking in Vietnam: Hanoi
9th to 12th of September, 2024.
The family drops us off in the beginning of the city, which is not so far from the centre. If I was alone, I would either trying to hitchhike while walking, or just keep walking. But we decide that the best is to take a grab. Divided among the four of us it will not be expensive. When we are outside our hostel, and Kuba is telling the guys how much was for the grab, he says: “It is 75 per couple” – to what Mika replies: “Ah, so you are a couple now?”. He was of course just joking, but I had to say something denying it, obviously, being as stupid as I am. And I don’t even think Kuba meant anything by saying that, he was just trying to be precise with the maths, while economic and direct with the words.
We say goodbye to the kids and get to our hostel, The Drift. Funny how things work… During the whole extension of my travels, everywhere I go, all the time, I always encounter couples. It seems like almost all the people on the planet only travel as a couple. Rarely people travel alone, and then there are the groups. And it always annoyed me. I mean, why can’t people be more independent and self-sustainable emotionally? Anyway, as Kuba and I walk into the hostel and start the process of check-in, another couple walks in, and it’s when I realize that for other people we would also look like a couple. Damn it!
I like the hostel. It is easy and simple. The rooms are clean and the size is great. Bathrooms are significantly huge for a hostel’s dorm, and every morning some really nice cleaning ladies come over to tidy up everything. The breakfast is the best part. It is an awesome buffet with fresh fruits and vegetables, sliced bread and baguettes, ready meals like fried rice and something else, scrambled eggs and sausages, and lots of fresh coffee and tea. It’s amazing! Even without muesli and yogurt, I loved it! And for the price you pay for night, it’s really a bargain! You can get a bed in the eighteen beds dorm for 4,5 USD, and in the eight beds dorm for a bit over 5 USD.
After showering and changing, Kuba and I go for dinner. He introduces me to this really amazing vegan restaurant, with extraordinary cheap and delicious food. I would be eating there for the next few nights I am staying in Hanoi. It’s a very small restaurant, and because they moved here recently, from another location, they are still not on Google Maps, but I will share the location below, as well for a photo of its facade, so you can check it out once in Hanoi. I really, really recommend it.
Kuba wants me to try a lemon kind of tea, so we get that somewhere and then walk to Hoan Kiem Lake. Tomorrow is the 70th independence anniversary of Vietnam, so things are being done all around. And the people, wow, lots of people everywhere. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out at night, and in a big city, so I’m still trying to enjoy. But it’s nice walking around with Kuba. It’s new and different walking around holding hands. And it’s nice.
It’s getting late and we are both super tired, so we head back to the hostel. I take the bottom bed, and we lay there for a while, talking, but we both are about to fall asleep pretty soon when he says he must go up to his bed, as the policy of the hostel requires. But I ask him to stay down with me, and he does.
Next morning, during the amazing breakfast, Kuba breaks out the news that he must leave around 10 a.m., because to get to his next Workaway host he must take two ferries, and the last one departs in the afternoon, so he cannot miss it. We go out for some eggcoffee, in a very traditional coffee shop, and he makes me try it. It’s not as bad as I thought, but it’s not something I would order ever. Coffee and egg just simply shouldn’t go together.
We were also supposed to have some chocolate cake together but there’s no time.
We don’t say too many words during our goodbye. I am still very bad at goodbyes anyway. It’s sad though, and so sudden. I really wish we could spend some more time together. Well, I guess I always wish for too much anyway…
That same afternoon I go for glasses and second hand backpack. I first look into a place where they have second hand things. It’s a bit less than one hour walking, and I’m not even sure if it’s a real place or just some of those street markets where people sell new things but really cheap. On my way there, I ask the lady from the reception where did she get her glasses. I need a good recommendation. The place she goes is on the way to the second hand market. What are the odds? I still need to check with them, in the clinic, if they can figure out my prescription just by checking my current glasses, as my original prescription was in the backpack which was stolen.
They do! Yay! I have a hard time choosing a frame but it’s done. And it will be ready in less than an hour! In Brazil we had to wait a few days for it. The same in the UK. At the “second hand market thing”, I was partially right. It is a huge street market where most people sell new things very cheap, but as they are all “fake”, they are also really shitty, and last nothing. I keep walking around and looking for a second hand stand, trying not to get lost in the maze of stands. I manage to find a place where a big pile of bags are being looked over by some women. I get in and do the same and in a few minutes I find what seems to be a suitable backpack. It is basically a small version of The Hulk. I know! Instead of the olive green being predominant, it’s a shade of light brown, slightly orange which takes over it. But the frame is pretty much the same. So I get The Hulk a little sister, and name her Candy. She has a kind of toffee candy colour, you know? But as toffee is a weird name… I bargain for the price and I win!
On my way back, something really unexpected happens. Before leaving the hostel, I was planning to have some chocolate cake. So I looked online for some bakery which could have some proper, actual chocolate cake, as in Asia they all tend to be chiffon cake with that buttery cream for icing, which sucks! I read about one or two bakeries, but at some point I told myself that I was spoiling myself by doing that, while I should be saving my coins since I was stolen. So I don’t get the address for any bakery. What was my surprise when I am about to cross a street and when I look sideways I see one of those bakeries. I take as a sign from the universe and go check. They have a lot of things which seem delicious, and I am even tempted to get something else, but I resist myself and get only one small chocolate cake, which seems to be all that I am looking for.
When I am going to have dinner at the vegan restaurant, who do I spot right in front of me? Niki and Mika! No way! I know we are in the centre and all, but it’s such huge place, with thousands of people. I cannot believe we met again! I call them out by the way we used to call each other at Ben’s place: “Oe, Gashti!” (I don’t know how to write though, it sounds like that) – and they are equally surprised. The place where they wanted to eat had a huge queue, so I invite them to come over with me to the vegan restaurant. We all have the same dish, which is delicious, and I take a photo to show Kuba.
They have to walk back to where the scooter they rented is parked, so we decide to take a walk around and check it out what is going on during this 70th independence anniversary. Nothing! What ever was to happen it definitely happened during the afternoon. There’s still lots of people on the streets, but just managing their business. We pass in front of a tiny bakery, with lots of cake and dessert slices on showing, and feel very tempted to have some. I personally wanted the tiramissu, as we were talking so much about it also back in Ben’s place. But I still have my chocolate cake, back at the hostel, waiting for me, so I am thinking twice. As it reading my mind, Mika says: “If not now, then when?” And I like that sentence so much that I decide to go for it. We all eat right on spot. And another photo to show Kuba.
I actually enjoy a lot our night together. In somehow, it feels very different than back at our little paradise. I feel as we are more connected, even Mika and I chat a lot more here than there. I don’t know why but I know I am very happy that we met again so we could experience this different connection.
Next morning I have a late breakfast so I can skip lunch. Soon after, I only go for a short sightseeing at the train street and around the Old Quarters, for its traditional balconies. They are gorgeous! And then I chill for the rest of the day.
In the evening, I decide to go and check it out what is the beer street about it. I only want to take a photo of the chaos. It is not as bad as I thought, as the harassment of the bar workers, trying to get costumers as they pass by, is not so terrible. And they are all polite. But I simply cannot get how this people can enjoy themselves in such crowded and noisy place. And by that I mean all the tourists siting in the tables settled outside the bars, drinking and eating. It’s so chaotic that the few minutes it takes me to walk across and back, are almost driving me crazy.
An enjoyable surprise is a local band playing in one of the streets, a live performance which attracts quite some people. The vocal lady is great, although her repertoire is not that great. I wish she could sing more songs in English. The band is made out of very young Vietnamese guys. Here is a place where I wouldn’t mind to sit in a restaurant around to eat and drink something, while enjoying the music. And it’s only some hundred metres from the beer street.
Ah! The chocolate cake was delicious, by the way! And quite big so I couldn’t finish last night but I finish on my last night in the city.
10 Years Around the World 