Middle-aged flash packers

Our gym plans were thwarted today as another couple were already in there. It’s a British thing I know, but it would have been too awkward squeezing round them, apologising, waiting politely for equipment etc.

We decided instead to walk to the Uniqlo store down near the lake. 

Observation number 1 of the day – Saturday is a much more pleasant day to walk around Hanoi. Locals are out and about socialising with each other and are not crazily zooming around the streets. In fact, the road around the lake was shut to traffic! It felt vaguely disturbing, as if something terrible had happened but everyone seemed happy enough, strolling around and taking the usual insta photos.

Uniqlo had their finger on the pulse and were stuffed full of stylish padded jackets and jumpers. Sadly nothing for us although I did think about purchasing some woolly joggers that seem all the rage. 

Time to move on. On leaving our hotel, we were asked to complete a survey about our stay. Everything was excellent although we did think it was a little expensive by Vietnamese standards so marked down value. The young lady on the desk was very forthright and gave great reasons as to why it was more expensive, hence we changed our rating to excellent. Observation number 2. The young people we have come across are really sparky. Lots of personality and ingenuity. I just hope they are enough opportunities for them to do well.

We booked a car to take us to Ninh Binh. We are interested to see the Tam Coc/Trang An area. They are UNESCO heritage sites and are supposed to be very beautiful.

Our journey to NB was anything but beautiful. Concrete all the way, interspersed by muddy fields and small lakes full of rubbish. People living by the side of the road with little restaurants, their seating covered in grey dust from the traffic rumbling by.

We turned off the highway and reached our hotel surprisingly quickly. The hotel is very nice, a tiny oasis surrounded by mud, poverty, and a filthy river. More about that later.

Yet again, young people seemed to be in charge, probably because their English is really good. They were charming and knowledgeable, I’m so impressed with them.

Once settled into our room, we headed out for a walk to see how we would fare using bicycles to get around.

At this point I’d say it’s not a goer. I do not fancy wobbling about on a main highway and neither do I fancy doing battle with guard dogs or cows roaming about on the minor roads. There might be an easier route to get to our destinations but for now it’s a taxi for me.

Our walk was a bit depressing. I know the cold and cloudy weather doesn’t help, but seeing people struggling in the mud to plant their rice, the kids playing in a tiny bit of sand outside their very humble home, it’s hard not to feel life in Vietnam is pretty crap for many people. A walk further along the path did nothing to convince me otherwise. Rats abound and on the other side of the river, people’s every day rubbish (and probably poo) goes straight into it. Tin shacks hang over the edge of the water. Two people fished from a boat that could barely float. Sad.

Tomorrow we are going to Cuc Phuong national park to see what goes on up in the jungle.