Bryson and I really liked the vibes of Hanoi. On our first day we wandered through the old quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake, where the streets were closed off so families could hang out and kids could run wild. A bunch of children came up to us to practice their English, which we were happy to do. In the evening locals did Zumba classes, played badminton and danced on the pavements. It seemed like the whole city had come together to celebrate and socialise. That day was also the first time we tried Vietnamese pancakes, a dish that quickly became Bryson’s favourite. During our two weeks in Hanoi we continuously came back to the old town and lake, going on long walks, visiting shops and eating delicious food. We also visited Hanoi’s famous Train Street (we were eating bun cha when a train roared past just microns away from us) and the Temple of literature (where students pray for good grades). One evening we watched a traditional puppet show. I really enjoyed watching the puppets dance through water, but Bryson fell asleep within minutes. We also celebrated my birthday in Hanoi. Bryson took me to an incredible rooftop bar overlooking the whole city. It was literally the same view you see on google images when you search for Hanoi. Aside from exploring the city we spent a lot of time in our local mall (lotte west lake) and playing Skyrim (our new favourite game). If anything was truly terrifying in Hanoi, it was the roads. Traffic lights were completely ignored and crossing the road involved walking out into the swarm of traffic and hoping they would swerve past you. Being a taxi passenger was not much better as our drivers zigzagged all over the place. Thankfully our Airbnb provided some calm among the chaos. We had an amazing view of the city, which somehow even extended into the bathroom with no walls. Overall, we had a blast in Hanoi and definitely would go back.

Brysons Haiku

Bustling streets and fun. 

The breeze and time flew by us. 

Hanoi was a treat.