First full day in Hanoi.

Tried to sleep in a bit today after such a long day yesterday, but it didn't really work. I'll sleep when I get home! Anke and Bob were up with the birds and walked down to the lake for an early coffee and watched the locals doing Tai Chi and playing badminton. Sounded so nice we have all decided to do it tomorrow. Brenda managed to buy a few bits and pieces to keep her going till her bag turns up (hopefully).

Ticket office for the water puppets didn't open till 1.15pm, so glad we didn't rush over there as early as we'd been told we had to. Got our tickets for the 5pm show, 1st class, 100,000VND pp.

Found a nice looking place to eat lunch, in Hang Be St called Lucky Restaurant, opposite Aubergine Restaurant. We'll be lucky if we're not sick later, the chicken was a bit pink around the bone, but it was lovely, and cheap! Had a feeling the weather was changing because the lady across the street kept looking up at the sky and within 5 minutes it was pouring. Very interesting to watch the plastic ponchos come out, even ones with a clear section over the handlebars of the motorbike so they can keep an eye on the speedo.

Our perch for lunch

The rain lasted a good half hour, just long enough for a leisurely lunch. It was getting late and we decided we had to fit something else in before the water puppets. History Museum was the plan but as we walked there we realised we wouldn't have time before the show so headed back, seriously browsing the shops along the way. We just had time for a coffee and we chose a place called the Whole Earth Restaurant. Carolyn and I headed towards it and as we were about 2 steps away from the far kerb a motor bike cut in between us and the kerb, just missing me but bumping Carolyn!! I still don't understand why the bloody idiot didn't go behind us! She was so lucky it was very low speed and wasn't knocked over, but it was the Coaster bus coming the other way that scared me. Carolyn spun around and could have ended up in any direction, but she was able to save herself, she's lucky she's fit. We were all stunned and realised how much worse it could have been. The guy on the motorbike asked was she ok and apologised, then took off. The people in the Whole Earth saw it all happen and also came over to make sure she was ok. Her arm was very sore after the water puppets, and I think she'll be a lot more sore generally tomorrow.

The water puppet show was very good, better than the one Trevor and I saw in Saigon a few years ago. The weather was holding so we headed off for a lap of the lake. Always so much going on here! Getting late by now and a little dark, so headed back to base to make plans for dinner. Bob and Anke decided they weren't hungry, so stayed in, not sure what Brenda and Carolyn did, and Trevor and I found the Gecko Restaurant just across the street from our hotel, so headed upstairs for some spring rolls and beer. So many stairs!! Up and up and up. Had the camera and tripod with us, so went back to the lake for some night shots, ended up doing another lap of the lake before heading 'home' to call it a night.

Lovely Hoan Kiem lake by night

Another day of drama. Hopefully tomorrow will be uneventful.