Hello from Hanoi

Hi Everybody,
It is now 9:00 p.m. on Monday, May 12th. We have had a full day here in Hanoi. You would not beleive this city. We arrived here yesterday at about 1:00 p.m. That would have been Mother's Day by the way. We stopped at our hotel, dropped off our luggage and then went on a quick walking tour. Honest to God I cannot explain to you what this traffic and this city is like. I was so completely overwhelmed by everything but am feeling a bit better today.

Two of us have been sick already. We have to be really careful here, there is cholera going around so we brush our teeth in bottled water, wash our faces in bottled water and drink bottled water only. When we eat out we get only well cooked food and no ice in our drinks.

We were out all day today in the heat so we are pooped tonight. Toured Hanoi in a bus with a travel guide. Saw Ho Chi Minh square http://beifanchina.com/hanoi/01hanoi-hochiminh.html and the Temple of Literature http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/vietnam/hanoi/templelit/templeoflit.html. Then on to the Hanoi Hilton. Don't worty I have pictures of all of this and will bore you all with them when I get home.

After the tour we had a 1/2 hour rest back here at the hotel and then it was off to supper, and a drink at the pub after. We have all checked in with home and now everyone but Jodi and I have gone up to bed. I have to finish this then check Vietnam Air to see how much luggage we can take to China. I may be buying another bag.

Because of the exchange rate I am carrying around about 4 million dong in my purse. To put that in perspective, a 20,000 dong note is worth about $14.00 Canadian. Sometimes it is a little tricky to figure out what something is really costing you but it is cheap we know that ! Ha Ha.

Bye for now everyone. Have to get to bed as we are doing another tour tomorrow and the guide is picking us up at 8:00 a.m.
Take care, miss you all. I am staying safe and well by the way.

Doris