Matt was busy so Amy and I went and got our hair washed, blowdried and straightened for the massive price of $7.50 each. It is fun watching the different techniques amd seeing two guys holding hairdriers straight at my hair, watching in awe as it grew wider and wider as it dried. I guess it must be weird for them after the hair they are used to working with, but considering they did a great job and I left happy, with straight hair.
Over the road was a spa waiting to welcome us so we went for a foot massage. From the lovely clean and western style recpetion area in one of the tall skinny buildings we were led out a side door into a paved and grotty lane. Ugh! But then into the door of another part of the building where we were taken up a few flights of steps to a room with four massage tables, clean, and set up like a western style place.
We had to strip off and then given some knee length wide pants to wear. Maybe we were getting a full massage and not just the leg one. Well almost. A great leg massgae and a brilliant back massage that went all the way down my back. None of this namby pamby stuff we have at home where they stop at your waist. It was wonderful except that it was a cold room and we were cold. Oh well, it was still great and worth the $10 each that we paid.
Lunch followed at a street stall. Fried rice which was very very tasty and a huge plate cost $10 for both of us. Brilliant, hairdo, massage and lunch for $45 for two and all superb.
Not really having any plans and with 7 hours to kill before I need to be at my pick up point for Sapa, so I started walking. Right up the east side of the old quarter, criss crossing to cover every road and then down the west side. I have now seen every street and can officially say I am ready to move on from the Old Quarter. Next time I visit Hanoi it will be in another part of the city as the differences between the areas are huge. But everywhere it is vibrant, noisy and the people are so friendly, helpful and always smiling. I love it. Stil havent had a rickshaw ride but the novelty has worn off. I am ready to move on.
I go to the hotel, collect my bags and make my way to 6 on Sixteen, a boutique hotel and restaurant and my pick up point for the train. Cute wee place but I am the only retauatrant customer and can't be bothered looking elsewhere.
I order the Bun Cha, the Hanoi Specialty, which I have tried before but this sounds more like what I expected. Meal ordered I wait and hear the constant ping of the microwave. It does not bode well but I need to eat before getting on the train as there is no food available on board. My suspicions confirmed. It was a very lousy meal. BBQ pork that has been micrwaved is not good. The broth was tasty once I got through the layer of fat on the top and the rest of the meal was made up of overcooked noodles and strips of cucumber and carrot. Not my best choice. Still there is time...
I quickly scuttle down the road to grab something else and then right in front of me I spy Highlands. O thank you whoever put it there. Passionfruit mojito and fries sounds like just what I needed and was spot on.
My hip is giving me gyp. I suspect that my massage has tweaked something and I am thinking how I will survive the night sleeping on the train. I guess I will soon find out but something is telling me I shouldn't be going. Too late now all booked and paid for so I can't change my mind and I am sure all will be fine.... Watch this space
My ride arrives and I am on my way to the train station to catch the overnight train to Sapa. I am put in taxi with a guy following on the bike and soon arrive at the rather basic railway station. We push through to the front of the group waiting for the doors to open. They soon do and we walk across the tracks about 50 yards, cursing that I do not have the pack. Wheelie bags, uneven ground and train tracks do not go well together.
We find my cabin which I am sharing with three others; a thai woman, her daughter and the daughters Taiwanese friend. All off to Sapa with huge quantities of shoes, socks and jerseys for the people who are experiencing the coldest winter in 120 years and have recently had to contend with snow. And I was worried about taking my cabin sized bag on board. It takes a while for the to fit all their stuff in but eventually we are all sorted.
I settle into the upper bunk, quite comfortable, very clean but basic with a lovely pillow and duvet. I pop a pill, struggle to get comfy with my sore hip. During the night I notice that the train stops regularly but so dark outside I can not see a thing. Most of the time the train travells very smooth, you can barely tell that you are in a train and I suspect it is going very slow. The lousy photo was taken from my upper berth and has picked up someone walking past in the corridor, but the girls got some great ones of all of us squeezed around their bags of stuff for the kids.
Morning arrives quickly and I get up to see the scenery but it is quite boring. The trip wasnt anywhere near as bad as I had imagined and despite waking feeling groggy from the sleeping pill I felt as though I had slept reasonably well. A shower to start the day would have been good but sadly these trains dont stretch that far. There isnt even a lounge or food stall. Loos are there and very clean as well and at the end of each carriage was a wash basin which again was clean and great if you didn't mind the whole world watching you wash.
The train arrives in Lao Cai and we all pile out. No drama, no fuss. Someone is waiting with a sign with Helen Dodson written on it. I assumed that it was me and made my way to the train waiting area from where we were ushered to the bus waiting area. And the next story starts........
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