OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!: Vietnam

Hi Everyone,

Sorry again that I've been so horrible about keeping this updated! I've been travelling a good amount lately (mostly for work) but I seem to be in Singapore for the next few weeks until heading to Australia at the end of July and then after that it's my vacation home!!!

But on my travels, I went up to Vietnam for a long weekend (thanks Singapore for having a public holiday on a Friday). My friend and I flew in to Hanoi and stayed there for a night before travelling 3 hours out to Ha Long Bay for a 2 day/1 night Junk Boat cruise and then back to Hanoi for the last night. I'll break out the blog posts based on city, but here are a few random pictures that I thought were great...especially the first few.

Mopeds are EVERYWHERE in Vietnam and there are absolutely zero traffic laws either. I tried to find an intersection to video but the blog isn't letting me upload it. Therefore a picture will have to do. I don't know how there aren't a bazillion accidents a day with the Vietnamese driving like this, but I guess they've got the system worked out and they know what to do! Trying to cross the street amongst this was interesting - basically you step off the curb, walk in a straight line at a constant pace (don't slow down or stop) and the mopeds can judge where you'll be so they can go around you. It's pretty crazy, but I made it back alive!

On our ride out to Ha Long Bay, we came across this moped. * This could also be the best picture of my trip - sorry I can't rotate it the right way up *

We thought to ourselves...what the heck is that??? Turns out its a man, his wife and their dinner - of a water buffalo - all on a moped going home. Only in Asia...

Here are a few others from the 'markets' in Hanoi. Many of the Vietnamese ladies will sell goods off of their bicycles. They usually only have one or two things to offer at a time - herbs, mangosteens, flowers, etc.