I find it quite interesting how I started the Indonesia leg of my trip being thought of as Japanese and being shouted "Konichuwa" at, and by the end of it, this security guard at the airport was speaking to me in Pasar (Indonesia's language) in which I responded with a confused "What?" and he asked, "Aren't you Indonesian?' and I shook my head. Perhaps that tells gives you a snippet of just how dark I got during the past week!

However, now in Hanoi, I asked my friend how people can tell I'm not a local and she responded with, "You're too pale".

What?!? It just comes to show how much one can depict by your skin colour and respectively, the standard of beauty judging by your complexion.

Anyways, onto Hanoi. Hanoi is very different from any other city I've been to so far. It's much cooler than it's usual climate right now which is a bonus pleasure for me transitioning from the bright rays and intense heat of Bali. The city is not as developed as I thought it be (I hear South Vietnam is more advanced), but the buildings, transport system and conditions overall are better than that of its neighboring country Cambodia, specifically in Siem Reap where I was. Though compared to the overall environment of Siem Reap's touristy and livelier areas, Hanoi is very dusty here on the streets and the air is filled with a gloomy mist of gray wherever you go. Perhaps pollution or a lack of city cleanup or maybe both? I miss the sight of vibrant greens, tropical trees and plants, as well as bright colours commonly sighted all across Bali already.

One of the many themed coffee shops, this one military inspred
Today my friend and I headed to the Hanoi's Old Quarter, the central/touristy/"downtown" of the city. We wandered around a bit shopping around for a decent tour (unlike my quick-one-pick Indonesian experience) for my plan to go to Sapa and Halong Bay. There are tons of travel agencies in this area so asking questions, comparing pamphlets and offers is necessary. We went to a few before I spontaneously sighted and settled on Classy Travel. It was a promotional board in the front of the store that caught my eye and initially I thought it was probably there just to lure me in, but their customer service, packages, and detailed oriented information sold the it to me. It was more than I had plan to pay ($300 US in total  for 3N/2D to Sapa ($135) and 2N/3D Halong Bay ($165) after), but learning from experience, I don't want to opt for the cheapest only to endure through terrible grief again. So more on this in my future posts.

Along the way, I've met many travelers who told me Vietnam was their favorite country and one of such reasons is because of the food. Food, glorious food, how can you say no to $1.5 Pho bowls, $2 noodle dishes, and $0.5 dessert cups? It may not come from the nicest store fronts (and might I even add quite dirty/hole in the wall/rundown places), but they do offer the best eats (and cheapest next to Malaysia)! I went to a dessert place today that my friend brought me to which has been family run since 1893! That's remarkable and tells of just how good what they offer is if it's been in existence for so long.

One thing I didn't expect to be so money-hungry was shopping! If you know me you know how much I can't say no to shopping overseas (as I never know when I will return). I realized clothes sold in some boutiques on the streets actually have legit labels from Zara, Forever 21, Mango and the like as much of these clothes are manufactured in Vietnam. I questioned the authenticity of it obviously as Asia is known for knock offs, but then I realize they are one-off samples that may have been produced slightly wrong, inaccurately sewn to design, or perhaps missing a stitch/losing some thread, hence flawed products that local business owners get their hands on to sell to the local/tourist market as they can't be sold from the original company.Well I definitely didn't mind because I scored branded items at such a great discount-it felt like vintage shopping as I scoured for one of a kind gems! Shopping is the only thing that really kills my budget plans... by a lot!
amazing handicraft sold at Old Quarter
What else, I think I've become quite stomach tough by now eating food from street stalls and all, but I think Hanoi tops it off as the worst for food safety and sanitary measures in terms of food being sold and prepared on the street. I couldn't believe meat cuts are just laid out on a giant cutting board for customers to touch and select at-no display case, no screen, no temperature regulator; ingredients are pre-chopped in bowls and just waiting to be cooked upon order in the warm outdoors (bacteria alert!). If this was in Canada, nothing would be allowed to be opened. You really take for granted so many standards, rules, policies and regulations back home when travelling SEA, but at the same time, you realize that to the locals, it's not that they don't care, but they just don't have the means or resources to have these measures. Also, it just comes to show that a little street food won't hurt anybody as I know it can cause some over-paranoia.
Interesting how bread is packaged so well
but meat on the other hand...
I've also been learning to take it easy and slow it down as a traveler. When I started in KUL, I made sure to do, eat, see everything on my list and pack in as much as I can in the time that I had. Having learned from experience, I am taking things at a slower pace and embracing every experience big or small rather then to rush it and move on to the next.

Here's to Hanoi and the rest of my itinerary-planned or not!