I Love The Madness

Shopping, shopping, shopping. Shoe Street and Shirt Street and Shorts Street, a street for every thing and everything in its street. They tell me that times are tough in Hanoi, but none of the shop keepers want to haggle or discount. They will a little, but not much, hardly at all. I was surprised. "No, that is the price." You'd think if the times were tough it would be the opposite.

Sam thinks there is something wrong with me. "Where is your shopping spirit?" I'm not much into buying stuff when I am away. I've done all that, I have a house full of shit that I don't need now. Besides, it is only the first day, I told him, there is plenty of time for that.

I still find crossing the road a slightly terrifying prospect. Those avenues of mayhem and madness, one is supposed to launch oneself out into them with faith. "They'll go around you, don't worry." Don't worry? And they do go around you. It get's easier, it does, once you have done it a few times.

We ate in a couple of dodgy restaurants  Sam doesn't want to eat western food. "No! We need to eat the local food, or there is no point being here." And it's cool that he wants to, as I wouldn't. I can be too timid a traveller, to start with. If I've been away for a month and not a day, then I'm more bold. You just get to a stage where you don't give a shit, but that takes time.

It's hot and I am drenched in sweat and my shirt is stuck to me and I look a bit like I am dying, but who cares. I love the heat if I don't have to go to work.