By this stage I was becoming tired. However there were still many things to do. The torrential rain was interesting as it turned itself off and on like a tap, and hevean forbid if you were caught unprepared. Streets would become kneehigh rivers, flowing with all the muck picked up off the road. Restaurants would bulge with customers as locals and tourists alike would hide from downpour - staff would stand out the front like bouncers stopping more people from entering. I would walk around with a big grin on my face, no doubt confusing all the locals.
My first order of business was to do something touristy. I meandered to a local restaurant - the old Hanoi - and took a cooking lesson. For about $30 a local chef led me on a guided tour of the food markets with two lovely Canadians.
The waitress, the chef, the chef's son and myself. Can you believe the Chef is over forty and her son is fourteen!
Then we sat down to cook four dishes - Rice, prawns, fish, and spring rolls. It was great fun and we got to eat all we cooked (including a dessert). We had a mini cooking competition, which I lost. We were joined by the chef's 14 year old son, and we spent some time playing games.
I enjoy playing games that involve cleaver's
My next mission was to attend another wedding party the following night. I found the restaurant joined a table with fellow english speakers, feasted on the insane amount of food, and preceded to have the time of my life. Before long I was once again involved in drinking games, drowing myself in rice wine with Anna's other brother. Some of the party goers wanted to move on to Karaoke, but I had another idea. You see, I had overheard a little nugget of information for an opportunity that culd not be missed. With a few of the fellas we jumped into a cab and proceeded to the America Club. A measly $2.00 entry fee got us inside, a few more $$ got us some beer and then a whole bunch of us Australians kicked back to enjoy the rock n roll of Regurgitator, live in Vietnam. Whilst dancing I heard someone yell out my name. I turn around to see Sophie, the extremly hot English lady from Halong Bay (She's in Australia now, wish I had her email). Small world huh!
I have no photos of the concert, here is one of me cooking corn, peas and capsicum
The night only got better, if that possible. After the concert we decided to join the Karoake group and soon we were leaping out of cab on a dark street. The can sped off leaving us staring bewildered at the metal shutters on all the storefronts. It was 11:00pm and everything was closed. Where were our friends? Out of the shadows a local appears, asks what we're looking for, and then looking both directions to make sure no one was watching he lifts one of the shutters and lets us crawl under. Enter the Karoake.
Beer, singing, and good mates. Karaoke after hours
We found our friends on the top floor screaming their lungs out and here we stay for an hour before we're finally kicked out. Drunk but not finished we wanted more singing time. Someone knew of a place. A place near the trainstation. A place that was actually someone's home.
This entrepenaur hires out the top floor of his house for Karaoke after the other places were closed. You walk in, through his lounge room and kitchen, climb the stairs and enter a room decked out for a night of revelry.
This is the top floor of some dudes house. We were here for about 5 hours and it only cost us about $1.50 each.
Want a drink, well just wander downstairs, wake up the owner and he'll bring you your drinks, then go back to sleep. To top off this utterky amazing place, it is also known for having the best selection of Western songs in Hanoi. We sang long into the night and early into the morning. I returned home at 5:00am, just as the sun was rising, hoarse and somewhat blind.
My final days were spent firstly trying to spend my remaining dong, and then doing my best to ensure I could eat (I spent too much - budgeting is not my strong point). My last few meals consisted of street vendor chicken noodle soup and vegetarian fried rice. Before I knew I was on a plane cloud hopping back to Australia. It was end of an eventful trip, there were good times, there were great times, and there were fantastic times. I met many friends I would love to see again from all over the world. Hopefully I will find the time to return to Vietnam at some stage in my life.
Its good to be home
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