Hanoi

I arrived in Hanoi just after midnight, following a delayed flight from Ho Chi Minh City. I checked into my hostel, tired and a bit disoriented, and went straight to bed. I had two nights in the city - not long, but enough for a glimpse of northern Vietnam’s capital.

It felt like a bit of a shift, being back on my own and back in shared dorms after travelling with someone and staying in nicer accommodation. However, I was also looking forward to exploring a new place at my own pace.

The next day I wandered through the city while listening to music, stopping in shops, and drinking coffee while figuring out some future volunteering plans. Hanoi has a different energy to the south - more hectic and quite overstimulating. Narrow streets, motorbikes everywhere, and the constant hum of activity.

One of the more surprising moments was running into Chantal, someone I’d met weeks ago in Laos. Completely unplanned but such a nice moment - it really reminds you how small the world can feel sometimes.

Later, I made my way to Train Street and watched the train pass through the narrow lane, just metres from where people were sitting with their coffees. A bit surreal to watch in person, but worth seeing.

I also visited Hoa Lo Prison, known historically as the “Hanoi Hilton.” Originally built by the French during colonial rule to detain Vietnamese political prisoners, it was later used during the Vietnam War to hold American POWs. The museum gives a detailed look at both periods, and while confronting at times, it’s an important part of understanding the city’s history.

Dinner was a bowl of pho from a Michelin-recommended restaurant - delicious and comforting.

That evening, I grabbed the last available seat at a traditional water puppet show - a form of theatre that dates back to 11th century northern Vietnam, originally performed in flooded rice paddies. It was a unique experience, unlike anything I’d seen before.

Afterwards, I headed back to the hostel for an early night, ready to move on again the next day xoxo