Happy In Hoi An

Whew!

I have finally left Hanoi. Don't believe TheLonely Planet...don't believe what yoursecond grade teacher told you...don't believe the hippy at the bus station. Belive The D-Man when he tells you...Hanoi starts out bad & then gets worse. Any time a city's main claims to fame are pollution & traffic my recommendation is to stay far away...

The motorcycle taxi guys are shiftier & more persistant that anyone else on the planet...Bangkok's Tuk Tuk drivers seem like MotherTheresa next to these guys...now I know why they won the war...shiftiness and persistence.

I will gladly share the tale of the nipple-cripple/ kung-fu fight I became involved in outside of the Army Museum with 6 moto taxi guys to anyone that it interested...but the tale is to disturbing for print and is worth at least one beer.

Since leaving Hanoi all has been looking up. Hue was beautiful, about a quarter of a million people, all of whom seemed friendly except the cyclo drivers that worked the night shift (a pattern is forming)

We arranged to havea group of locals take us on the back of their motor cycles for a full day trip around the country side...it took a little getting used to being on the back...but it did allow me to take some good photos and excellent video footage.

I have since arrived in wonderful Hoi An for 4 days. This might be the best of Vietnam has to offer. I rented a motor cycle and spent the whole day riding along the beaches and through the rice paddies. There was only one near miss as I cut off a policewoman on her motor cycle...but other wise pretty tame...nothing like Hanoi where all traffic lights are viewed as a recommendation only and the weak are killed and eaten.

The further south I go the friendlier the people are...though I suspect this may change in Saigon ...aka Ho Chi Min City...aka Ho' Ville...aka Ho Town.

I still haven't been able to use my frisbee...but the beaches of Cambodia & Thailand await. So I remain optimistic.