Hi Mom, I Made it Here Okay

It wasn't until my roommate Carmen and I started walking around the tiny streets near our hotel that I really started to feel like I'm in a foreign place. Hanoi is unbelievable. The sidewalks are so crowded with merchandise and motorcycles for rent that half the time you have to walk in the street. The streets are full of two and three people piled helmetless on motorcycles, honking their horns to let you know they are coming through. Cars and buses are rare. The honking, ringing of bells, shouting, hawking, etc. never ends. Women in traditional garb carrying baskets of fruit over their shoulder are endearing until they extort you for money just for taking a picture. People are everywhere. When you want to cross the street, you just walk and let the motorcycles go around you. Vehicular-related injury is imminent. I'm happy I made it this long.

It's also not as hot as I would expect. It's pretty humid today, but I don't think it's hotter than 75 right now.

Getting here was taxing. I feel like I was born and lived a lifetime in my airplane seat. Still, Singapore Airlines was great - everyone is exceedingly polite, the food is actually good (and copious), they have tons of on-demand movies and music, etc. That helped make up for the 22+ hours I spent in the air. On the car ride from the airport, we saw a man on a motorcycle with a cage of pigs strapped to the back. Now I know what a pig frightened for his life looks like.

We're meeting with our group tonight at 7PM in the hotel. The hotel is okay - but there's no real shower. It's just a spout on the wall next to the toilet and sink, so basically, you just make a mess. We're supposed to all go out to dinner after we meet, but I'm starving already...