Caught the bus up to Hanoi this morning. The bus station was about 7km from the centre of the city so I needed another motorbike lift to get me into town. Had a wander around the main sights today including a look at the outside of Ho Chi Minh`s tomb. Can`t go in and visit as the old boy gets sent to Russia each November for a bit of touching up. Saw the stilt house he used to live in though.

Booked a trip down to Halong Bay for next Monday, staying Monday night in a boat in the middle of the bay. Weather quite miserable up here, 18C and overcast. As long as the typhoons hold while I`m at sea.