Hanoi Day 1

I wasn't really looking forward to this trip.  Firstly I'd planned the trip too short, 4d3n but in reality only about 3 days.  The flight to Hanoi at 6am - the only flight for the day - meant waking up in the middle of the night. I was nursing a stuffy nose and cough, hubby was having toothache and Jo Ern still had a runny nose.  But tickets and hotel had been paid for so wasn't going to waste those!  In total it was RM1055 for airtickets and RM245 for 3 nights hotel.

Now having survived the trip, overall it was quite good. :) 

Okee... arrived at Hanoi airport after a 3-hour flight. Then it was a 1-hour wait for Jo Ern's stroller on the baggage carousel! We had almost given it up for lost since we didn't get it tagged at KL. Jo Ern entertained herself by climbing all over the luggage trolleys.

Climbing on trolleys is fun!

Hotel was Thaison Grand located in the Old Quarter. The room was really good, especially at that price!  There were two queen-sized beds and a fancy shower. Well except that hubby decided to forgo one night at the hotel and plonked down USD260 (the most expensive option!) for the 2d1n cruise to Halong Bay instead. *smacks head* Anyway ok la, we're probably not coming back so might as well enjoy.  We did get back USD21 rebate for that night so loss is only about RM20.

I claim this bed for tonight. Mummy can sleep with me

The Old Quarter was full of character and noise - shops, hotels, food vendors everywhere.  One interesting thing was that type of shops were arranged by streets!  There was a street for buttons and zips, one for toys, one for silver cookware, a few for shoes etc.  Unfortunately the street nearest our hotel housed shops selling funeral memorial plaques hehe. Another thing was, you had to be on the right street to buy things - I never did find the dresses for Jo Ern that were on my shopping list. 
 

Greetings from the button street in Hanoi

The streets were narrow and we couldn't use Jo Ern's stroller.  In fact, we couldn't even walk in a straight line ourselves - had to curve around street vendors, parked motorcycles, motorcycles turning onto the sidewalk to park, motorcycles backing OUT of the sidewalk to the street.  Hubby carried Jo Ern most of the time. Partly because of that, we hardly shopped - hubby wasn't in the mood to dally much while lugging almost 10kg around! Ermm more so when the aforementioned 10kg kept going K.O. on us:
 

But I am soooo tired.... zzzzzzz

Heh, the challenges of travelling with a 1.5 year-old!  The places we've been before with her - Genting, Singapore, Phuket - didn't offer much to see.  I did want to explore Hanoi and waited impatiently while Jo Ern napped for hours!  Eventually woke her up so we could continue exploring.  Shared a bowl of sticky rice with various condiments - lapcheong, squid floss, poached chicken slices, chicken sausage, mince - which came with a bowl of pickled cucumber.  It was good but hubby's temporary tooth crowns came off with the rice.  Luckily someone directed us to a dentist.... haha now THIS visit was not on my Hanoi itinerary!
 

Dentist chairs all in a row

Problem finally fixed and we continued our exploration of the Old Quarter. We went to Hoan Kiem lake and the water puppet theatre (didn't want to risk bringing the toddler for an actual show though).  We stopped at roadside stalls for noodles and hubby's favourite, seafood.  This meal turned out pretty expensive at RM120.  And little Miss Jo Ern had no patience with people digging into over a hundred assorted shellfish - conch, lala, cockles, one crab.  She was playing with the condiments on tables, the stools, her shoes... sigh.  Hubby grabbed her to keep her still and she bawled her lungs out in outrage.  Guess she was cranky from insufficient sleep.

Wanna go play! Don't wanna sit here! Wanna go play!!!

Phew.  Maybe we should wait for Jo Ern to be older before we go anywhere again!  After the early start and activities for the day, we turned in early to bed.  Had to be up nice and early for our trip to Halong bay the next day!