Author Archives: Ianmilburn

Street food versus Restaurants….. I know what your thinking… street food is local, limited choice, not governed by hygiene monitoring perhaps no cleanliness star rating. Whereas restaurants are surely governed by different standards and monitoring, have menus – you know those fancy descriptions on actual paper, have proper chairs and tables even maybe a serviette…Continue reading “Extras 1”

There goes that law again…. set out on a 20km or so bike exploration only to get 10k out and the sun decides to appear for the first time in 7 days. No hat, 30deg and due to dubious powers of navigation an extra 10k on top of the 20k planned. For a while IContinue reading “Hoi An and around”

Situated midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, Hoi An is one of the best preserved Old town sites in the region. It’s a real mix, a veritable historic melting pot demonstrating its rich and varied history. Wooden Chinese houses and temples, French colonial buildings, ornate narrow Vietnamese houses and shops and a JapaneseContinue reading “Hoi An”

4 hour bus ride from Hanoi via small towns and rice fields. Ha Long Bay city is a bit of a building site and mix of apartments, hotels and casinos – mainly aimed at the numerous Chinese tourists who come in there thousands…normally… Am on an organised tour which I would usually do anything toContinue reading “Ha Long Bay”

Left Thailand for Hanoi, Vietnam but some bits and pieces from last few days…. Food No 1 SPICY…… have eaten only local food, mainly street food in Bangkok and in Kanchanaburi. Different kinds of noodles – rice, vermicelli, egg, thick and very thin. Usual meats, fish, shellfish and veg but lots of different ones asContinue reading “Bits & Pieces”

Wow…what a difference…arrived into Hanoi late afternoon. Should have been light but a grey cold damp gloom hung over the city making it appear somewhat unfriendly and not at all welcoming. Around 16deg but because of the gloom AND coming from a week of high 30’s it sure felt very cold. Hotel in the oldContinue reading “Hanoi”