In the Heat of the Night - 38 degrees

12/08/2011 by Russell.

Off to Ha Noi to start another little tour of South East Asia.

Principally, Hanoi beckoned to find somewhere to live, before my contract commences in September to teach English to children and local businessmen.

I am due to be in Ha noi, for what will prove to be quite challenging, to teach my own language, to people of varying degrees of competence, and I suspect apathy towards learning, the same the world over.

Generally I will be teaching for 20 hours a week, split 10 hrs school children and 10 hours for businesses.

Ha Noi, is the capital, but not as modern and vibrant in the same way as Bangkok or Hong Kong, Saigon is very much like Ha Noi.  It seems much smaller in size and the road network is nothing compared to the wide boulevards of Bangkok.

I signed my contract with Shelton and have to get back to HA Noi for the 3^rd September. Typically it will be a new syllabus, so have full lesson prep to negotiate for the first time in many years.  Hope I remember David Opperman’s advice for lesson plans!

Needless to say, no accommodation was successfully accomplished, but there is a place in an area 30 mins from where I will teach. Tam wants to be much nearer to the school and business.

However, Thursday arrived and we left for Bangkok for some R&R, hotel by the river where I had once dined for breakfast-  Whose address had been duly noted for future reference.  Failed to meet up with Natasha Khilji – we were in and out to get to the Viet Embassy

Managed to go to MBK and find some bits for Emily’s Blackberry and over the road admire the extravagances of the Siam Paragon shopping mall.  This all fitting in with acquiring yet another Viet visa.

Friday – and it was a full day – to the Royal Palace and grounds, very cultural with colours and manicured gardens.  I had been before with Barbora, where is instantly reminds me of Shakespeare “all the glisters is not gold”. Funny how something learnt in childhood still applies from something written many hundreds of years ago from the Merchant of Venice.  Thanks to John Hollman my English tutor, sadly I let him down on my O level literature, but what he did instill in me was the desire to read, perhaps not a failing after all.

Saturday was an all day affair at the Chatuchuk market – 8,000 stalls from small things to crocodiles and that’s not the handbags.  Tam ‘not like’ - I do not understand when there is so much choice, but it was more expensive than Vietnam

However for lunch they did try to serve uncooked crab – wow – get it on the bbq and quick please.  

It was very hot, very sweaty, especially trying on clothes.  Was in dire need of a massage after that exhertion….

Sunday to the zoo and Wat Pho, and bed for an early rise at 3.30am.

Bounced into Hanoi and then a flight to Da Nang within the hour, why can’t we do that in England?  Yet I guess we have more prestige to lose if we suffer a failure in security.

Dentist in Da Nang? Well we tried to get a crown done for a few hundred dollars, and to be honest, would have done it, but was completely knacked from being up at 3 am and wanted a different crown to the one offered at the third dentist we visited.

Stayed overnight before a quick visit to BA Na

Ba Na is a hill top resort, connected by the longest cable car ‘in the  world’ (say it like Jeremy Carkson).  It is in the Guiness Book of Records.  Imagine going from Fort William to the top of Ben Nevis by cable car and you get the idea, in terms of height and distance, the journey takes about 30 minutes - and you are not at the top then!

What do you see? a fantastic view looking East towards DA NAng and the sea. You are able to visit Fantasy Land, a bit like a better mans Matlock Bath but not quiite the Pleasure Beach of Blackpool.  All the rides are indoors because of the weather? and it will be completed in 2013.  There is a 3D experience and a vertical drop of 20m obligatory dodgems and more besides.  The hotels are expensive - but the view and the cooler weather made for a delightful change.

…then back to Chu Lai…

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