From Okinawa to Hanoi, Vietnam.
Today was a travel day, which literally took all day, from wake-up to bed. We caught the 10:42 Okinawa Airport Shuttle (which arrived exactly at 10:42), and arrived at Okinawa Naha airport at noon (again, right on time), and then had a two hour wait until we could check in for our flight, which also went smoothly. It was a little nerve wracking as they checked our Vietnam visas, as I imagine that even a small error could derail things, and then needed to see proof that we had a departure flight out of Vietnam (phew, as originally we’d left our departure flight unbooked), but all went well, and then we had another two hours until our flight. Happily, we were able to get seat re-assignments so we could sit together for the three hour flight to Hong Kong, as well as getting our boarding passes for our Hong Kong to Hanoi flight.
In Hong Kong we had a 4½ hour wait, so we ate, walked around, looked in the shops, etc. it’s a big, big airport, but very modern and spacious, and not all crowded.
The Hong Kong to Hanoi flight was again straightforward, and we arrived early, a few minutes before midnight, but after immigration and customs we were finally out of the airport and in Vietnam around 12:30 am, which for us, still on Japan time, was 2:30 am. Lots of taxi drivers wanting to take us somewhere, and the pre-booked ride sent by the hotel to pick us up wasn’t there, but I contacted the hotel and the ride was there, maybe 15 minutes later. Meantime, we had to fight off (not literally) soliciting taxi driver after soliciting taxi driver.
Laurence was doing fine all day, and doing and feeling so much better, but nevertheless by now was pretty pooped. It was a good 15 minutes or more to our nice looking hotel, the Hanoi Grandeur, near the Old Quarter, and by the time we arrived, probably about 3:30 Japan time, he’d had it. I slept a little on the plane and was, and still am, okay as I write this, at 2:15 am Vietnam time, 4:15 Japan time.
Driving into the city, wwe crossed the colorfully lit Nhật Tân Bridge, also known as the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Bridge, continuously changing its coloring. Driving here is definitely a little wilder, with drivers, including our cab driver, regularly driving on lane divider lines, rather than in their own lane, and lots of small engine motorcycles and scooter driving with little regard to the traffic around them.
Hard to really see the area as we drove in, but the hotel is very nice. Very nice. A small and narrow frontage on the street, but opening into a nice looking lobby and hotel.
But now, to sleep. Long, long day of traveling, 18 hours from the time we caught the bus this morning (actually, yesterday morning). Goodnight, Vietnam.
