And yes - I'm finally here!! I do not mean Vietnam but I really mean the internet. I guess I've tried 4 times or so to update the website, but no way - the web seems too slow in Vietnam.

So let's see, what has happened the last couple of days. I came into Vietnam by train from China about 5 days ago, travelling together with this Japenese guy, Hiro. I got through customs allright (at 3 AM in the morning0 but Hiro did not. He lost a insignificant piece of paper related to his visa and they did not want to let him through!! They "officials" started looking at his bag and finally decided that they wanted the chain lock that he had around his backpack, otherwise they would not let him in! Is this corruption or is this corruption!!??? Let's see how things go when I have to get out of the country, into Cambodia.
The first change here is the warm & sticky weather. Must be around 32 celsius with around 80% humidity (yeah, read that in the local paper this morning). Hanoi is a nice city - you can still see a lot of the old french influences (building and stuff plus that many of the older genaration still speak french). I find it a relieve that they do not use the character based script here when writing (like the chinese & vietnamese do) so here I can at least read my streat signs & see to where the busses and trains leave (not that I understand anyting of the language..)

The first thing when walking around Hanoi is the great many scooters, bikes and cyclos that are around. Trying to cross the street is a real challange, I tell you that much. The people are very friendly though. And just by being here I've begun to understand a lot more about the country and especially the American - Vietnam war.

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Not even nine o'clock in the morning yet, but the sun is coming down hard on Saigon already. Just got out of the cyclo who took me from the train station to the center of Saigon. A 15 minute ride which almost gave me the urge to say: "Goodmorning Vietnam!" (but then again, I didn't). I can't check into my hotel before 12 so I figured I might as well use the internet now when it still moves (in the afternoons and the evenings it practically dies..).
It has been exactly a week since I left Hanoi, in the north of Vietnam and it has been a busy week with lots of travelling. Guess I should take it more easy but then again I will, when I get to the beaches in Thailand. Visited 3 places while coming down from Hanoi. In Hoi An I met up with these three american guys, Nathan, Scott & Guy. Guy had already been travelling for 6 months and was coming to the end of his trip. Scott & Nate lived in Japan now as english teachers for a year. They were just visiting Vietnam for 2 weeks. We had a great time at the beach, playing football with the local kids. It's just incredible how much these kids know about european football. We had dinner with this Vietnamese girl and she knew exactly the names of the players of the dutch team. She also remembered the '88 game we played against Germany and Russia and Van Bastens goal. Just incredible. Manchester United is really the team though. Many boys walk around in MU jerseys and photos of David Beckham all around.