First of all, thanks so much for your birthday wishes! I couldn´t have been happier… I am now in Hanoi and “enjoying” the heat and humidity of summer. Well, at least I can´t complain no more about the cold…
It was not exactly pleasant traveling since I was down with a terrible flu. Nearly eight-hour flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) seemed like forever. I was in and out of sleep, sneezing and coughing all the time.
KL airport had not changed much. Same large modern buildings with few shops (compared to Singapore or Thai airports). Regardless of that, I was in need of some form of nourishment after a long flight where I could barely touch anything. Quickly enough, I located a small stall selling noodle soup inside the airport. Delicious it was not, but the herbal chicken soup was exactly what I needed – something steamy hot and light.
I was then shopping like crazy in the airport bookshop. I found a lot of good cook books but managed to carry just a few to Hanoi. Never mind. More will be mine later. One book I particularly like is a comprehensive guide to home-style Singaporean cooking. My dear husband, Mr. B, who of Singaporean background, will be pleased I am sure…
The most enjoyable part of the trip was the flight from KL to Hanoi. I sat by the window and the view was awesome. The best view was perhaps of the Red River, which was the main river of the region. It was called Red River for the right reason. From above, the redness of the river stood out from the greenness of rice paddy field. A typical view of Northern Vietnam, something I hold so close to my heart…