The room where I stayed in Hanoi wasn't good. As in, I wanted to leave as soon as I entered. Mold on the walls and ceiling. I'm okay the room wasn't new, but the furnishings didn't look tidy. The bathroom didn't look clean. I guess the owner is okay with how things are. Or he has other important things to worry about that he can't really be bothered by the state of the room. Who knows! Now, would I recommend the room to others? Absolutely not..
Checked out at 11:40 am. Booked a cab to Hoan Kiem Lake. Sat there next to the lake with my luggage. Gosh, the wind. Cool. But sitting for 3 hours with that breeze on your face while having your period!!... Nice view, though, and I got a shawl, a cap, and a face mask. Sat there with all that on and started Greek Lessons by Han Kang. All that time, several people came, sat next to me and went, one after the other.
Ahem, I'm officially someone who reads in public. At the cafe the day before, then at the lake. (I don't go out much; I usually read at home.) What is the book about? A woman who is losing speech and a man losing eyesight. She joins the Greek lessons taught by the man, which is how they meet.
Not as intense as The Vegetarian and Human Acts. When I started reading The Vegetarian, I didn't stop until I finished. It is that kind of book. And Human Acts, I cried. This one is gentle, and to be honest, there were parts I didn't understand. But I like her writing. I can read anything by Han Kang.
I don't know why I decided to go to the bus departing point soon after 3 pm, when the bus boarding time was 5: 30 pm. I naively thought there'd be a sitting area, like a bus stop or station. Reached there before 3:30 pm. No sitting area, no bus stop. Stood there in front of an apartment. With my luggage and all, looking this way and that. Walked around a little bit looking for a coffee shop. Luckily found one very close. Ordered a coffee and a croissant. I'm trying to be vegan, but damn, that croissant was stuffed with something, must've been meat. How would I know? I thought it was just a croissant. And I wanted to eat something not too heavy and drink something hot. The wind was strong and consistent. I was shivering.
Came out of the coffee shop at 5. The bus was there. I thought, Yay!, It won't take long now. But we stood and stood and stood for so long, and they kept on loading big ass parcels after parcels after parcels. In that time, I even finished a book, Tourmalin's Time Cheques. It is a funny time-travel story. Enjoyed it. Started another book, Witches, Witch-Hunting, and Women. Drained my phone battery. I was reading on the phone this time. Boarded the bus after 6 pm. It was almost 7 when the bus finally moved. Stopped not too long after. More people got in. Many of them white. And they talked and talked. I really didn't want to hear, but they were so loud, and they kept on talking. One woman in particular must be from England by her accent. Two of them, she and her friend, were travelling; her friend had quit her job, and she, not yet, but she was saying that if she didn't go home soon, she might lose her job. They went to Thailand, then to Vietnam, and they planned to go to Laos and on and on. Me thinking, it's gonna be a long ride, and I can't even read.
But it was fine later on. Thankfully, we got a 30-minute rest stop somewhere. I badly needed to use the restroom. Back on the bus, we moved on. It was nice that everyone stopped talking at some point. It was quiet in the whole bus, and I think everyone got some sleep, as did I.
It's morning now, and we are still moving. I continued reading Greek Lessons and finished. My phone battery died. After reaching Da Nang, we got off the bus at around 10 am. I went straight to the coffee shop/parlour in front of which the bus had stopped. Ordered a coffee and then asked to be allowed to charge my phone for a while. My hotel check-in time was after 2 pm. So I considered the idea of dyeing my hair while waiting till 2 pm. Haha, what color? Blond! No, never. Red? No way. Chocolate brown, maybe. The guy said it's gonna be an elaborate treatment, would cost around 800000 VND, and told me to think carefully. They'd try to make the solution fast if I said yes. I considered for a while, then I thought of the smell of chemicals on my head. Nah. Don't do it. I thanked them and booked a cab to my hotel. Sat at the reception. Continued reading Witches. Around 1 pm, came out for lunch, went to an Indian restaurant because I wanted rice. Had lemon rice, gobi manchurian and ginger tea. Liked it. Got out, went to a Qmarket grocery store, bought water and some tea/coffee mix. Checked-in to room finally.
Rested and freshened up. Went out for walk on the beach. Oh My...So many people!!! On the way back to room, I was checking grocery stores or electronic stores for an adaptor for my laptop charger. Didn't find in any stores with glass doors. Finally saw an open store, open as in without a door (with shutter, was it). Got it. Yay! I was happy, I wanted to buy something else along with it. Bought a cake, adaptor and cake both 15000 each. Paid and finally back to room. Thanks to the adaptor, I am able to use my laptop and write this. And the cake is so smooth, melts in the mouth. For dinner, ate a cup noodle I bought from Hanoi. There's kettle in the hotel room. So I can boil water for the noodle or make tea/coffee.
Time to sleep.
(p.s.: I just realized croissant is not vegan. Butter!)
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