We get up late this morning because Andy was watching the Tottenham match until 5 in the morning. Being able to watch football is one of the blessings (or curses, depending on your point of view) of having access to satellite television. We have earmarked a local restaurant for lunch just a few minutes walk away, but can we find it? After traipsing around for about half-and-hour we give up (still can’t get our bearings in the maze of streets that is the Old Quarter) and we end up in a little place near the lake (where are all the restaurants when you want one?) with distinctly average food. Torrential rain again today which, although intermittent, puts paid to any sightseeing.
We have to move rooms as the hotel want our family room for another booking. This is fair enough as we originally booked a double for two nights and have had a much larger one for the same price. It means we will have to make do with a much smaller room with no external windows. We’ve contemplated changing hotels, but it hardly seems worth it as we’re leaving tomorrow. Or at least, that was the intention, but things don’t always work out as planned. Our passports aren’t returned until 5.30 pm and by the time we get to the bank to cash some travellers cheques, it’s just closed, putting paid to booking our trips to Halong Bay and Sapa for another day. It looks as though we will be in Hanoi until at least Saturday! Ah well, just one of those days when nothing runs smooth.