Full Circle

Wrapping Things Up

If these past few days in Hanoi have taught me anything, it's that:

• Despite of what I think and feel about Vietnam and how tourism is impacting it, Hanoi retained most of its magic for me. This is somewhat puzzeling, as this is the noisiest, dirtiest, smoggiest and crowded town I've been to on this trip. 
• I'll miss the fruits(hakes).
• I'll miss the noodles.
• I'll miss the fresh vegetables.
• When someone tells you not to put your opened, yet firmly closed, package of cookies in your private locker and you do it anyway, you deserve to lose your cookies to an army of really, really small ants.
• Dog is being served on the western edge of the old quarter, heads and everything.
• Wearing an A-shirt scores you drugs, wearing a regular t-shirt doesn't.
• The 'booze cruises' to Halong Bay are immensly popular and they're 'great/awesome/totally amazing'.
• Yes, I think I'm funny.
• When you're sleeping in a dorm with 5 other people, it's usually not a good idea to invite your newly found, and awfully drunk, temporary girl/boyfriend back to the room for some sweet lovin', as he or she will probably spew a night out drinking's worth of stomach contents out on the floor, waking everybody up in the process.
• No matter how tough you look with the tattoos, sixpack, drinking habits and womanizing, when The Lion King is screened in the chill-out area, you'll be fighting back the tears when Mufasa dies. 
• No matter how tough you look with the tattoos, sixpack, drinking habits and womanizing, when The Cove is screened in the chill-out area, you'll be fighting back the tears when the dolphins die.
• I need a haircut.
• He's back, baby!

Souvenir Day

After intensly scouting Hanoi for souvenirs, I decided to stop thinking altogether and just stick with my first choice. An accurate account of a full day, if there ever was one.

To Here, And Back Again Tomorrow

'Dear Southeast Asia, 

Today is my 83rd day abroad.  Alas, 83 days is far too short a time to explore such admirable surroundings.
I don't know half of you as well as I would like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. I have things to do, which I've put off for far too long. I regret to announce that this is the end. I'm going now.

See you later.'

Thanks to everybody who's been following this blog for the past months, I hope you somewhat enjoyed it. I suggest you all bolt before this becomes a fully fleshed out hub for my rants, concerning pretty much everything from scorewriting over social commentary to the feindish world of the fishing industry.