Sunday, March 13th, 2016 continued…
We were all ready to get checked into “Golden Time Hostel” after returning from our Halong Bay excursion, but the staff told us that they moved our reservation to “Golden Time Hostel 2,” which was only a block down the street. The staff insisted it was “much nicer.” We walked there only to be told that we weren’t booked at either Golden Time Hostel 1 or 2, but actually “Golden Time Hostel 3!” The staff felt bad for the little snafu, so they provided a free motorbike ride there. We prepared ourselves to be transported to Golden Time Hostel 4 or 5, but were told we were finally in the right place.
We walked from our hostel to “The Hanoi Social Club” for dinner and were ecstatic that they carried craft beer. I’m a sucker for “foo foo” brews, especially IPA’s!
We both got ourselves a Pasteur Street IPA with our meals. That ended up being a Veggie Roti Wrap filled with couscous, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and cashew-coriander dip for Trevor. I ordered the Falafel with roasted cherry tomatoes, avocado, and a spicy soy-adobo sauce. We split fries and were going to have a second IPA for dessert, but they ended up running out. What a tease!
We explored Hanoi’s nightlife near our hostel. There were several street performers and musicians during our search for the next watering hole.
We stopped at “Corner Pub” where we got two beers and free shots. There was a weird Rolling Stones mural on the wall which peaked Trevor’s interest. He has always been a huge Stones fan.
Next we headed across town to “The Family Bar” to chill with Aaron from our Halong Bay cruise. He was sitting at a table with an expat named Peter (like our guide) who was originally from Sydney as well, but had lived in Hanoi the past 6 years with his Vietnamese wife. After mingling for a bit, we pushed through the chaotic crowded streets back to our room.
Jump Back to Part 20: Kayaking, Luon Cave & Spring Rolls
Jump Ahead to Part 22: Paint By Numbers, Mechanics & Lanterns
OR
Start from the Beginning at Part 1: Busing Across the Border to Ho Chi Minh City
Stubbs Rambles On 
I’m so stoked that you found an IPA. I’ve been considering an Asian trip for 2021 (I know, a long time away).
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That’s awesome! Do you have any idea which countries you’re planning on visiting yet?
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I’m thinking either Vietnam or Thailand. It’s still a long ways out so I may just go whichever ends up being the best value.
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I’m thinking either Vietnam or Thailand but I haven’t nailed down a decision yet.
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If you go to Thailand, don’t miss out on the north. It’s much less touristy and has comfortable weather. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were two of my favorite places there. Vietnam is tricky to navigate through with the language barrier. Thailand caters more to tourism so it’s much less stressful. But if you are looking for something less westernized and more authentic, I’d go with Vietnam. Both places are awesome in their own right though, and generally everyone in Southeast Asia is incredibly nice. Cambodia is like a mixture of both and is worth a stop too if you can make it. Sorry for the long reply. Travel gets me pumped! haha! I’m excited for you! 🙂
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I was thinking Vietnam because it wasn’t as touristy but it will just be me and my 10 year old daughter so maybe Thailand is better for a first trip into SE Asia. Thanks for the tips! I’ll have to remember to quiz you when we get closer lol
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Please do! If you think of anything you want to ask me, I’m all ears. I love talking anything travel and hiking! 😁
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