Destination Hanoi

Okay, well — Hanoi is absolutely crazy. I just flew in from a very quiet couple of days at a cold Kansai Airport, where I spent some time in a kind of onsen-resort-style hotel, just drinking whiskey highballs and vibe coding with Claude. When I got into Hanoi and took the Grab into the Old Quarter, which is where I was told to stay, I was absolutely blown away by the difference between sleepy, mid-suburban Japan and just how busy it is here in Vietnam. I was not prepared for it — it completely woke me up.

Here are some shots of me walking around the Old Quarter. Even these ones really don't do justice to just how busy it is on the street here.

Once I'd started adjusting to being almost run over on a constant basis — at least by Australian standards — I began to explore more broadly, and took a walk through the different quarters of Hanoi.

I mean, I'd seen on TV that this place was really, really busy, but being here is something else. You literally have to get used to crossing a road that's full of thousands of scooters.

I'm about to head into a moderately busy period of work, so I'm kind of stuck here for the moment until I find a place to knock out my work. Wish me luck.