Our guide had a variety of pieces of advice for us during our time in Hanoi but when it came to trying to cross the roads, one was sacrosanct: “Don’t take a step backwards!” No one waits for you so, in order to get to the other side, you step off the pavement and just go for it.
'I navigated Hanoi’s buzzing streets and was led to Vietnam’s vibrant and flavourful heart' To describe Hanoi as “different” would be something of an understatement.
In mixology terms, imagine Bangkok, add in Hong Kong, mix them together and then add a couple of Red Bulls and you are getting there.
Located just 100 miles from the Chinese border, the capital city of Vietnam takes your breath away – and not just because of the high humidity.
Factor in the near-total absence of traffic lights or pelican crossings along with little or no road markings and you can see the potential problems.
