Xe om sea

I have arrived safely in Hanoi and am at the Van Mieu Hotel until July 16th when I leave for Sapa, a hill town to the North of Hanoi right below the Chinese border.

I passed out on the four hour flight from Tokyo to Hanoi. Hanoi smells like salt and sandalwood though it could be pollution since I'm not sure that there's sandalwood nearby.

There are people out enjoying the nightlife, and xe oms (motorcycles) are everywhere. There are waves of them on the street and masses of young people stop with their xe oms in front of cafes and bars. Some even drive them into the bar.

The most popular xe om seems to be the Honda Wave. I must have seen about 20 of them alone and I think that I may be witnessing the birth of a new culture here. Friends and family who have visited before told me that no one wears helmets in South East Asia but in Hanoi, they are everywhere! I was happy to see it and I wonder if it means that helmets are now being made for Asian heads (a study came out in the fall of 2007 saying that most helmets didn't fit Asian heads) or if it signals a more prosperous youth who can afford to buy helmets.

I am very tired.. tomorrow I explore Hanoi.. for now, bed.