what the heck happened in hanoi

ok so i just got back from this trip to hanoi and honestly...i'm still processing. the numbers floating around my head are 1566319 and 1704357396-no clue what they mean, but they've been haunting me like that weird hostel room number you can't forget. anyway, the weather? i just checked and it's 18.94°C there right now, feels like 19, humidity at 81%. basically, bring a light jacket and a tolerance for sweat.

i stayed in the old quarter, which is basically a maze of scooters, street vendors, and the kind of chaos that makes you feel alive-or terrified. someone told me that the egg coffee at giac mong cafe is life-changing, but i heard from another drunk backpacker that it's just overhyped yolk. who knows. i tried it anyway. verdict: interesting, but i wouldn't tattoo it on my arm.

"the best pho is always in the alley with no sign," a local whispered to me while dodging a motorbike. i believed them until i got food poisoning. maybe it was the ice.

if you get bored, ho chi minh city and da nang are just a short drive away-or a very long bus ride if you're on a budget like me. i met a freelance photographer who swore by the train, said it's the only way to see the real vietnam. i took a bus. never again.

here's the thing: hanoi doesn't hold your hand. it throws you into the deep end with a helmet and a map that's 80% wrong. but that's the charm. the street art in the tay ho district? *wild. the history nerd in me geeked out at the temple of literature, even though i got lost three times trying to find it.

pro tip*: download grab. taxis will try to charge you double just for blinking. and if you're into vintage clothes, the weekend night market is a goldmine-just don't expect air conditioning.

anyway, hanoi. it's messy, it's loud, and it's exactly what you need if you're tired of curated travel experiences. just don't ask me what 1566319 means. i'm still figuring that out.

check out tripadvisor for more chaos, or yelp if you're into pretending you're not lost.