Day 113 Muscle Man

25/06/13
I found it quite hard to get to sleep last night but I eventually dropped off, only to wake at 06.30 and try as I might I couldn't get back to sleep. Just after 08.30 we disembarked in Hanoi where I went straight to the ticket office where I hoped to book myself onto a train to Sapa (very northern Vietnam), unfortunately the only train left a 21.50. I bought the ticket and began the cafe waiting game along with my heavy rucksack. My first pit stop was "one of Hanoi's best kept secrets" you accessed it through a silk shop then up a couple of flights of stairs, providing nice views over the lake, although the coffee was pretty average. I had already bought a pastry for breakfast and to kill time before lunch I went in the search of a cinema, I walked up and down the short street it was meant to be on but my search proved fruitless. I walked back in the direction of the station to Kinh Do Cafe which featured in the film Indochine, I really have no idea why as it wasn't anywhere near the greatest cafe I have been in by a long chalk but the beef noodle soup wasn't bad. I purposefully tried to lose myself on the way back to the lake and it sort of worked as I had to get my guide book out. At the lake I trudged up 3 flights of stairs to a chain coffee house, Highlands Coffee. It has free wifi and I was able to stay there for 3 and a half hours buying just one £1 drink. Having had enough of cafes I walked round the lake and found a free bench to sit at and read in the sun. A little while later an old Vietnamese guy came and started talking to me. His english was very good as he had studied in Australia, we just chatted for half an hour then I said my goodbyes and went for dinner. It didn't take me long to find some noodle soup. By the time I arrived at the station I had a bad headache and my legs were very painful. I had to wait 20 minutes to get my ticket but I was then escorted to the train. Unfortunately I layed down on the wrong bed which was embarrassing. My room this time was more upper class with only 4 beds and nicer furnishings. In my proper bed I tried going to sleep but my legs made it painful, I fell asleep eventually but I kept waking up because I was too hot/cold.