“I am a real backpacker”

So said Thomas Johnson, an Australian guest on a three-week tour around Hanoi, whose back always carries a big bag full of things he bought from different shops in the capital city.

I met him near Hoan Kiem (Returned Sword) Lake while he was busy making a hard bargain to buy souvenirs.

Thomas told me during his three-week stay he was making the best of his time to discover the elegant places of the city. Hanoi is an ideal place to settle for a long time, because the city life is really comfortable, with a stable work environment and friendly people, he said. However, there are some things he needs time to mull over, such as the traffic and the habit of eating on the pavement.

Thomas could not hide his surprise when enjoying some Vietnamese traditional food. He said he never imagined Hanoians could cook many different delicious dishes from the same ingredients. He cited Pho as an example. “With a common ingredient – rice – many attractive dishes are created, such as beef noodle and chicken noodle, with various styles of cooking,” he said.

The Australian visitor also wanted to know more about Hanoi’s tourist attractions. He travelled around the Old Quarter, visited the foreigners’ market near Ho Tay (West Lake) and many traditional craft villages, including Bat Trang ceramics, Van Phuc silk, Chuong conical hats and Ngoc Ha flower. “Wherever I go, I am always tempted by special hand-made products, such as Ao dai (Vietnamese women’s traditional dress), conical hats, ceramics and other handicrafts. That is the reason why my backpack is always heavy with a lot of things,” he said with a smile.

Mentioning “foreigner”, local people might think of something new and modern, but not in this case. He said that he did not use taxis, but liked to go around by cyclo as he found this means of transport very special, comfortable and convenient. “When sitting on it, you can watch the beautiful streets and understand more about Hanoians’ daily lives,” he said.

Getting tired after walking around the capital, he ordered beer and coffee at a bar in Ta Hien Street, not far from Hoan Kiem Lake.

Thomas said that it was quite convenient to stay in Hanoi where he could buy everything such as food and souvenirs, even on the pavement. “In Hanoi, you can pick up things you need at first sight,” he said.

However, Thomas complained that the traffic in Hanoi was heavy and complicated, especially at rush hour. “Although the Hanoi streets are quite large, they seem to be unable to regulate the flow of vehicles. So it’s dangerous to cross and road. Please wait for the green light and use the zebra crossing as quick as you can, and keep your eyes wide open,” he said.

Thomas was also worried about food hygiene and safety when seeing many people eating on the pavement.

The Australian visitor said he would come back to Vietnam as soon as possible to enjoy the hidden charms of the S-shaped country, and his next destination would be Ho Chi Minh City. “I’ve heard a lot about the great leader of Vietnam and wish to visit the city named after him to explore the southern part of Vietnam,” he said.