I had to take a business trip to Hanoi, a place I always wanted to visit, so whilst the business trip same ol’, same ol’, the non-work part was very enjoyable.
I had to go the day before, due to the timings of the flight, and went with Vietnam Air – as this was a fair bit cheaper than Singapore Airlines – probably due to the lateness in booking. The main challenge was to get the Business Visa, so as my business trip was only confirmed a couple of days prior, I ended up going to the Vietnam Embassy to ensure I was able to pick-up the morning on the day of my departure…call it down to the wire – it certainly felt like that!! Phew!
When I arrived at the airport, I decided to visit the Butterfly Exhibition – something only a few people know about exists at the airport – it was actually quite nice, not a huge display, but very enjoyable to view and relax, as I waited for my flight.
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- Delightful
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- Nice Contrasting Colours
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- Butterfly World
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- Interesting Facts
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- Gorgeous!
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- Topical Butterflies
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- The Mating Process
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- Butterflies vs Moths
My Vietnam Airlines Flight Arriving
After another hour, the flight arrived, so we waited to board and then took our seat.
The flight took around 3 hrs 15 mins, so it wasn’t too long. The flight was uneventful – luckily – food was so-so, but I wasn’t that hungry, so it wasn’t all bad. I managed to sleep most of the flight – which was a great opportunity to catch-up on your sleep.
We arrived on time, and I managed to get a taxi to the Sheraton hotel, which lasted about 40 minutes or so. Not too bad, although I couldn’t see much of the journey in the darkness.
The Friday lunch was a nice treat – as we were taken to a very nice restaurant in Hanoi – taking the tastes and delights of true Vietnam cuisine – yummy indeedy!
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- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
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- Vietnamese Delights
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- Vietnamese Scallops
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- Lunch Restaurant
I also got to enjoy the local Vietnamese beer – tasted pretty okay actually, and the trip went very well. The hotel itself was located very nicely, overlooking the lake – a nice view indeed.
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- View Across the Lake
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- Walking Along the Lake
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- Saigon Beer
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- Nightly Relaxation
I left on Saturday morning, but didn’t have much time to enjoy the sights and sounds of Hanoi in all its glory, so I do think I will come back and visit again at some point for pleasure!
