I had a strange night of sleep. I feel like I developed and broke a fever all in the span of a few hours. My Oura ring shows a spike in heart rate and drop in HRV around 6 am, lasting for about 3 hours.
My flight was delayed for an hour at Da Nang International airport, so I had some Highlands coffee and airport pho for lunch. The pho was decent, but the broth was lacking that signature fatty, umami flavor.
After arriving in Hanoi, I stepped off the plane and noticed what I thought was a fog or mist in the sky. I've come to realize this is smog. I thought Bangkok had terrible air quality, but Hanoi might take the cake. I wonder how much it would improve if all these motorbikes were electric.
I checked into my hotel and immediately searched out some more pho (I'm addicted). I found a place right near the hotel. Compared to all the pho I've had so far on this trip, this bowl of pho ranked towards the top. I got the beef special with all its mystery cuts of beef.
After dinner, I just walked around the local area. There's a cool wall of street art murals along the train tracks right around the corner from my hotel.
Hanoi has a cool vibe though, at least in the Old Quarter area I'm staying in. The streets are lined with trees providing picturesque views and ample shade. Hanoi's like the cooler brother of Ho Chi Minh City. Even though it's quite dirty, Hanoi still has a European, laid back feel in certain areas.