1st Uprising - Hanoi
Before leaving Sydney, a 2hr motorbike city tour had been organised as a mean of familiarisation. Commencing at 5:30am Fatpap was eager for what Hanoi had to offer however sadly it was cancelled last minute due to the worsening weather. Undeterred, Fatpap donned his wet weather gear and headed out into the streets. Walking is a great way to discover a city for the first time but in teeming rain and strengthening winds Hanoi did its best to dilute the fun. High on the agenda and first cab off the rank was the famous Hanoi Train Street. Built by the French during their occupation in the late 19th century to transport goods and people between Hanoi and other Vietnamese provinces, over time the city expanded around the line and the tracks now remain surrounded by new buildings and houses. Trains still run to a limited schedule with many locals converting their houses into quaint little cafes where one can sip on traditional Egg Coffee while waiting for a train to pass by.
On arrival bad news was received that all trains were cancelled due to a severe storm so the only logical thing was to sit in the rain regardless and experience a traditional Egg Coffee. Cà phê trứng is prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and robusta coffee and as expected simply delicious on a coldish, wet morning. Whilst enjoying this Hanoi delicacy Fatpap met a German tourist Pasqual and together they shared travel stories for over an hour enjoying another chilled version of the aforementioned coffee.
At this stage the rain didn’t even look like stopping so it became a casual, albeit drenched unplanned roam though the streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. A literal maze of back and side streets, every turn offered something different with street art and street vendors bringing the otherwise dormant city to life. With the weather rapidly deteriorating, the buzzword was Typhoon as the 3rd big storm of the season labelled Yagi was reportedly heading straight for Hanoi by late afternoon.
As a photographer our worst nightmare is camera malfunctions and this morning it was discovered that Gizmo, the travellers dynamo was rendered inoperable. Returning to the hotel for a much needed change of clothes, some time was spent not only trying to fix the issue, but google searching a repairer somewhere close with English capabilities. No such luck so it was raincoats ho! and back out to fight the elements once more. That effort was short lived as virtually all of the city was now closed with strengthening winds funnelling the passage of streets with rain, all manner of debris, and the occasional small child.
Seeking shelter in one of the only restaurants still open, Fatpap enjoyed an early dinner of spring rolls and traditional Bún Chả with like minded travellers seemingly with the same idea. However that couldn’t last forever and the only remaining refuge was the hotel bar across the street where multiple scotch and sodas were consumed under duress. From within these confirms the rain outside became lateral, the tress very soon the same, and an audible warning in Vietnamese to seek permanent shelter was broadcast over the public address system. Hotel management soon advised that for safety reasons the city would be shutting down all power and we were to retreat to our rooms by 7:00pm and remain there until further advised.
So advanced tropical typhoon Yagi onto Hanoi and so it was witnessed through the small window of room 701 of the Hong Ngoc Cochinchine boutique hotel.
It would be detailed in days to come that Super Typhoon Yagi was the strongest storm to hit Vietnam in 30 years leaving a trail of destruction and killing 350 people. With torrential downpours and powerful winds exceeding 200 kilometres per hour the typhoon forced more than 50,000 people to evacuate their homes and triggered widespread flooding and landslides, causing severe damage to roads, bridges, and buildings, uprooting trees, and disrupting electrical and telecommunication networks. Not exactly the expectations for day 1 in Vietnam but an experience nonetheless.