The trip from Marrakesh to Hanoi, was exhausting. The journey included a bus trip to Casablanca, a plane to Dubai and then Hanoi. The good news is that the craziness of Marrakesh and the reckless crossing of roads with no rules, prepared us well for Hanoi.

Our apartments were totally renovated and perhaps the nicest quality yet—well, except for the 10 hrs of jack hammering from the construction sites on both sides of our narrow apartment building. After a week of serious sleep deprivation—working till 2am then waking to jack hammering concrete at 6:30am—I was ready to claw people’s eyes out. Currently I am in a different apt with a new apt—Richard my crypto currency coach.

Walking down the alley to my apartment - which also houses a medical spa (a serious anti aging clinic I’m told) - I get an up close and personal look at how some local people live. Think small space, concrete, no furniture except TV. I’ve seen people park their motorbikes in their living room (only room) then lounge on them and watch the Voice TV. Mostly people live on the street in front of their house—washing dishes, chopping food, cooking food, sitting and holding babies. The air moves more in the alley in front than in the back rooms. No one seems unhappy with their circumstances.

My office tower is a 14 min walk away and I only have to take my life in my hands with one major road crossing. As a good tourist I wait for the green crossing lights before I go —and then I start my prayers. It’s still a crap shoot every time I cross. I know that one false move I could get taken out by a scooter who disregards the lights. The lights don’t seem to matter here—everyone for himself!! I think that when I get back to America I will be an expert j-walker. Many times I wait for a local and shadow them across - they are nonchalant and so at home with the chaos. I truly am grateful I plunked down the big bucks for travel insurance. This workspace is super nice- 7th floor, oil, cruise companies and embassies in this building. Great ground team here at our service and committed to ensuring we have the best time here.

So far I’ve visited the Literary museum—cool that back in the 1000s they put high value on education and I am happy to say they still do. Even super poor families will find the money to send their kids to school even if they have to pay $200 per year —that is about 5 million dong…a lot when you earn only 2 million dong/mo. My apt mate Jake and I also visited the Ho Chi Minh monument and his home/office grounds. He actually seemed like a good man, quite humble—reminds of the pope.

My office tower is built on part of what was the Hanoi Hilton property. The war museum still stands behind us and this is where John McCain and other airmen were held when shot down in the Vietnam war. The museum is pretty good—their information reminds that they treated our airmen really well—let them raise chickens, workout, have religious ceremonies, gave them gifts etc. I understand the winners get to write history—and the information is very much propaganda for how honorable the Vietnamese were. One joke is that it’s a good thing that John was shot down way back when because the lake is so polluted now it would have killed him. (3 eyed fish) The locals swam out and helped him to shore as he had broken bones and could not swim from the wreckage. The poster of the airman reuniting with his family brought me to tears. No worries, the gift shop made me feel much better - lovely cards and paper products.