Ha Noi, Viet Nam

I had a quick visit to Ha Noi in northern Viet Nam a few weekends ago.

It was not my first visit but possibly the 7-8th time I have been up there. So the excitement of a trip was lost on me.

It was cold, wet and damp. No doubt the worst weather I had experienced there. Often in summer very hot and humid and then beautiful Autumns and Springs. All four seasons.

I took only a couple of pictures the whole trip. Those of a berth.

Note the three levels of bollards. I've never seen anything like it before. Maybe on cruise ships? Anyone advise?

Buying And Testing A Water Heater

We were at Home Pro this morning with the intention of buying a lot of stuff for the Condos we had purchased on Bangkok. They come fully fitted out including a kitchen etc. Strangely there are no water heaters. I would have thought there would be plumbing for one central heater but no, plumbing was set up individually. One connection in each bathroom and nothing in the kitchen. Only cold water to the kitchen sink. Anyway what will be will be!!!!
Hence Home Pro and a exciting trip to the water heater department. As with all purchases in Thailand product guarantee is not what you might expect. Several people have told me getting a refund or a replacement in Tesco/HomePro and Carefourre are next to impossible. Why you ask? Well it's their clear company policy, they just don't do it. Simple as that. So don't waste your time and get high blood pressure over it. OK? Cause nothing will change.
However, and it is a good thing, that they test all electrical items before you buy. So in effect it is a sort of warranty and you know its in working order as you walk out the door.
They did this with our water heaters. The testing was simple. Open the box which it comes in, remove the water heater and well 'test it'!
Open it and 'sort of' plug it into a make shift mains and then connect in water, which in under the counter..... Switch on and wait, Yes, out comes hot water!!!
Amazing and it works. Health and Safety would have a fit back in UK. But we are not in UK are we. 'TIT'. All in all a good purchase.

Following on from Owens Saling.. Again..

I mentioned a couple of days ago the super 'Saling' we had seen at Ban Phe. Imagine only two later I saw a much more, what can only be described as "a utility family version". It was old, decrepit looking but still running. Real family machine, which if you look closely has a rear bracket for the bar b q gas bottle!!!!! I counted 7 people in this one.