Tapp's Travels

Well, we are off again.  Back from a lovely Christmas break with Jeremy and Lucy.  We have two days to get organised!  Strictly speaking, add to that, two weeks preparation by Glenda before Christmas … but there’s still plenty to do.  In my case, the words “work, expands, fit, available and time” spring to mind.

Currently, as I write this, we are in a taxi on the way to Heathrow.  But for our convenience, we have been diverted off the motorway and have just passed one of our favourite campsite near Malmesbury.  There’s been an accident on the M4.  Major delays expected!  Does this sound familiar?

Apart from that, a very smooth drive.  Apparently, even smoother than my driving.  According to one passenger,  MUCH smoother!  Well done Jonnie!

Arriving at “our” hotel – and it should be noted that there are at least three Radisson hotels opposite Heathrow airport – I dived in before we unloaded the car to make sure we were at the right one.  Memories of being delivered by taxi to the wrong hotel in Austria are still fresh in our minds.  We were in the right place.  Check-in was super smooth and we were upgraded to a “better” room.  Result.  But not a good one!  The room was still very basic, seriously in need of renovation.  Further negotiations with management eventually resulted in another upgrade – to the “International Suite” – allegedly the biggest room in the hotel!  From the sublime to the ridiculous.  Or should that be the other way round?  Two of everything.

Two rooms, plus a bathroom, two showers, two sinks and two baths.  Two sofas, two beds, two televisions, two separate (noisy, but not working) a/c systems, two free drinks vouchers etc. etc..  The rooms had, at least, been updated.  But are now ready for the next up-grade.  I must remember never to book the Radisson Blu Edwardian again – I guess there’s a clue in the name!

The main bar is closed “for Christmas”.  The restaurant is serving a drastically reduced menu (“for Christmas!”) at exaggerated prices.  We ended up with seriously unimpressive burgers in McDonald’s next door!  Things have got to improve!

We had been advised by the concierge that the pre-booked, shared, electric limo service didn’t cover this hotel.  So we elected for the bus (which also “Sometimes doesn’t stop at this hotel!”.  ” I suggest you take the bus before the one you need!”)  Later research in the lobby found two separate electronic stations on which to book the non-existent limos!  “Oh well, they sometimes don’t arrive as booked, anyway” said our helpful concierge.  “Also, be aware that there are two different buses.  The H2R and H2D.  The former takes 25 minutes to Terminal 3, the latter 45.”  Anyway, at 6.04 am the bus arrived, one minute early.  That should have alerted us!  We got the late-running H2D (snail bus) by mistake!  Well, it was perishing early in the morning!  Off into the far easterly extremity of airport hotels.  The Ibis, I think.  I got 25 minutes of earache for not checking the bus number!  Then we arrived at Terminal 3.  So the “snail bus” was actually the “cheetah bus”!  Concierges sometimes have the wrong information.   In this case, always!  He told us that he’d only worked there for 14 years!

And that reminds me that exactly a quarter of a century ago today, I worked my last day at AstraZeneca!

Breakfast at the airport courtesy of Cathay was brilliant.  Champagne and poached eggs on toast!  Mince pies and stollen.  Plus a few other bits and pieces.   Plus a bit more champagne – just in case the plane doesn’t have any!  London to Hong Kong on a totally full plane is 12 hours of fun.  An excellent flight.  Cathay did very well on the food and seat front …

… although the entertainment system was a bit hard to navigate.  But the bed was magnificent!  There was then the little matter of a seven hour wait at Hong Kong airport for our onward flight to Hanoi.  Actually, it turned out to be almost eight hours because we arrived early and departed late.  We had to immigrate into HK, collect our luggage, hang around for four hours, then re-check-in, drop off the bags and emigrate once more back through security.  We used the lobby of the Regal Hotel for a relaxing wait.  Five minutes walk from the arrivals hall.  We are booked to stay here for a night on the way from Vietnam to Brisbane.  So, now we know the way!

From Hanoi airport, it’s about an hour into the city via the famous illuminated (at night, obviously) Nhật Tân Bridge.

… and as seen by night (but not by us, sadly) …

Photo (possibly) byTuan Mark.

Twenty minutes to get nearly to our destination and 50 minutes to cover the last few kilometres!  Just before reaching the outskirts of the old historic area, our cab was joined by zillions of motorbikes, weaving in and out of the traffic.  Carving out their route.  Horns blasting at 5 second intervals all the way to the south end of Hoan Kiem Lake.  Here we had to bail out, open a police barrier and walk the last couple of hundred metres through a temporarily pedestrianised (for New Year’s celebrations) area.  We arrived in time for supper, a quick walk outside to see the decorations and laser display …

It’s all a bit hazy… I’m not sure, but I think we had a rest in bed and supper came into it somewhere!  Later, a trip to the roof-top bar, where we had reserved a table, gave us one of the best views of any firework display we have ever seen … anywhere!  Right in front of us!

What a way to end 2025.  I say that, because, unlike most places, the show was timed to finish at midnight.  Apparently, to drive out all evil spirits before the start of a new year!  Different!

Anyway, Happy New Year everyone!