Mostly spending my time in Hanoi...and Hackney and Siberia

I don’t have a lot to report really. I am working on Thirst re-reading and editing clumsy sentences, strange words and inconsistencies. This is a gentle re-acquaintance with the Dave, Alena, Hackney and Siberia before I start on my editors notes. 

Most of my days here comprise of a pic’n’mix of the following things: 

Editing + cycling back-alleys and around the lakes + gym (it’s at the top of a shopping mall the sauna smells of lemongrass) + bun cha + reading + Cinematheque (the art cinema here…this week Hitchcock, next Coen brothers) + the lake + French class (my Vietnamese classmates are so lovely) + green tea & jasmine + flatmate chatter + Cafe sua + emails home + papaya salad with beef jerky + hello, hello, hello from schoolkids + Banh mi = my Hanoi

Some days I am homesick. I miss people. We all know I how much I love London. Sometimes I want to walk Hampstead Heath, catch the 243, eat some pie and mash, cosy up in a winter coat and watch the lights of London dance on the Thames. And then I get on my wee red bike, cycle around the dusty city streets, see things I will never ever forget and remind myself that it is a huge privilege and treat to have this length of time to write and I am glad and grateful.

Today is the first cool day of winter in Hanoi, so I’m wearing an actual sweater and drinking ginger and lemongrass tea about to return to Hackney and Siberia to read about Dave and Alena’s first kiss.