Travelfish correspondent Sarah Turner

Sarah's South East Asia expedition started in 2009, when she packed up her company, home and beloved car and left South West London with her boyfriend and a vague plan to travel and then live in the region. Whilst travelling they both fell in love with Hanoi, and seven months, seven countries, a few scars and more than a few memorable experiences after leaving England they found themselves on a 44 hour journey from Don Dhet back to Vietnam's capital. As well as writing for Travelfish, Sarah runs a design and branding company called Crunchy Frog with her partner and does a bit of English teaching for pocket (massage) money. She also sits on the Community Aid Committee of Hanoi's International Women's Club, helping to distribute funds to local charitable organisations, and spends her free time either indulging her love of food and drink or frenetically exercising to compensate.
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Posts by Sarah Turner:

• Review: Moc Quan Pho Cuon, Hanoi

  First published: 23 Jul 2012
  

  I wrote some time ago about the pho-based dishes that are a specialty of the Truc Bach area of Hanoi; since then, a new place has opened up that makes pho cuon even more appealing. Based on Nguyen Khac Hieu street, on what is often referred to as Truc Bach island or Truc Bach village, … read the full post

• Review: Little Hanoi Hostel 2

  First published: 20 Jul 2012
  

  Little Hanoi Hostel 2 is a sister hotel to Little Hanoi Hostel (or Hotel, depending on where you look) on Hang Ga Street, which we’ve always liked, and though very different in style, we like this one too: it’s clean, comfortable, welcoming, quiet and less than a minute’s walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. Little Hanoi … read the full post

• Avoiding taxi scams in Hanoi

  First published: 17 Jul 2012
  

  As I mentioned in my earlier post on scams in Hanoi, taxi cheats are probably the one thing people complain most about. While unlikely to cost you a fortune, it’s still annoying to be over-charged or — literally — taken for a ride. So here’s some info about what to watch out for and how … read the full post

• Review: Kem Ho Tay, Hanoi

  First published: 13 Jul 2012
  

  If you drive north along Hanoi’s Duong Thanh Nien, which passes between Truc Bach Lake and West Lake, on a sunny weekend afternoon, be prepared to swerve around the crowds gathered outside of Kem Ho Tay: West Lake Ice Cream. While there’s plenty of seating inside by the lake, it seems most customers prefer the … read the full post

• Avoiding scams in Hanoi

  First published: 10 Jul 2012
  

  Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular, has been getting a bit of a bashing in the Travelfish.org forum recently. While I can’t really counter the “Vietnamese are unfriendly” comments with any practical advice, I can try to address bad experiences caused by scams in Hanoi and suggest ways to avoid them. First, let’s get some definitions … read the full post

• Walking tour of 1930s architecture in Hanoi

  First published: 08 Jul 2012
  

  I recently attended a talk at The Bookworm entitled “Stories houses tell” and given by Linda Mazur, a Canadian who has been living in Hanoi since 1998. Not only are the stories fascinating in themselves, but the buildings she focuses on — built during the 1930s — are worth a look for anyone interested in … read the full post

• Massage at Huong Sen

  First published: 06 Jul 2012
  

  It’s been well over a year since I wrote about getting a cheap and decent massage in Hanoi, and that’s proven to be a popular post, so: time for another massage-related post. In the name of research, I headed to Huong Sen Healthcare Centre. I mentioned Huong Sen II in my last post, but this … read the full post

• Review: Hanoi Cozy Hotel 2

  First published: 02 Jul 2012
  

  Tucked away between a travel agent and a clothes shop, the entrance to Hanoi Cozy Hotel 2 is as intriguing as it is hard to spot. With no street frontage apart from a doorway, it’s difficult to imagine what hides within. Located at the southern end of busy Hang Be Street, Hanoi Cozy Hotel 2 … read the full post

• Hanoi’s Food Street

  First published: 29 Jun 2012
  

  One could argue that all of Hanoi’s streets are food streets, in that it’s hard to find any that don’t have at least one vendor selling pho or banh my or any of the other delicious street foods on offer here. But two things make so-called “food street” different and worthy of its name: firstly, … read the full post

• Review: Camellia Hotel 6

  First published: 26 Jun 2012
  

  With a bright yellow and red sign and windows adorned with travel offers, the exterior of Camellia Hotel 6 has nothing to differentiate it from the countless other budget hotels in the area, but it’s an expat and traveller favourite for good reason. Located down a vibrant alley off Dinh Liet, a few minutes’ walk … read the full post