Vietnam!

So, I finished a 3 day stage at Vue de Monde, but we'll chat about that another time.  I came back at 1AM, slept until 9:30AM, packed, and left for the airport at 11:30AM.  So, we'll see if there's anything I forgot...

The flight itself was uneventful, except for the fact that Malaysia Airlines is very nice... constant streams of food, kind hosts, good movie selection.. you know, the important stuff.  We spent the night in Kuala Lumpur, but only at a hotel near the airport, as we didn't have a whole lot of time to get into the city and do stuff.  Save it for another trip, I guess...

And then there's Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon.  Remember when I said Tokyo is New York on Steroids?  All of the New Yorkers that are so impressed with their city have to travel outside of the states, maybe to somewhere in Asia.  People are everywhere, and the drive in the taxi from the airport to the hostel was insane.  You hear about millions of scooters/bikes on the street, you hear about weaving, you hear about crazy driving, but nothing prepares you for what it actually looks like.  It is a constant stream of miracles that there aren't about 50 crashes an hour here... Bikes weaving in and out of traffic, and when they don't like the area they're driving in, they'll go on the sidewalk, or in the oncoming traffic lane.  Everyone has one, and if you don't have one, you rent one.  People bring grills onto the street with some chairs, and sell dinners from outside of their houses.  The amount of pushiness coming from the locals to buy anything is insane.  If you so much as walk by a store and give someone a sideways glance, you get accosted to buy something, or come into their store.  Haggling is the norm, and this was all on the first night.

At least the place we're staying is nice.  The lady who runs the guesthouse is super helpful, steering us clear of scams, saving us money, and even finding us accommodation when we get back from the Mekong Delta tour, even if it's not at her guesthouse. 

It's hot, humid, and everything you expect it to be weather-wise, and today we're gonna walk around and see the sights.  Two and a half weeks in this country.  I've already been traveling almost a month... It's unbelievable.  I am starting to get a bit tired, but hopefully this new country will rejuvenate me... we'll see.