Vietnam, Phở k'Yeah!

Everything I read and heard about Vietnam before I got here had me pretty worried. It was my understanding that I would be constantly swarmed by people trying to get at my money. It would be worse than Thailand and it would be hard to get a break anywhere. I arrived prepared to face it head on.

Well, so far, not much of that at all. The scooter taxi drivers and other street vendors accept "no" for an answer the first time around, and they smile. They're more lazy than invasive. I've only been tricked out of a couple dollars, and like my fishing adventure in Cambodia, it was more entertaining than anything else. 

The Vietnamese women have much more charm and appeal than those of any of the other countries I've been on this trip. The food is better also. Phở for $1.25? Yes, please. Other options are just as yummy. People are friendly and helpful. The country's climate and geography are diverse, offering a wide range of things to do. It's home to Ha Long Bay, one of the "New Seven Wonders of Nature." I haven't been yet but it's on the agenda. There is obviously some pretty mind blowing history between Vietnam and the US; however, I was surprised to discover that there is still a lot of evidence of it. In any case, I am a giant fan of Vietnam.

We spent five days in Ho Chi Minh and today was our fifth and final day in Dalat. It's all documented pretty well in the photos so I won't get into it too much here. I will mention a couple noteworthy things though. The traffic in Ho Chi Minh is ridiculous. It's a constant wall of scooters in all directions, at all times, with nothing whatsoever to indicate that traffic regulations exist. The only way to cross the street is to look straight ahead and go. Keep a steady pace and let the traffic work its way around you. 

I gave in to the comfort of home again and went to the movies again. Twice. I saw Wreck-it Ralph in 3D. You should to. We visited the War Remnants Museum and I was shocked to learn the details of the Vietnam War that I wasn't taught in school. It didn't improve my opinion of the leaders of our country. Here in Dalat, I saw a big truck reversing out of a driveway. Instead of beeping, it played the tune of Happy Birthday in a pitch identical to that of an ice cream truck. Today we rode mountain bikes 80 km.

Tomorrow, I'm on my own again. I decided that I need it again. I'm doing a six day motorcycle tour through the central highlands with a personal guide. I'm hoping that it will be the closest thing to the kind of exploring that I've been wanting to do all along. It's all off the beaten path and a guaranteed way to get a real taste of the local culture. There is a good chance that I'll be internet free until it's over.