Taken for a ride in Saigon!!!!

About 8:15am on Tuesday 22 July I touched down in Hoi Chi Min City, or as known to the locals -SAIGON!!! It is here that I begin to generously fill the pockets of the Vietnamese with my poor negotiating skills.

Once making my way through customs and obtaining local currency from the ATM it was time to tackle the many taxi touts that awaited for my exit from the international airport. I was aware that there were two ways of getting a price to the city centre a) was to jump in to a taxi with a meter and then once at the other end see how much it was going to cost you or b) negotiate a price before you go. I opted for 'b' without really realising it. I thought if I asked how much it would approximately cost then I could jump in and ask for the meter to go on but unfortunately this is not how it works and I was committed to the price of $7us. (I asked the guy to put the meter on when I got in but he just looked at me and said "$7us is the price"). So here was my first encounter of paying too much (but I did think to myself that if I have to pay $7us that it wasn't soo bad).

Once my taxi had delivered me to the area that I wished to stay in it was time to find a bed for the night but before I could even start looking I had to tackle crossing the street in this crazy city. There are pedestrian crossings on the larger streets but on the smaller ones it is just a matter of waiting for a gap in the traffic and start walking. You need to walk at a slow place, definitely no rushing, and make your way across the street as motor-cycle after motor-cycle weave around you. Cars don't tend to do this so it is important to make sure that you can get across before the next large vehicle comes by.

Once safely across the street (I cheated a little and waited for a local to cross and went at the same time) it was hotel finding time. I walked around for about 5-10 minutes becoming hot and bothered about it all. Soon though I was approached by a guy on a motor-cycle asking if I needed some help. He said that he could take me to a nice cheap hotel and it would cost me only 30,000 dong ($2). I was a bit hesitant and he acted on this and said that if I wasn't happy with the place he took me then I didn't have to pay him. What could be wrong with this and I was happy to have some assistance. The first hotel he took me to was full and I was a bit disappointed as it looked so nice but then he took me to another just up the road a few metres away and they had vacancy - yeah. None of the cheaper single rooms for $7us were available but I was happy to pay for a double room with aircon and TV at $13us. I was tired from my flight which I had no sleep on and I wanted something reasonable to stay in for my first couple of days (although now that I am staying in a $5aus a night homestay I am realising how I enjoyed those little extra comforts)

I first viewed the room (very important before agreeing to stay as it could be a s***hole) and I was delighted to see what my money was getting. A very clean room with a nice bathroom, TV and aircon oh and positioned at the back of the hotel so very little street noise.

I then went back down to reception to register with my passport and pay my hotel finder his finders fee (about $2.50 - this included a bit extra as I was more than happy with his find). He then wanted to take me on a tour around the city. It was all a bit much and I was soo tired that I agreed to go on a tour a 2pm once I had had a chance to get some zzzzz's.

I wasn't getting much sleep so I got up an hour before my tour to go in search for some lunch. I decided to go safe for my first meal and because I was feeling quite hot and hungry wanted just some bread to fill my tummy so I opted for some garlic bread. (Vietnam had French settlement at one point and you can find good baguettes, coffee and pastries here). It was tasty and filled the spot and at a $1 inlcuding a bottle of water I wasn't going to complain.

Back at my hotel my tour guide was in search form me. No way was he missing out on his meal ticket. We had discussed a price earlier on at $3us per hour. I had no idea what the going price but thought it sounded OK. So on went my helmut and then it was off to join the 3 million motorbikes that ride the streets of Saigon (only 100,000 cars join them). Riding around on a motorbike in Vietnam is a real high. You weave in and out and dodge all of those around you and they do the same. I witnessed one crash between 2 bikes and I'm sure I will witness many more before I leave.

Between buzzing in and out of traffic, the afternoon was spent visiting the Imperial Palace, Temples and a large market. After arriving at a temple it started to rain but it was shortlived. We then proceeded to the market and within 5 minutes of arriving the heavens opened up. It was torrential and it wasn't short lived. After about 30 minutes or so it was still raining (but no longer cats and dogs). My guide was obviously keen to get me home as he found me and bought me a rain poncho for the trip home. Water was now laying everywhere and some of the streets were knee deep. My guide dropped me off around the corner from my hotel. I thought this a bit rude and a bit odd as he knew where I was staying as he took me there. I soon found out why though as the street my hotel was on was totally flooded. I hade to wade my way back in knee deepwater for about 300 metres. This was my introduction to monsoon rain and I thought that this must be a daily occurrance only to find out later that evening that rains like this only occur about twice a month (it does rain every day during monsoon just not that much) and it was an unusually hot day (37 degrees - hotter than they have had for weeks).

My guide tried to charge me double than what we initially agreed on - here we go - but I stood my ground - well almost. I paid an extra 20,000 on top of the agreed price (that's about an extra $1.30- don't think it will break the bank just yet). I have no idea if I got a bargain or paid too much but either way it was great way to be introduced to the countries capital and also a lot cooler than pounding the pavements by foot. I returned to my hotel and sat out the front for 10 minutes or so and watched the traffic make its way through the flooded street (nothing stops the traffic - even knee deep water).

After a bit of TV watching (plenty of english speaking tv to watch - even the Australia Network) I ventured out for dinner. It was time to eat!!!! Now I know that I have ventured into street eating on my other travels with a venegence but this is only after a few days of dipping my toe in as we don't want to spend the entire trip sitting on the toilet bowl. The key to street eating I have found is patience - little by little until you can go full steam ahead.

I wadded back to my lunch time haunt as the menu was in both English and Vietnamese. I opted for the stir-fried vegies and rice as nutrient's were needed after my afternoon adventures. It was very yummy and a steal at $1.50.

1 day and 1 adventure over with many more too come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!