After returning from the cushy cu chi mud tunnels, we got some food (ie, I ate Keema naan on the street while the others got American creations), we went back to the hotel. I blogged to you and shot off some emails, and then grabbed my bags from the others room and then was left to sit outside for the next hour. One left for a massage.. Said goodbye, and the other going to the airport with me approached me and said "why are you out here?" well I hadn't reserved a room and had nowhere else to go. So we left our bags and went out for what I thought was a walk. We didn't make it too far before the offer to stop for a beer and take in one final scene of saigon presented itself.
We walked the twisted alleyways, surprised by kittens around one blind corner. I felt like we were in istanbul.
Sipping our tiger and orangina, the cocktail waitress gave us rambutan an asked the australians to explain to us how to open it.. No,no were from the south I side. Hehe. We are fruit master gurus now.
Right now I'm in the Saigon airport looking out at a hazy sun setting on the city... To get here was unnerving. I don't even know if I want to be here..
Our can driver on the way here was clearly on something. He would pump and shake his whole body forcefully during the ride here. A young guy not a few years older than me, he demanded 160,000 bucks - ten more than the fee plus twenty I'd gotten out to tip him. Of course, even when I said I didn't have anymore and was sorry upon leaving the cab, he was angry saying that security would demand 160 from him, which I admit was what the hotel said the ride would cost looking back on it. But in the middle of this scene I didn't want to fork out my money wallet for a lousy 50 cents. So I maintained my position and walked away. He wasn't angry actually, he was just sad. Maybe I should have more of a heart, but I don't. How would I know or way or another? At this point I just want to get into the airport and away from people hassling me! His whole body was shaking from whatever drug be was on as I walked away.
Although this is no paradise. The whole terminal smells like the restrooms I passed on my way here - poop, big poops. An its about 78 and sticky in here.
The other Americans are both desperately wanting home food and culture... Hmm. And I'm here nammin' it up for another week. Is this what I want? Stomach unsettled, tired of giving tips...
The other American when saying goodbye to me today said: "be sure to try all the weird foods.. But I don't need to tell you to do that."
And then in the airplane some idiot decides to open the exit row window, which of course necessitates his removal and plane engineers to come in and reaffix the window. What a trip!
The whole flight was very different. Pay for drinks and souvenirs (because we're not flying, we're in a theme park!). People, instead of getting up to let others out to go to the bathroom, people dive into one another's laps, junk in the face, to reach the aisle. Thankfully no one graced me with this unwanted cultural assumption.
And I tell my hotel to pick me up two hours later than I arrive... Waaay past my bedtime, which is written on a stone and says "9pm, prompt." I am just fortunate to have conversed enough with the hanoian civil engineer next to me in the airplane to ask him if I can borrow his cell. Thankfully my hotel knows my flight number and already have the car waiting for me It's a dude who looks kinda like John s although short. He takes care of me.. Even though his striped shirt looks more like pajamas than business wear.
Ahh, I feel better here taking in the scenes and listening to the police's "regatta de blanc" in full on the hour long trip into the city. I feel like such an iPod whore after talking to an English teacher at the university who only has a toshiba mobile touch gadget. She's going to get an iPod from her American grandma in one year. I was trying to explain to her that I love my iPod. iPods. X3. Geeze it makes me sound like a rich prick! I only paid full price for none of them.. That doesn't help my cause. Anyway, god bless iPods for letting me stay in touch and spew so easily.
So I am enjoying the north a lot. Supposed to be more conservative and less friendly, but ca va thus far. The airport was pristine, ditto my car. People turn off their lights at night here. The area feels richer - looks neater, more cars, more order. There is less higglety pigglelty an riff raff and noise in the air. After my flight and sojourn in Bohemia, this is a good, more American change I think. No cars -in reverse - driving around the airport like my cracked out cab driver did with me. More like crabbed out. Ouch, I spoke too soon - there goes s can backing into a parallel parking space by cutting backwards across a byway.
I figured out from my seatmate that I was in the right about my cab driver - he was trying to while more money out of me for no good reason. The 10k he wanted is the fee that the car must pay to exit the airport. What he demanded though was 10k above the extra I tipped him, which yes was small. But he could have asked in a less cracked-out way. I was ignorant and in a position of power. Screw that!
What I knew of the grand cities of Vietnam before visiting them was that they were open to fb and played no bb. So foreign travelers feel right at home.
In other news where I'm going next was just havocked by storms which resulted in several deaths. Ugga. I hope that means tight and safe surveillance for me. We shall see what tomorrow holds...
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