After reading the thread earlier today "Something I witnessed today" by undercover brother, I thought I had to share my experience from today...
(Sorry it is long 2 pages, but if you love to travel its a feel good story)
Spoiler!
Three days ago I arrived in Saigon, Vietnam. After a 14 hour bus ride from Cambodia into another country I really knew nothing about, other then the war in the 1970's, I was unsure of what to expect. I had not even glanced at the Vietnam section of "South East Asia on a Shoestring" yet. Before leaving Cambodia I had quickly wrote down a hostel with good reviews to stay at, but that was as far as my knowledge of Vietnam went.
I got into Saigon at 11:00am. "Where are you going sir? I'll take you"
I say "No no, I don't need a cab, I think it is close"...
To say the least, my first experience in Vietnam was being ripped off by a fake cabby with a faulty meter... I knew I was being ripped off within the first 5 minutes when the meter suddenly hit 150,000d... But I just mentioned that he better get me there in the next couple minutes... I would rather pay $10-$15 and not get taking somewhere and robbed, or beat up. All and all it cost me 280,000d ($14usd) instead of 28,000d...
"So... This is what Vietnam is going to be like"...
I quickly made a few notes of how to say the basics in Vietnamese, and took off to wander around the city and practise speaking to the locals. I was shocked how clean of a city Saigon is, and how friendly the people are. I spoke to many people and three people had mentioned to be careful about people approaching you in the park, who just want to talk and be friendly as they will ask you to go somewhere with them, and rob you... Government of Canada website said the same thing...
Walking back to my hostel that night I was approached by a group of students in the park. "Hello, you are our first victim today"
Turns out they really just wanted to sit and talk to practise their English. I sat and chatted with them for three hours, and I had mentioned to one of the girls I really wanted to get out and eat authentic local food. She said to meet her back at the same spot at 6pm in two days and she would show me the real Vietnamese food.
Same thing the next night... I went to the park, and sat and chatted with 10 different locals. I told them about Canada, helped them with their English, and they helped me with my Vietnamese. We all shared notes, and passed around our note pads showing how to spell words. I had put a bunch of pictures on my iPod of Calgary, Canada, and the snow... They all talk about snow. So I shared all the pictures and they were so excited to see pictures of Calgary, the mountains, and snow.
We exchanged emails and went our own ways after 4 hours of "class" in the park.
I showed up at 6pm to meet "Water" for dinner. I only waited about 3 minutes before she showed up. I was already talking to another guy who was 23 who wanted to practise English. Water mentioned we had to wait for her friend to come pick us up, because we were going to district 3 for dinner. She spoke very broken English, but we were able to communicate still. The three of us walked around the park for 10 minutes, and two other guys began walking slowly behind us.
I just kept smiling and laughing knowing I really didn't have much on me. about $15 cash and my iPod, but it was stashed inside a secret pocket in my jacket.
Her friend eventually got there, and she said he would take me on his moto to district 3.
Moto, in the rain, at night, in Saigon... Ummm it was a rush.
I never got robbed...
We went to a little two story tall restaurant and I told them to order for me. The most amazing food was quickly thrown in front of us... 2 different fish sauces, chilli paste, two plates of meat, a bowl of garlic, a bowl of bean sprouts, 3 bowls of noodles, a bowl of cucumbers, a plate of rice paper, and a plate stacked about 17 inches tall of about 12 differt leafy greens, and herbs... This would honestly feed 10 people, and they said we had to eat all of it... My last few bites had me gagging and almost puking I was so full.
The bill came, it was 260,000d ($13)... That included 7 drinks. I insisted I pay as I know $13 is a lot of money to many people here. They would not allow it. They said they know I will repay the favour next time we meet in life, but tonight I was their guest. I was truly blown away by the kindness and generosity that complete strangers have towards one another, with an incredible language barrier allowing us to barley be able to speak to one other.
So by just going with a gut feeling, taking a chance, and just going with it, I met two of the kindest individuals I have ever met travelling, in a situation that very well could have taken an opposite direction and got me robbed or worse. I truly feel lucky for this experience, and it has again opened my eyes to the amazing people who are in this world.
In a city that started off in a crappy situation being ripped off, turned into one of my favourite places full of the most amazing people I have ever had the chance of meeting.
__________________
"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
Last edited by drewboy12; 04-28-2012 at 08:53 AM.
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Reminds me of a night I had in Budapest, we were lost, and found a lovely young local. My buddy and I both head our heads shaved to the bone and could have look a bit nasty. She was more than happy to take up from where we were to out destination (my buddy was dying for a pint of the black stuff and had found pub). She took us through back alleys, and short cuts, and to the front door of the pub. She spook very poor english, but came in for a pint and a chatted a bid with us.
I have lots of other examples as well of people helping out travellers.
I am happy to hear you of your experience. Take care and enjoy the world. You will come home with a new apprecaition for what we have.
Cheers
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That's something that struck me on my travels as well: we hear so much bad about the world through our fear-mongering media, but in truth, the world is by and large a very friendly place filled by and large with good people.
It's a shame stories like yours aren't reported more often. It would give a truer perspective on the world.
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It's a shame stories like yours aren't reported more often. It would give a truer perspective on the world.
Agreed, I had one where we got lost in Beijing and asked (mimed or charaded) someone directions back to our hotel, and she insisted we follow her during rush hour(we were all on bikes) all the way back to our hotel.
Thanks to them we returned our bikes on time, got home safe and learned what I imagine it felt like to do the death star run.
Also, cab drivers. Going to a 2nd world country or even crappy 1st world country I find it nearly impossible to not get ripped off by cab drivers unless you research beforehand what a cab should cost (which I never remember to do).
I remember feeling pretty good in Peru when I said no to the first few guys that approached me offering to help me find a cab and found my own. $10 for a 20 minute ride from the airport. Not bad! Get inside my hostel and ask what it should have cost.... ~$3. Ugh.
Vietnam and Peru are pretty different in terms of taxis. In Peru you negotiate the fare beforehand. In Vietnam they actually have taxi meters.
That taxi driver scam in Vietnam that the OP faced though, where the fare suddenly jumps, is a common one.
What they do is when you get in the cab, they set your bags or something else in front of the meter to block your view of it then they drive off. Then they conveniently forget to reset the fare from the last passenger, so when you do finally get to see the meter it's your fare plus the last guy's, plus the guy's before him and however far back they can stretch it.
Always check that the guy zeroes out the meter before he takes off. Sometimes if they have a good fare going they'll get mad or pretend not to know what you're talking about when you ask them to reset it. In that case just get out of the cab and walk away. Usually at that point they'll start to understand you.
The Peru scam I faced most often is where you'd agree to one price and then you'd get there and the guy would insist that the price you agreed on was about 50% higher. That one was worse because at that point it's just your word against his.
Vietnam and Peru are pretty different in terms of taxis. In Peru you negotiate the fare beforehand. In Vietnam they actually have taxi meters.
That taxi driver scam in Vietnam that the OP faced though, where the fare suddenly jumps, is a common one.
What they do is when you get in the cab, they set your bags or something else in front of the meter to block your view of it then they drive off. Then they conveniently forget to reset the fare from the last passenger, so when you do finally get to see the meter it's your fare plus the last guy's, plus the guy's before him and however far back they can stretch it.
Always check that the guy zeroes out the meter before he takes off. Sometimes if they have a good fare going they'll get mad or pretend not to know what you're talking about when you ask them to reset it. In that case just get out of the cab and walk away. Usually at that point they'll start to understand you.
The Peru scam I faced most often is where you'd agree to one price and then you'd get there and the guy would insist that the price you agreed on was about 50% higher. That one was worse because at that point it's just your word against his.
Ya after a bit of research its easy to know the fake cabs from the real ones...
The thing with Vietnam, is they will get violent. Lock the doors (child locks) and have blacked out rear windows. They will also have "friends" waiting near by if you refuse yo pay, and almost always they have a weapon under their seat.
With the meter, it was zero, and as we started to drive it went up fast... to fast... Then suddenly jumped 100,000d. I have taken other cabs since then, and they start at 10d (1000d). a 10 min cab ride is about $4. It is much more expensive then cabs in Thailand, and they wont really negotiate a price here.
__________________
"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
It seems pretty common that no matter where you are in the world, if you get ripped off it is usually a cab driver doing it.
It must be a hard job for them to make any kind of profit though... Gas prices are the same everywhere I have been in Asia as they are in Calgary. About $1.25-$1.30 a liter... Yet I am paying $4 for an hour cab ride in crazy traffic in Bangkok... How is that guy possibly making profit on a trip like that?
But that doesn't change the fact... I very much dislike dishonest people while travelling because the "majority" of western travelers will just pay what they say. So they have become accustomed to over charging, or ripping off...
When I get a very honest cab driver, I always tip, even if the tip is only $0.50 they are grateful and appreciative for it. That's like getting beer, or a meal.
__________________
"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
I just got back from a business trip in Shanghai and while there something happened that made me think of this thread.
I was there with a colleague of mine and we didn't have much time to see the city. So, we flew in at about 10am, checked into the hotel and by 11am we were catching a cab to the "Bund": a touristy area in the downtown district of Shanghai.
The place was very busy and we didn't know what to expect. We'd heard some not-so-great stories about Shanghai so both of us were on high alert, especially with the dense crowds we were facing. Within 2 minutes of us getting out of the cab I was stopped by 3 young Chinese people who asked me to take their picture. After the photo we struck up a conversation and they insisted on showing us around. They looked harmless but I was still a little wary.
To make a long story short, they were Chinese tourists from Inner Mongolia who had only arrived in Shanghai a couple of days before. They ended up showing us around for 8 hours, took us to a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, bought us dinner and then called us a cab. Every time we tried to buy something they insisted to pay. These were young people who didn't have much or any disposable income and yet they were very generous with both their time and money. But more than the time and money was their friendliness, openness and general good demeanor. I honestly don't think I've ever had that kind of experience with a complete stranger before.
This isn't an amazing story or particularly usual and that's what makes it even better. Every once in a while people are awesome. It's nice to be reminded of that on occasion. I'm a better person, at least in the short term, for having met my new friends from Inner Mongolia.
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Cool story. I want to go to Vietnam next year. Any recommendations?
I was there in 2007 during the Chinese New Year. The Tet is a great time to go. This coming year it's on Feb.10. If you were to go at that time you would need to book travel well in advance. It seems like the whole country is on the move then.
For me, the Cu Chi Tunnels were a highlight. Read one of the books on the tunnels first, (like the "Tunnels of Cu Chi") and while you're scrambling around the 3rd level of tunnels in absolute blackness, shoulders scraping both walls, think what it must have been like for a VC or a Tunnel Rat to live or fight in that environment. Amazingly, the Tunnel Rats were volunteers. Serious Cajones.
Halong Bay was an awesome tour as well. If I go again I would choose to make this an over-nighter or at least the full day. The 5 hours we did was not enough for me.
Water Puppets show in Saigon was worthwhile.
War Museum in Saigon was very moving if not disturbing. Lots of stuff Mr. Cronkite didn't show you.
Cities of Hue and Hoi An are worth the time if you have it.
The American Airforce base in Da Nang is impressive just for it's size. I wouldn't make a special trip to see it but we flew into it.
Silk factories are good tours and you can pick up some nice stuff cheap.
Our dollar is good right now as well. In 2007 we got about 13,000 Dong to the Dollar. Now it's almost 21,000.
This post has brought back some nice memories.
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Yea Vietnam offers your everything from posh beach resorts to your hostels and budget hotels. Delicious cheap food, with every city kind of having their own "known" dish. $1 bowls of Pho, $.50 bowls of noodles, right down to $0.15 drought beer in Hoi An.
You have your tropical areas, your mountains, beaches, forest trekking. Its a small country that will offer a lot. Busses are easy to book and travel on. Costing about $1 per hour traveled. Trains are more expensive here, about double to triple the cost of a bus.
I won't lie, Vietnam, I have kinda stuck to the backpacker trail. Saigon-Nha Trang-Hoi An-Hue-Hanoi-Halong Bay-Sapa... Saigon is a beautiful city, filled with very friendly people. Enough there to keep you busy for a few days. Nha Trang is your "hawaii" of Vietnam. Lots of Russians, lots of young backpackers who want to do nothing but drink and party. The beach is huge though. Very clean, nice clear water, and verrry hot! It is also extremely cheap. I paid for my hostel, beers and two meals a day and kept my spending at $10 a day for all of it. Hoi An, if you want a very well made tailored suit, or any article of clothing made for you. Any pair of shoes, then Hoi An is th eplace to get it done. I believe there is over 600 tailors there now. Your looking at about $200-$250 for the best made suit in the city, but can opt for cheap materials and go as low as about $80 for a full suit. Custom dress shirts will run you about $15, any pair of shoes will run you about $15.
I am currently in Hue, the food is great, its awefully hot, and the people are friendly. Quiet after about 11pm, and offers a few day tours to some tombs, the DMZ, and there is also the citidel/purple palace (not that great to be honest)... I will be biking the tombs tomorrow. As for the north I have yet to get that far... But so far, Vietnam and the people have blown me away. Very nice, very accommodating, very cheap.
Ill be coming back in a few months and buying a motorcycle and head South-North in the interior to get a better feel of the locals. Highly recommend Vietnam to anyone.
__________________
"we're going to win game 7," Daniel Sedin told the Vancpuver Sun.
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Something I experienced today travelling...
