Rob Maisel
  • Home
  • Rob's Blog
  • Travel Blog
  • Travel Photos
  • About Rob
  • Contact Rob
  • Rob's Work
  • Order My Book: Transform Through Travel

How Many Tricks Can You Possibly Have Up That Sleeve?

5/8/2012

0 Comments

 
The initial taxi ride in from the bus station to Hanoi ended a bit abruptly when our taxi driver refused to take us to our hostel and dropped us by the lake (though we did initially say the lake).  He tried to charge $5 USD more than he agreed (initially trying to charge $10 USD more than what was fair).  He would not initially open up the trunk to let us get our bags.  This quite bothered me so I just began taking it from the backseat, and then he opened it up. 

On a separate occasion, A Vietnamese girl came up to talk to me (the first yet)...so I was receptive to her.  She asked where I was going (seeing my map in hand) and proceeded to say she had a few relations in the USA.  Once she mentioned that she was a "student" a bell went off in my head, and sure enough out came the card, with some well-crafted words about Red Cross.  I gave her the "I'm not an idiot" gesture and walked away.

Another time, some French folks and I were whirled around the tourist lake and the meter zinged up an incredible amount, when the actual location was quite close.

Fast forward to the bar I went to my last night in Hanoi.  I thought the taxi driver was trying to trick us, but he legitimately got lost.  Got to the bar, they tried to charge us more than three times the already overpriced amount...that did NOT happen. 

My overall advice for Vietnam (in main cities primarily):  DO NOT TAKE TAXIS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO.  IF YOU MUST, SECURE A LEGITIMATE ONE WITH YOUR HOTEL.  AVOID MOTO TAXIS.  IF YOU GET A BAD FEELING, FAKE FLIRTING, TOO NICE, ETC. AT A NIGHTCLUB OR BAR, JUST LEAVE.

So, now I am in Hoi An, a BEAUTIFUL little town in the middle of Vietnam's coastline!  The old part of the city reminds me a LOT of Lijiang in China, with all of the beautifully lit-up lanterns and bright and fancy-looking lights!  Next stop should be Nha Trang, a beach town on Vietnam's Southeastern Coast, before heading down to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    March 2022
    December 2021
    July 2021
    August 2020
    February 2020
    March 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    October 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    February 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.