I’ve hit my head on low bars more so far on this trip than on every other trips combined, and that’s a lot of trips! The hardest is getting in and out of the tuk tuks, but I’ve done it entering buildings, leaving buildings, going through gates, heading into toilets at restaurants, and in other ways too.
Even when I see it coming, I sometimes whack my head. But, I’m becoming more aware, and have found myself ducking even when I don’t need to.
It’s weird, because the stair risers are so high, despite the fact that the many short people who live here in SE Asia have short little legs. So the low doorways offset the high stair risers, when logically these countries should have low stair risers. Trust me, when you have a bad knee, you notice how hard you have to work to take the stairs. I miss having two working knees.
At home, we don’t eat a lot of SE Asian food, but it’s all been very delicious. Carol was pretty nervous before coming down about the food, but she’s enjoying it so far. I was semi-nervous (mostly for her), but a lesson from this trip is that we need to explore more Asian restaurants back home.
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, as Americans aren’t supposed to criticize foreign cultures, but the amount of littering is out of control. I’ve read that studies show 90% of the litter in the ocean comes from Asia, and based on what I’ve seen in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and now Vietnam, I believe it. Do I know for a fact that 90% is the right number? No, but I do believe, just based on what I’ve seen, that it’s at least 75%. Africa is casual with litter, but they are amateurs in comparison.
Last night I saw two younger men throw litter towards a trash can on a Hanoi street. Steph Curry they are not, as it hit and bounced off into the street, where they left it with all the other litter. SMDH.
Maybe they need an ad in SE Asia with a crying Buddha to change the very casual attitudes toward litter.
In Hanoi, and crossing the street IS the Frogger game I’ve heard about. Bun tells us the worst thing we can do is run, because it may throw off the calculations of the scooter and car drivers. So in Vietnam you are more likely to be hit whilst trying to avoid the traffic than if you look them in the eye, stare them down, and make them stop.
In Thailand and Laos, the streets are not quite as crowded, so pedestrians don’t take thei lives at risk as much. Except when they walk along on the road, usually about a quarter of the way into the lane. And they walk with traffic, not against it like you are supposed to. But in Thailand and Laos the danger is less to pedestrians, and more to the scooter/small motorcycle riders who want to break the laws of physics and have two vehicles occupy the same space at the same time.
To be fair, I haven’t seen an accident yet, although I’ve seen the aftermath of some. Not much damage, as the vehicles can only go so fast, but still, the near collision rate must be higher than in New York, Boston, or European cities.
Now that I’ve written this post, I got hit last night during a walking food tour of Hanoi. It’s not as bad as it sounds. . .a guy on a scooter got too close to me and lightly tapped my calf muscle with his front wheel. I wheeled around (pun intended) to confront him – he quickly said “sorry” and drove off. So, any trial lawyers reading this, I’m unable to bring a lawsuit.
The cucumbers in Southeast Asia are the best I’ve ever had. Cucumbers in the US don’t taste nearly as good. . .we’ve actually stopped buying regular cukes, and instead go with baby cucumbers, which still taste really good.
Carol was sick yesterday in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. It’s never fun being sick whilst traveling (Editor: So you are saying it’s fun being sick at home?), but she did get a kick out of the fact that her first time throwing up that day she barfed just outside of Ho Chi Minh’s masoleum. “My dad would have been so proud,” Carol quipped the next morning when she felt marginally better.
(Carol update: After being down for the better part of two days, she had breakfast this morning here in Hanoi. We fly to Saigon today, so that will chew up a chunk of the day.) She's been sleeping a lot, but since she doesn't like puppets and her stomach was too dicey for the food tour, either one of those activities would have made her throw-up again. (I don't share Carol's disdain for puppets, as I have always a huge fan of the Muppets!)
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