I also went for a motorbike ride, I just had an hour with a female biker showing me around the city, only cost me £2, it was nicer holding onto a young female than a sweaty guy ;-)
I think that I can honestly say that I see more bikes here in 1 hour than I do in the UK in a full year. You have to see it to believe it.
Saigon is the busiest city in the world that I have ever visited, it just doesn't let up for a minute, there are just too many people and definitely too many bikes. It is even too much for me and I usually love all this but it is simply too much. I tried to have a breakfast today but was constantly hassled by hawkers, shoeshine boys, booksellers, watches and sunglasses etc.
I must admit though that I do admire the women that sell those books, they walk around with 40 (yes 40 I counted) books balanced on their hip, the books are tied together but it's still a difficult balancing act and probably heavy too.
I thought Manila was bad for noise and hawkers but Manila is like being in a library compared to Saigon, also in Manila, the armed guards stop anyone from bothering you whenever you are in their buildings (malls, shops, eating etc).
That’s another thing that I don't like about here, they have no malls or places like McDonalds where I usually jump inside when the weather is too hot, in Manila these places all have aircon so I can pop in there to cool down for 10mins. They don't seem to have aircon here except in the rooms of the hotels, even reception areas don't have it as they simply don't have doors etc and keep the areas exposed to the outside.
I couldn't live in this part of S.E.Asia, too many tourists, too hot with nowhere to get cool, too many people with bikes and don't speak English even those that do obviously speak it with a heavy Vietnamese accent. it's the opposite in the Phils their English is crystal clear and most of them speaka d English.
I much prefer the Phils and the woman are better looking there too !!! Mind you so are the men.. I mean that in a non-interested way from a mans' point of view.
The internet here isn't very good, it took me all evening just to get on to answer your comments and write this. BTY do you all check to read my replies to your comments ???.... well do ya.. if you don't I'm pretty good with a M16 ya know.
Mary and I are in the sunshine.... how is it for the rest of you....:-0
Bikes as far as your eyes can see
More of the same
He's a bit young
try crossing this road
If the road is too busy just use the pavement..........
4 comments:
Hi Gerard,
Bikes, bikes and more bikes, how do you manage to cross the road. There was a program about bike riders in London on the tv tonight. They are finding them £30 if they go through a red light which everyone has turned a blind eye to until now but the amount of accidents has excalated. One old boy in London has gone to his synagogue for x amount of years, it is on the corner opposite his flat but there is a busy junction between him and his synagogue, so he has to walk down his road take a bus one stop, get off the bus walk back to his church and reverse this to get back to his flat and it is only 100 yds across the road. You would know the place he lives in, it is a famous corner, no not Hyde Park something like Harries corner, Keith would know it but he is at the cricket club so I cant ask him.
Are there any cars? I bet you enjoyed your bike ride and you hung on a bit tighter and longer than you had to.
I read all your comments and will phone Paul to find out what he's doing wrong.
I am off work today, went to the docs and he said i've got flu, so have to rest and take plenty of fluids, so I'm having a lemsip and a cough bottle.
You'll be glad the wee barra is back online with her interesting tales and enjoying the good weather in Florida. At least you have something in common. The weather isnt too bad at the moment but I think snow,frost and ice are forecast sounds wonderful but one thing we dont need is aircon.....
Take care & God Bless
LOL
Anne not An An (sounds like a good hotel)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Take care
Hi Anne, Yes there are lots of cars too but bikes rule here big time, it's the way the culture has always been and of course the average worker doesn't earn much. With the biker yes I had to hold on very tight and she liked it, she said are you 45 ( I like it) and that I was very handsome... of course I know that she was being truthful and that she wasn't just saying that to get me to employ her again !! ;-)
I replied about Paul to Patsy a few days ago, is that you just reading it ?
Yes Mary now joins the sunshine club that I am a member of, we will both suffer in silence together !!
Hope your flu gets better soon, well at least you can stay in bed and have a good rest.
Take care and don't overdose on the lemsip....try some whisky I always find thats good for a cold.. actually I find that it's good for everything !!!!!
Hi Gerard, I have been on your blog all night, I had to go back to Christmas, so there was a lot of catching up to do... very interesting... My My you have done such a lot since I last spoke to you... the video of New Year was amazing they really put on a good show, very impressive, I did'nt realize New Year was that big in that part of the world...the pictures of all those bikes I just could'nt believe it, I guess its a cheap way to get around, and less polution than cars.. and now you've learned how to shoot with a REAL gun. you really have done a lot on this trip, I bet it's been worth every penny, it's been a trip of a lifetime...you should think of writing a book on traveling in the Phils when you get back, you could make some money and return and do it all again...that would be nice (says you) those vietcong underground tunnels are something else, no wonder the Americans could'nt get at them or find them, (interesting though) Also I had never heard the Starfish Tale that was a new one to me, its a good one.. Now you can see I have read all your blogs I could'nt believe the prices the Dentist was charging (million dollar smiles right enough) true saying.....will the rest of your stay be in Manila or do you still have more places to visit, you are way over the half way mark now, your time will be winding down, Noooooo I bet you are saying.. dont remind me, but all good things come to an end... at least you will have missed the winter in the U.K (so dont get greedy) as long as you come back safe and sound it's been a wonderful trip for you and all those memories that money cant buy. Gotta Go Gerard, Billy says what am I doing writing a book... so Goodnight and Godbless and take care of yourself, by the way I know how to work the camera I was talking to Gary last night and I could see Stuart learning to walk I was quite pleased with myself I was just fiddling around and it worked, do you have your camera with you? maybe we can compare our tan..ha-ha I dont have one yet... talk to you soon Gerard, luv from your big sister or wee sister Mary
Hi Mary or should I say wee barra !!
Yes I have done some things but I'm not sure if it was the path that I meant to take, visiting other places makes me a tourist, in reality I came here to see if I would want to live here, therefore I should have stayed in Manila to experience simply living there.... unsure ..
Yes please don't remind me about having to return to the UK.... it fills me with dread.
No I didn't bring my webcam with me but I can watch yours if you have yahoo messenger.... do you ?
I am returning to Manila on Sunday but first I am spending 2 days elsewhere, I am thinking of taking another trip to Macau, Hong Kong and China, plus a trip around Mindanao.
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