I’ve been in Ho Chi Minh City (known as Saigon by the locals) for the last few days and aside from being swindled by a taxi driver and rushed off of an Army tanker by a local I’ve had a good time 
I would seriously trade in my car for one of these
I met two German girls and a young Aussie guy on the bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon and we’ve been hanging tight for the last few days. Since I’m such a genius 😉 I had already booked my accommodations before arriving and the three of them wanted to tag along. We arrived at the bus station (and by bus station I mean a random parking lot where several buses decided to park) and were immediately stampeded by a group of taxi drivers waiting to whisk us off to our guesthouse. I always say “No” and take a few minutes to get my bearings before I agree to anything. Or ask a local (not a taxi driver) for directions.
The girls had a book with a local map inside and we asked the taxi drivers to point to where we were. One guy was kind enough to show us and he was also very eager to take us to the guesthouse since he was confident he knew exactly where it was. Perfect! Or so we thought. This cat packed the four of us and all of our things in his little Toyota Corolla sized taxi and drove us around for a good ten minutes. The guesthouse was down an alley so we were dropped off on a main street. The taxi meter read something like 453,000 or 45,300. It was apparently broken 😐 Since I’m such a genius I forgot to check the conversion rate before I arrived (which I NEVER do) but the Aussie guy told us it was about 20,000 Vietnamese Dong to 1 US dollar. The taxi driver demanded $15 US for the fare. I got in the front seat with him to examine the meter further and ask him if it was indeed broken. The fact that I only paid $12 for a 6 hour bus ride made this 23 second cab ride seem rather ‘spensive. I gave him a few side eyes but we paid anyway.
Oh but the extra special “Jokes on your dumb asses” happened when we realized the bus station was around the corner from the guesthouse. No more than a 3 minute walk. The cat had drove us around in circles and dropped us off on the back end of the alley. 😐 Nothing like a good old scam to unite four people from three different parts of the world. We’ve been laughing uncontrollably about this episode every second we get. We also REFUSE to take a taxi anywhere. Which means we’ve been walking in the blazing hot sun around Saigon for hours on end.
Trying my hand at being a coconut salesman
I’ve had a really good time and unlike some of the mentally unstable and downright cooky people I’ve met on the road so far these three have been good company so far. There’s a twenty year old Aussie guy (a younger version of Simon Baker (the white guy from the movie “Something New”) who we call our little brother since we’ve seemed to naturally take him under our wing. He’s been hitchhiking and sleeping on the floor in houses of random local people for free during his travels. I’m extra impressed that he hasn’t been chopped up in to several pieces or robbed of all his worldly possessions.
The two young ladies from Germany are cool also. There’s the 31 year old is the over-thinker and planner. She just finished her Ph.d and is on a much needed break to figure out her next steps. The other is a 26 year old who’s quirky and definitely definitely in a world of her own but still sweet. There’s never a dull moment with her around.
My Vietnam crew
I figured if neither of the two has gotten on my nerves during PMS and my period (sorry male readers for the TMI moment 
) I must really like them. We’ve decided to travel together up to Hanoi, Vietnam or until I get sick and tired of traveling in a group. Whichever comes first…knowing me it will probably be the latter .
Smile you’re on candid camera
Because sleeping on the job is acceptable in Vietnam
I know I said I was done with the traveling with strangers thing but sometimes I crave human interaction on another level. I miss intriguing conversations and really getting to know people. Deep conversations beyond the superficial and generic dialogue that you engage in with other travelers or even locals. I’m actually having that now. Learning about these ladies and their lives back at home. It’s a much needed change of pace for me.
Speaking of change. I think it’s time for a change of scenery. Sand and sea anyone?
Next stop….Mui Ne, Vietnam