Likes
1. Scenery was absolutely amazing.
2. Interesting people/culture that have suffered through many years of hardships but are progressing nonetheless.
3. Ability to travel freely and affordably

Dislikes
1. Constantly circling, aggressive merchants
2. Hanoi (specifically the pushiness of people)
3. Excessive honking

This is a very short list, off the top-of-my-head. I’m sure in hindsight there will be many more things that can go in both of these columns.

One quick note on Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): it was great. WAY better than Hanoi, and if I had the experience, I would have done the Vietnam traveling in reverse, starting in Saigon and ending in the north (This is one of the interesting things about Vietnam. You will inevitably do a lot of things wrong that will cost you time or money or both before “learning your lesson”. However, the chances are you will not encounter quite the same thing again so the lesson is a bit lost. Alas.) Anyway, Saigon is a bustling big city on the verge of becoming a true cosmopolitan city but it is missing the deceitfulness and constant noise (at least to the same degree as Hanoi). So, overall, I enjoyed it immensely more than Hanoi. It was a great way to leave the country, helping my entire Vietnam experience to sit incredibly well.

written by  GoBlue on July 7, 2007 from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
from the travel blog: Carl's Circuit
Send a Compliment

---

Mate I loved your descriptions of your travels. Considered adding a little more detail and becoming a travel writer. Very easy to read - right attitude - reflective.
Well done

written by  John Cumming on July 12, 2008

comment on this...