When planning to travel to a foreign country, especially one with a culture very different to the one you’re used to, there are two things you’ve got to keep in mind. The first and foremost is how to survive, if you haven’t got this part down before you travel, needless to say it’s not going to be the greatest trip. The second, only to be considered once the first is assured, is how to make the most of your adventure. Next week I’ll be posting an article about this latter aspect, but for now, here are 4 things you need to know to survive in Vietnam.
Walking across the road is more difficult than you’d think
In the big cities of Vietnam, such as Hanoi, there is only one rule to the roads, that there are no rules. Hundreds of Mopeds, tuk-tuks and buses flood through the city’s roads, a vehicular torrent splashing across the hot concrete. If you try waiting on the sidewalk for the cars to stop, you may be there for several decades. However there is one method which’ll help you survive in Vietnam. Once you’ve taken a step off that sidewalk, just walk at a consistent pace and don’t stop! Whilst the drivers might not stop for you, they will adjust their speed based on how fast you’re walking. Despite the flashes of colour dashing either side of you, just keep moving and you’ll be fine.
Leave the kitchen sink at home
I learnt this the hard way last year. I packed a huge hiking bag, filled with a Gatsby-amount of shirts, a plethora of shorts and a luxuriously thick sleeping bag. This wasn’t the greatest idea, as sometimes you are dropped off far away from the location you’re staying at. Suddenly, what could have been a pleasant walk through the beautiful Vietnamese countryside, amongst the tweets of its indigenous birds, is transformed into something entirely different. Your vision of the trees becomes blurred by pouring sweat, and the birdcalls are obscured by the sound of loud panting. Now yes, this might seem a bit drastic, but it is a realistic possibility, which can be avoided if you’d like to survive in Vietnam. First of all, in almost all of the areas you can travel to washing will be available for your clothes, which will cost about 2 dollars for an entire load. In the rural areas where there is no washing, it’s probably okay if you smell just a little for a couple of days. A sleeping bag is definitely unnecessary, it’s so hot there that you don’t need anything so warm. I’d recommend a thin cover or blanket and say you do feel chilly one night whilst staying in a hostel, owners are normally more than happy to provide extra sheets.
You are a walking dollar sign
Even though poverty rates in Vietnam have been declining for the past few decades, as a Westerner travelling there, you’re often in a much more privileged position than the locals you meet. But what does this mean for you? It means that at times you might feel the people you meet are being a bit pushy when trying to sell you their goods, or a little repetitive when asking if you’d like a tuk-tuk ride. But just go into your Zen place and keep your cool, remember these people are simply trying to make a living. For the same reason, try not to haggle too much when perusing the many eclectic markets you’ll encounter during your adventure. The amount of money a snickers bar might cost you at home, could be enough to sustain a Vietnamese family for an entire day.
Always carry toilet roll… Seriously
Now anyone who has ever travelled into a different culinary culture is likely to put this at the top of their lists on how to survive in a foreign country. The quality and hygiene of the food across Vietnam can vary greatly, and unfortunately it is often the most unhygienic places where you get the greatest tasting food. For example, when I was in Hanoi for several weeks last year, I was desperately searching for a true taste of the city’s famous delicacy, a noodle soup called pho. I had tried several restaurants but didn’t feel like I’d hit the mark. The most popular places with the locals were these kitchens that opened up onto the street, surrounded by small green and red plastic stools. At night such venues were thriving, so I resolved to check one of them out. And wow, it was without doubt the best pho I’d ever had. The noodles were perfect and the spices were numerous. I slept that night feeling I had cracked the code. I mean sure the menu didn’t specify what kind of meat was in the pho, and sure it didn’t look like the cleanest place ever but hey, exploring the unknown is what travelling is all about… Oh, how naïve. The next day I took a 4 hour coach journey with some newly made friends to Haolong Bay (A place that’ll feature in next week’s article). There I was, dreaming of my wondrous meal the night before, and then suddenly I no longer had to imagine. Now there is no need for detail here, but let’s just say those new friendships were tested, and the situation was not made better by the lack of toilet roll in every service we stopped at. So if you’ve taken anything from this list, please take this advice and also some toilet roll with you when you next wish to survive in Vietnam.
So there we have it. 4 tips to ensure you survive in Vietnam, tune in next week to check out tips on how to make the most of your Vietnamese trip!
4 Essential travel tips to survive in Vietnam
