Vietnam, second day.

So, I've moved to a new hotel. The first one I was in, was pretty creepy. Very small, and full of bugs. I woke up the first morning, to find my water glass crawling with little bugs. It was an easy decision to pick up and move out. I am staying in a 3-star now. It's much nicer, to be sure.

So, I want to talk about traffic in HCMC. My first experience was pretty frightening, but now, I am pretty comfortable with it. Previously, I was a pedestrian, gingerly crossing the streets. Over the last few days, I've been able to be a passenger on the back of a motorbike. And it's not as bad as I thought. Actually, I am kind of impressed.

When I fist experienced it, I just didn't understand how it worked. The more I see it and experience it, the more it makes sense to me. The regular traffic rules that I am used to in Canada just don't seem to apply here, but that's OK. For instance - sidewalks are not really for walking. Pedestrians walk on the streets, along with the motorbikes and buses and cars. The sidewalk is where people park their motorbikes. There is no room to walk.


What I've learned about the traffic flow is that its very rhythmic and fluid. There is a natural hierarchy that applies (buses, cars, motorbikes, bicycles, pedestrians), but everyone knows it. It's very common to get to an intersection where literally hundreds of motorbikes will converge at once - and they all merge together, in an orchestrated blend of commuters. It's really something to see. If you need to turn at an intersection, you just slowly move your way over there. Signals are not needed. It's pretty clear you want to go there, cause people see you coming. If you need to enter traffic, and you're not on the right side of the road, you just go head first into the opposing traffic, and slowly work your way over to the opposite flow. It seems so crazy when you think about it, but having been on the back of a few motorbikes and experience it, it's really not that bad.

One other thing about the flow here of traffic in HCMC, is how noisy it is. Everyone honks their horns. In a non-stop cacophony. At first, I thought it was an aggressive thing. Like "get outta my way!". But, I've learned its more like "hey - I am here, look out - don't hit me!" sort of defensive honking. People honk all the time, but not to be mean, just to be helpful.

There are some traffic lights, but they are few and far between, and not really obeyed. "Sure, it's red...but that applies to all the people behind me!" And, honestly, I don't think they are really needed. People don't really believe them anyways.