Yawn,
~lights smoke – coughs up a lung~
Where were we? I’ve been hanging out in Ho Chi Minh City today doing this and that and got some bad news. My ipod is dead 100% and my camera will cost half the original cost to fix, screw that. Tomorrow I will go shopping for electronics, Vietnamese style.
~flicks ash out window~
Ran into Mr. X again today, we joked, laughed, smoke cigs and drank really strong coffee that I paid for at local price, oh yeah. For dinner, we hit up this street vendor I saw people eating at earlier. Turns out he’s on the cover of some big magazine in Ho Chi Minh City, his name is Mr. Lam, he makes great eats. Also, he charges $0.50 or 10,000 dong for a beer. Most other places charge like 25-35,000. Let’s say myself and my British friends left a large case of bottles at such discounted prices. Be a champ and drink “Saigon” which is a hefty 455ml a bottle.
~clears throat, Asian style~
I’m not feeling so well, I need to rest. Also, I recruited some guys for the Mekong Delta Tour. Four people are definitely in, myself, an Aussie guy and 2 blokes from Britain. My 2 British friends may be in as well. Tomorrow I will wake up and clear enough phlegm from throat to give some bald guy a green hair do. Following that, I will call Mr. X and get him to take me camera shopping. He knows all the places and he’ll bargain for me, tooth and nail.
I actually saw him before going into camera shop, he was like, they call me and tell me how much, he said way too much, you should buy new camera. Mr. X is correct, AS ALWAYS! Now that I think of it, maybe he was waiting there for me? No, it’s a moto hang out.
~flicks ash in cough syrup box~ – how ironic
It’s weird as I sat here, looking at $1000 worth of digital equipment that is now only useful for paper weights… You don’t know what you have until it’s gone. I didn’t treat this stuff with respect and this is what I got. Hey, I met a guy who had been on the road 10 months, he said he went through 3 cameras, I feel much better now, yes I’ll admit it.
Ok, it’s 1:15 am, stocks are up, I’m gonna sell some stuff to lighten my load considering who knows what is going to happen next according to my “indicators” aka guys smarter than me who get paid to do this stuff for a living while I eat at Mr. Lam’s. Ok, they may not be smarter than me and I may not sell anything. If you leave your $$$ in some bs GIC where you get 1% aka castrated for being a saver, why not throw it in the market, if you make 2% you just doubled your crappy GIC. Think Blue chips with yields, yes?
Look you, “security is NOT the meaning of life, great opportunities are worth the risk”. I got that from my student hand book in my final year of High School. I needed a quote for my awkward grad photo so I opened my “planner” for the first time (seriously) and it landed on that page. I live by that, so should you.
I have much to say, but it escapes me.
Tips hat,
Tags: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
What can I say, other than … GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!! I had a most horrific sleep of I don’t know, let’s just throw out hmm say 5 hours? I woke up, half asleep in some kind of day dream, wondering where the h3ll am I? Oh yeah, I’m in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam aka Saigon for you “old schoolah’s”. Also, now when I leave Vietnam I can say things like “When I was in Nam” hahaha.
First, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has the craziest traffic I have ever seen, it has like 90 million people and I think all of them are on motor bikes at all times, seriously. I mean until you have been here, you have no idea. NO IDEA!!! I thought Bangkok was crazy, ha, it’s nothing. That said, Phnom Penh is crazier than Bangkok. I saw things like ladies yelling at dogs and the dogs jump up on the scooter and sit behind the lady as she bombs through traffic. This place is ALIVE with lights everywhere, constantly stuff going on despite the ~midnight curfew (I know, buzz kill). Crossing the road requires aggressive patience. You have to be patient for an opening but aggressive enough to take it or you will never, ever cross the road. It’s organized mayhem, it’s majestic.
I took the bus yesterday, yes? I sat around until I had 25 minutes until the bus came, ran to my guest house, packed like a rabid rob and rolled down the stairs into the foyer. I buy a ticket and she says “you’re late, take a moto taxi, NOW”. I say “sure”. this moto guy was mad, I would have gotten his number, it was fun, it was a trip.
As I’m sitting in the bus, I ‘m like I DO NOT WANT to leave Phnom Penh, I love it there. It’s just… I knew exactly what I’d be doing for the next few weeks had I stayed, all my friends who have been there, you know exactly what I’d be doing. Just hanging out… It’s “all good” but I feel like moving on. THAT SAID, Phnom Penh, Cambodia is on my top 5 places to relocate for say a winter of work, cheap everything and pure chilling. I even sheepishly asked the bus driver to stop the bus haha. Ok, back to Vietnam.
So yeah, roll out of bed and hit downstairs, this place I’m at is pretty pimp for $10US a night, yo that’s $300US a month BEFORE negotiating a long term rate, sick, yes? Anyways the wifi blows and isn’t steady but next door is. I go next door and they are full. I pay for the next night (reserving) in exchange for their wifi, so I’m using their wifi now and move tomorrow, I’m proud of myself.
I find this place that fixes iphones / ipod touches, then go to this place to get my cam fixed, since it’s not a licensed whatever I figure I’ll shop around a bit. That’s when I meet “Mr or Captain X”. He’s a moto taxi guy. Let me tell you how I met the next charismatic character in this most jovial journey.
I’m smoking a fag and enjoying some freshly squeezed OJ for breakfast, he comes over and is like “want moto” I’m like No but kinda one of those “no but maybe?!?” so he keeps kinda hanging around and comes over… I see him chain smoking and already like the guy, then he shows me this book. THE BOOK.
The book was actually 3 books, with maybe 100 testimonials in different hand writing and languages that he’s legit. Most people also leave their email. Most emails say “Hey, I bet you met Captain X somewhere in Saigon, he approached you, you were hesitant, chill out it’s all good and then goes on to say what they did together”. He offers tours of the city and exclusive tours of the Mekong Delta which involve eating King Cobra, drinking snake blood, having your own boat with him and a guide for 3 days or 5 days through islands, fishing, anything you want really. He knows the area very well and I even took some of the peoples emails, but there were so many people writing stuff and the dates, I’m sold and I got a good vibe.
I digress,
After sorting out the camera by finally finding a licensed canon dealer, we sit down and drink some coffee and I read more of the book. Turns out he loves to smoke and drink coffee, I will quit one day but for now, my kinda guy. The book has countless stories all basically the same. He approaches you, you go with him, he shows you everything, he drives safe. He does drive safe, he does speak decent English and was pretty cool.
Since my camera was in the shop, we went to his house to borrow his camera but couldn’t get it working. I met his wife and his daughter and his grand kid. His daughter married a Welsh man, that’s pretty cool if you know my roots.
I sit there, have a smoke, drink ice coffee and eat dried ginger and mangos. He drives me home (doesn’t ask for anything) I take his number and tell him I will call him tomorrow. Once I get my camera I am going to go on a tour around the city with him, for sure. On a side note, some of them were even solo women travelers. I have LOTS of respect for women who do this solo, as a guy it’s one thing, as a woman it’s definitely more intense.
After that ran into these 2 Brits I met on the bus, go to the War Remnants Museum. That place is creepy and some of the stuff done to Vietnam is horrendous. The US dropped 100 million litres of dioxins on the country(mainly agent orange). 85 grams of “Agent Orange” in a water supply could kill a city up to 8 million people. All the mutated kids and stuff it was sad, since going I’m noticing more and more people with defects. I recommend going, it’s not pleasant but I’m glad I went.
Lots of photos of just pure carnage and cruelty like dragging people behind tanks, disemboweling children, killing whole villages, marines holding beheaded people, burning people alive with napalm(photo below). This is a #!$!#$ed up world we live in, seriously. I just can’t get my head around some of the stuff that I saw. Horrendous stuff and the worst part is the number of civilians that were killed, atrocious.
It’s also weird how back home, where nothing like this has happened… People walk around with $1000 outfits, $800 iphones and drive $50,000 cars from their $350,000 “first home” to their 5, 6 or 7 figure job with a frown on their face… Also, people don’t smile because their teeth aren’t “perfect”. Here? You see people with very little and the worst dental hygiene ever smiling and just being happy. I laugh more with strangers in Asia than anywhere I’ve ever been, I love laughing, so do they. Like I said last post, life is actually simple, it’s too bad as humans we’ve made it so hard for ourselves…
When you start to think of the cost of war, you start to realize that everyone is basically a peasant. I mean where do these hundreds of billions and trillions go? Really? Where do they end up and who or what “controls” it?!? If you go to war and a country spends 780 billion dollars on weapons, does that go to privately held weapons manufacturers? I think so, where does that money go? Also with that kind of money, what kind of “pots can you stir” to further enhance the demand for your “products”? It’s messed up, the world is like an onion with 99% of the population thinking they know it all, when in reality, they are just the skin on the outside with so many bitter layers below.
Now? It’s almost 8pm, I’m chilling in my guest house about to take a shower. After that I’m going to chill out until I get a knock on my door to go out and have a late night snack with my British friends.
I’ve been told it’s Monday, let’s hope the market has a most magnificent melt up, shredding the sordid scowls off the faces of those seedy short sellers, indeed.
Tips hat,
Tags: Cambodia, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Vietnam
I’ve been hanging out in many bars and cafes, watching the world go by. I’ve been walking down garbage filled streets that are equally filled to the brim with life. From the critters in the garbage to the few dogs you see, everyone and everything is just “going about their lives”.
I think as humans we’re kinda screwed, we’re almost too smart for the game of life which should be so simple. You see many people here, from all walks of life and all countries. Living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is an interesting place where you will meet people from around the world.
Life here is easy, very easy and reasonably cheap. It’s not cheap if you hang out in a nice part of town with many affluent Khmer people and expats. Still cheap compared to anywhere I’ve ever lived, might I add. People around here eat $5 breakfasts, drink ~$2-4 for a beer but hang out in impressive venues.
I’ve met many expats and a wide range of occupations including but not limited to: Lawyer, Communications Managers, Teachers, Brew Masters, Reporters, Hoteliers and Entrepreneurs.
At night, in front of this monument I don’t know the name of but may have been told, great light show. This occurred last night, a Saturday night. There was this massive fountain with music like this song I should know which is really epic and involves canons or invokes the imagery of cannons being shot at pirate boats from gents with white wigs and yellow teeth. The jets were turned on and off in accordance with the music, classy stuff.
Tuk Tuk drivers or motobikers will slowly approach you from behind and say “tuk tuk or moto”. You look back say no thanks… They keep following you (not in a creepy way) and you turn around and start laughing (in a friendly way) “No, no tuk tuk” and they start a true from the core of your gut laugh back and drive off looking back one last time, JUST in case you changed your mind. I love that stuff.
Walking down the roads, you’ll be asked for many rides from many characters. If you sit in one of the countless cafes River side you will be accosted by children trying to sell you books and see some weird people. If you venture to Lake Side, you will be in the backpacker hang out. Supposedly it’ s going to have the lake filled to build condos and whatnot, may be end of an era.
If you go out at night, there are countless bars to go to. Most are within a ~$1-3 tuk tuk / cheaper for a moto. If you have lots of people in a tuk tuk, he’ll want more, it’s all about the gas consumption with these guys, time is irrelevant (within reason), I’m digressing. Pontoon was great and had a very mixed crowd of Khmer and expats from everywhere, everywhere. The bar setting was different, floating on Mekong, long walk way to get there. There is security who will search you at the front, more of a “pat down” really.
Not many dogs in this city but lots of cats, not even that many cats really. I have a few guesses why but I’m not sure. Also, there has to be plenty of rats but I have yet to see one, I’ve seen some movement but that’s it. In Kuala Lumpur I saw armies of them and even bigger armies of cockroaches.
Not much street food out and about right now and the carts are much inferior to say Thailand, also the wares look much less appealing. Lots of mini stores though, sadly, this place is very poor.
You see people selling old fruits and what not, sitting in a slightly shaded area off a main street. There children are in a makeshift hammock attached to an electricity pole and a grid iron fence. In contrast to this, you see some of the nicest cars in Asia, driving around in abundance. Lots of Benz’s here and I’m not talking C or E series. I’d say 70% of all the mercs on the road are higher end of the S class.
Lots of interesting monuments in the middle of major arteries and interesting architecture. Lots of barbwire and gated fences everywhere, of course. Also I do believe that “security is one of the big employers here. The traffic here is so “whatever” that most places even have an attendant simply to stop traffic for patrons to get out of fancy boutiques or other places of business from say a law office to a restaurant.
If you ever were to give money to someone in one of these countries, I’d give it to a kid who picks up cans. They are already starting a trade. Even more importantly, they aren’t begging. They aren’t scared to work and took the best opportunity they could. I know it’s not a lucrative one but there isn’t a lot of money circulating here, lots of money but not much circulating if that makes sense to you.
Lots of NGO’s here, tones tones tones. Maybe I should start one… PCS4People? You organize with like minded individuals who control different aspects of the operation and get all those old gov and institutional PC’s and send them here. Then hire people to teach them basic computer usage. Once that skill is in place it opens a door for so many possible occupations from data entry to programming.
Lots of gambling here, it’s really big, like almost everyone does it. You always see people sitting on online gaming sites. Sometimes, go into a cafe later at night and like 5-10 local dudes all playing next to each other. Many expats play as well.
There is a strong sense of disorder which oddly enough mutates into a new form of order. I’m not sure which form of order is best in the short or long term. I will note that I believe North America babies their citizens like they are total morons. So many restrictions on so many things that there really shouldn’t be.
It’s 11:32, I need to check out by noon and catch a 1Pm bus to Ho Chi Minh city. That said, if I go tomorrow it’s no big deal. Every day I spend here, I feel like leaving in the afternoon but keen to stay in the morning. Each day something new which is interesting occurs.
Tips hat,
P.S: My ipod is dead, gone. My digi cam has a lens error and my pc’s battery is dead. This sucks.
Tags: Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Good day,
I chatted with my mom on skype, first time in a while, it was lovely. Shortly after I went for 1 drink and a smoke, a fine way to retire @ ~11PM. I arrive, have my smoke, have my drink.
I begin chatting a lady from England who is going to Sihanoukville at 2am, sounds interesting. As our conversation begins to come to a close, this gorgeous Canadian girl shows up. After a few minutes, I ask if anyone in that group is from Canada (I already knew). Now we’re chatting together. Turns out her, her bf and this other couple with other randos are going to a club, I’m invited.
I go to a club called Pontoon, it was floating on the river, Mekong I do believe. It was basically a hard house / funky house rave that was floating on the river. Stayed there a while, met some new people and left. By “awhile”, I mean I stayed until the music stopped and it was getting light out.
Suffice to say, I got back to my hotel room at 2:25pm today and quickly passed out for 3 hours, now I feel human, human enough to share this, with you. Now that I’ve tasted the night life a few times here, I can safely move on to Vietnam… My visa is expiring after all and I’m still here as I’m too lazy to pack.
I have run into like NO BACKPACKERS here at all, just expats. Most seem to like it, most have aged faster here than back home and most have mixed emotions about the place. At night, I’d say it’s not safe but safe. It’s safe enough as long as you assume it’s not safe and act accordingly, make sense? All I know, is I do not want to get stuck somewhere. The world is huge, lots of places are cool for 5 days, 5 weeks, but 5 years!?
I walked through part of downtown at dawn with some people and had no problems. At 8am when a girl I was with walked out of a minimart, her purse was stolen by moto thiefs, it happens SO FAST. She went to curb to get a cab, lifted her arms and at that exact time a moto came by and snatch purse. Her neck is bruised and it was gone before she even could think about it.
She predicts they waited for her to come out, I think maybe they just went for it? Who knows. Supposedly lots of street level justice here. Meaning, had they been caught… Who knows. When she told some moto drivers they got all annoyed.
You see, from what I’ve learned is that in many countries like this, many people have no money. It’s a fact of life. If everyone STOLE there would be no one to trust. So especially among people with very little, NO ONE wants a thief in their neighborhood. The main “robbers” are people with guns, people who a vigilante mob would not chase after.
A friend said someone threw a brick at him from a car last night, I’m not sure I believe that. Spoke with some other people today about walking at night, they agreed once the “witching hour” is out and about, wherever you are, always best to be in a moto. Kinda makes sense though, yes?
I’m off to have some satisfying and filling food.
The internet sucks here so bad, I feel paying $1us a day is still being ripped off, it’s that bad. I can’t even surf.
Tags: Cambodia, Phnom Penh
