Once in the country, there are a few things that may help you to acclimatise relatively quickly (and if not, they may help you to accept some things faster).
As we mentioned in the previous edition, beware of some people trying to make a quick buck off you. If you stay in District 1 you will soon understand what we mean. From the moment you set foot outside your bedroom door, prepare to be harassed by hawkers trying to sell you anything from sunglasses to DVD's, books, lighters, hammocks, decorative pop-up cards or even maps (the map is a useful investment, come to think of it!). If you happen to make eye-contact, you automatically become a potential buyer. Should you decide that you do, in fact, desire one of the products on offer, remember this: Even though they may seem cheap, they have been marked up massively and the seller expects you to negotiate a little. The best way to do this is to low-ball him/her straight up. They will know that you are interested, but not stupid. There will be some form of 'poor me', sympathy card pulled out by the seller, but stand your ground. Once you have knocked some of the price off and got him/her working for the sale, walk away. Most times he/she will pursue you and drop the price even more. Getting the price you want isn't easy, and we have been ripped off plenty of times, so expect it to happen, especially in the 'backpacker district'. The turnover of tourists is massive, so the street sellers have become pros at their trade.
You may want to get yourself a sim card for your cell phone, so that you can be in touch, and in case of emergencies (like getting lost - but more on that later). Getting a sim card is pretty easy, and we did see micro and nano sims available too (for iPhone owners). Airtime is sold on almost every street, and smsing is cheap.
Converting certain currencies is easy enough, especially in District 1. US Dollars, Canadian Dollars and the Pound seem to be the most recognised. We wouldn't suggest bringing Rands over and expecting anybody to know what they are though. Throughout District 1 there are shops who will give you Vietnam Dong (VND) for your Dollars, and it'd be wise to shop around a bit for the best rate. Some people will accept dollars in the place of VND, but at a standard exchange rate which is not in your favour.
This post has been pretty negative so far, and in reality you will find that the Vietnamese are (generally) very happy, helpful people. They almost always have a smile on their face, and are happy to point you in the right direction if need be. From our experience, they are very image conscious and most of them are petrified of the sun. They cover up every inch of skin when outdoors. This seems crazy because, while it is cripplingly hot, you frequently see people donning hoodies over their clothes to keep their skin as pale as possible. These hoodies, in turn, often obstruct their view, giving them a kind of tunnel vision - especially when driving their scooters.
Now, one of the most terrifying parts of visiting Ho Chi Minh City has got to be crossing the road! There are a few guidelines to mastering this daredevil-like stunt: Firstly, find a zebra-crossing if possible. Better yet, a traffic light. If there are locals near you, stick to them like glue and follow their lead. With regards to who has right of way on the road, its safest to work on the old 'the biggest goes first by default' rule. In other words, don't step out in front of anything bigger than a scooter. Once you have selected your place of crossing, perch yourself on the edge of the sidewalk facing the on-coming traffic (I use this term loosely, as people ride their scooters on both sides of the road, and both sides could technically possess on-coming traffic!). Then, pick your moment. You want enough day-light between you and the traffic that they see you are in their way, but don't wait too long, otherwise the very small window of opportunity may (well actually, will) close. Take the leap of faith and step into the chaotic swarm of scooters that is Saigon traffic. Do not hesitate, do not hold hands and most importantly, keep your eyes on the in-coming, low-lying, scooter shaped missiles coming at you. The scooter drivers generally slow down and swerve around you, but it's advisable to remain vigilant throughout the road-crossing manoeuvre.
Getting lost is very easy when you first arrive (we managed to turn a 15 minute walk into a 2 and a half hour adventure on our first full day!). Our advice is to get a map as soon as possible - but make sure that it is detailed and shows every street name. Plot each journey before you leave, and check the map frequently to make sure that you are on the right track. Look for easily recognisable land marks (shops are not so good, because quite a few shops have the same name, and franchises have a little store in just about every second street!) and make note of them on your map. If you have a GPS or a maps app on your phone, this could come in very handy.
The food in Vietnam is fantastic, and we strongly recommend that you try the little street venders. Most meals amount to a meat (beef, chicken or prawn), veg (a type of Chinese cabbage-thing, onion and sprouts), a broth (the contents of which we should probably remain naive to) and noodles of some variety. Prices differ from stall to stall, but are usually very reasonable. You will almost definitely be plonked down on the side of the road, onto of a miniature plastic chair and around a table too low to fit your knees under. But it is FANTASTIC!! The beers are usually in stock, cold and cheap, so be sure to ask. Another delicious option is the baguette sandwiches available at similar street vendors. If you have a sensitive stomach, or don't like fatty meat, ask for vegetarian.
Another thing about this city, which is rather different to little old Howick, is the pollution. With so many scooters clogging the roads, there are (obviously) quite a lot of exhaust fumes floating around. For this reason, the majority of the riders wear masks to cover their mouths and noses to help minimise inhalation. It is also common to see somebody walk out of their building and throw some rubbish (sometimes in packets, sometimes not) into the gutter. You would assume that the streets would be filthy and look like a rubbish dump, but they don't. There are people whose job it is to wheel big, metal skips down the road and pick up any litter. They sort through the rubbish afterwards, finding objects to recycle. It would make sense for people to sort their own recyclables before throwing stuff away, but that doesn't seem to happen here.
Ho Chi Minh is a mishmash of oxymorons, and it is interesting to observe the (sometimes absurd) way that wealth and poverty mingle without even batting an eyelid. This is part of what makes this such a fascinating city to visit, and you can only truly appreciate it once you have experienced it for yourself.
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