2 questions for you:
Question #1: How often, in the midst of your work, stress and frustrations, you say to yourself that you wish you can get on a holiday and not care about anything?
Question #2: How often, when you are finally on a holiday, you end up caring too much about getting from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ and hitting ‘x’ number of attractions?
Recently, I got a message on Facebook from a friend asking me for tips on traveling in Vietnam. Before I could answer him, he said: “Please don’t tell me to sit back, relax and watch the world goes by. I know this is your favorite thing”.
Err, isn’t that a GREAT advice?
4 tips on how to enjoy Vietnam:
Tip #1: Sit back, relax and watch the world goes by. Sorry Mr ‘T’, this is still my best tip 
Tip #2: Be realistic. If you are paying US$8 for a room, please, do not complain that the hot water is not hot enough.
Tip #3: Be forgiving. Know that Vietnam is a developing country. And people in a developing country will sneeze without covering their mouths, cough in your face and knock onto you without apologizing.
Tip #4: Do your homework. The more you read about Vietnam, the more you’ll know and the more you’ll be prepared. Examples; there are scams, it rains quite a bit starting from May and not all attractions are open during lunch time.
Your turn now. Give us more tips on how one can relax in Vietnam. Drop us a comment below.
I guess going there with an open mind is important. The stigma of Vietnam being an unsafe destination appeared to be a common mindset among some of the people we spoke to at home.
Sure, there were crooked taxi drivers around in Hanoi when we were there last October. But generally, it was a safe place (as long as we exercise reasonable common sense) and the Vietnamese whom we spoke to were humble folks.
We couldn’t understood their language but we smiled a lot and people reciprocate. We stood side by side with the locals when crossing the busy streets. I guess, this is what travel is about, to take a step back, relax, and order a cup of excellent Vietnamese Coffee and while watching the Hanoi’s Old Quarter goes by.
P.S. sorry if I’m off topic.
Roy
Not off topic. Lovely comment instead. Thanks for dropping by Roy