HCMC - Saigon Day 1 - Ripped off

Thursday, December 1st, 2005 - Saigon, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

My flight out to Saigon was out in the afternoon, so I secided to get to the airport about 3 hours prior just to get everything I needed. I took a taki out in front of the hotel. I hate doing this because the guys that sit here ask for ridiculous sums of money and refuse to use the meter. Knowing the cost to the airport and taking the tollway to Don Muang (about 250-300 B), we negotiated 350B including the tolls (I know I'm bitching about $9 USD, but if you let someone walk over you, they'll continue to do so all the time)

We get to the airport without incident and pull up to departures. I only have 500B and 1,000B notes. Shit. I'm not about to give this guy more than negotiated. A litle fortune smiled on me as the taxi driver behind us had change.

Second bit of good fortune, I didn't make any reservations prior to leaving for HCMC. The guidebook, stated that there would be plenty of places available for good prices. As I was trying to get change I struck up a conversation with a guy that had just returned from Vietnam and gave me the card to a hotel which was around $20 perr night. I decided to use the card and go to the Thanh Long T@n Hotel. (www.thanhlonghotel.com)

All this time, my eye has been really bothering me. June and my friend Pae were really concerned and thought that I should go to the hospital. I figured that I just got something in my eye and it would eventually wash out and I would be ok, but it was really red and hurt a bit too.

I checked in with Vietnam airlines with no incident and paid the international departure tax of 500B, got my departure stamp from the Kingdom of Thailand and was off to Vietnam.

Flight:

Nothing really exciting here to report. Quick flight of about an hour. The food was decent and flight attendants of Vietnam Airlines were very nice and professional. Actually a pretty pleasant flight experience (like Bangkok Airlines).

Arrival:

Tan Son Nhat Airport (a.k.a Saigon Airport) is about 5 miles away from central HCMC and probably hasn't changed much since 4/15/75 (more on this later)

Immigration:

Looking back now, I'm suprised that I was even let into the country. My left eye was so red and wattery the immigration official did give me a look before stamping my passport and letting my into the country. I grabbed my one checked bag, got a taxi to the hotel (165,000 Dong about $10USD).

My first impressions of Vietnam and probably the first thing that anyone would notice were the vast amounts of motorcycles and scooters. Most people can afford either of these, but autos are real expensive. Traffic is everywhere and honking horns is standard when driving.

I checked into the hotel and took the $20 per night room with A/C and satellite tv (which had mostly Thai television along with HBO and Star Movies channel) and headed out for a drink.

I must have walked around for a good half hour before I even found somewhere to drink. I wound up getting into a taxi and went to one of the main streets where tourists are. For the past two weeks, I've been hanging out with mainly Thais and not too many Westerners, so walking into Allez Boo was a bit strange seeing mainly Westerners. It was pretty hot out even though it was 9:30 or so at night, so I ordered a large Tiger Beer, a glass of ice and a large bottle of water (about a liter and a halfe bottle).

I was enjoying my beer on ice when one of the local kids (could have been anywhere from 16-22) asked me if I wanted to play pool. I should have said no, but had been playing pretty well in BKK and decided to give it a shot. Now pay attention, because here's where the story gets good. The kid says how about 20,000 Dong a game (a little over a $1)? I say fine to that, in fact I know he said 20,000 Dong. After losing to first, going double or nothing on the second and getting run off the table (long tables, not bar tables, so I was missing everything on the table), I grab 40,000 Dong and decide to head out.

The kid with all seriousness, says, "No that's 400,000 you owe me." Alright, I know better than to bet in pool against a local (just like I know to not play cards with someone named after a city), but I'm being taken. I calmly, well as calmly as I can, state that we were playing for 20,000 per game and if we were playing for anything higher, I would have not played in the first place.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. I know the whole 'Face' thing in Asia is in play. This guy has lost face, because I've called him out. I'm not so sure why I haven't lost face though. I grab 200,000 Dong, hand it to him and tel him that's all he's getting from me. I then grab my big ass bottle of water, and head out a different exit quickly and duck down an alley where there's a few Westerners.

I'm not afraid of one person who was considerably smaler than me. I'm afraid of six to ten guys jumping me and beating the crap out of me for $12.50. Life is still cheap there. A story was later told to me about a guy that managed a bar that had people selling drugs there. The manager had kicked out a dealer there and some hours later had a cleaver burried in his skull.

I decided to take a seat at this table outside and try to have a relaxing adult beverage. As I approached, a guy asked me if I wanted a table. I asked if they had a pool table. After he said no, I took a seat with my back on the wall facing the street.