Crossing the road in HCMC is pretty exciting. I guess driving or riding a bike there is more so. The trick to cross the forever busy road is to just walk on confidently. Somehow the motorists will sway by you, behind you, in front of you and since the speed they are going is almost 30km/h, it's pretty safe to cross. At times, I feel it's easier to cross the road in Vietnam than in Spore. However, the constant friendly horning is still something I need time to get used to.
Most of the days we were driven around by Vic's dad. You can ride a motorbike at age 17 here. There are no strict rules on the roads or even if there is any, no one really follows here. Many times we see motorbikes close by the car and we are always surrounded by hundreds of them. Lately they have the law that every motorists need to wear the helmet, so you don't get to see the long flowing hair of the ladies on their bikes anymore. But you can still see the family of 4 riding the bikes in ease. It's amazing how they managed to fit in more than 2 people comfortably on the bikes.
There was one night when Vic and his cousin, Vu, came on their bikes to pur hotel to pick us up. But his dad was worried that we may not be used to taking the bike so he came by in his car too. In the end we took the car as it was raining and have Vic and Vu on their bikes following. And that was the night I forgot to bring my camera! So I didn't take any pictures of Vic on his bike. haha. Good thing his dad came in his car. As we were reaching the area where his house is, the roads were flooded to knee high. I've not seen flooding like this. The car went through fine. So Vic and Vu were asked to park their bikes at the front of this shop (one of the many shops owned by their family) and get into the car. In order not to damage his expensive shoe, our vain Vic walked in plastic bags covering his feet to the car. Safely on board, we proceed to his house for dinner.
The front of his house was flooded.
bikes and bikes
it requires skill in packing and controling this.
reader k | 12/16/2008 04:20:00 PM |