AmyHuang
The true meaning of TRAFFIC and road rules
After my visit to my sponsored child (please see previous entry) I spent another four days in Vietnam in Hanoi. Unlike the rural area where Thi-Lan lived, Hanoi is a bustling city with drivers that simply have no fear of each other.
Being alone in Hanoi I thought I’d seek local advice on how to see the city with limited amount of time. The hotel staff, extremely helpful and friendly told me that it would be the best way to visit every part of the city, especially for solo travellers as local public transport is both unreliable and slow.
I watched as an old off-white scooter pulls up at the door of the hotel; it was too late to back out. Ming, my guide, assured me that he had taken many tourists before and that he’s never had an accident. I took a deep breath, and climbed aboard.
One block into my trip, my heart was pumping with anxiety. As much as I wanted to trust Ming, there is just something about his scooter that made me nervous – was it the speed he is riding at? Perhaps the mechanical noise that keeps on coming out of the exhaust? My heart nearly jumped out of my mouth when Ming started riding onto the wrong side of the road. Oh when I mean the wrong side of the road, I mean the side where incoming traffic was coming at us heavily. I thought I was already on the brink of my death with buses and mini-vans were close enough I could reach out and touch them. However, somehow, the traffic seem to avoid each other by just a few centimetres and the incoming traffic, honking the hell out of their horns, still did let a little way for us. It's like playing chicken, except I was on a small crappy old scooter and the opponent mainly heavy trucks with very loud horns heading towards the airport with their cargos!
In Hanoi city, there are more motorbikes and push bikes than cars, however they follow the same sort of "rule". The only rule there is that everyone seem to follow is to honk louder than everyone else and let way to those who has a louder horn. They just honk at anytime for no apparent reason. They drive on the left, right, middle as well as on pedestrian footpaths. Crossing the road is like playing some sort of game where you need to dodge things, but you only have 1 life. You must look left and right at the same time, calculate the time and steps you need to cross after a particular vehicle so that you can pass it and continue with enough time to cross in front of the next incoming vehicle after having just missed the one that's coming on the opposite direction. Took me a while to get use to it and now I am the queen of J-Crossing.
Traffic lights don’t work. In fact, I don’t think I saw any lights that were ‘switched on’. Large intersections just become a bit mix pot of vehicles and people having a go at each other. They just drive on without consideration, drivers, riders and pedestrians alike, all cross and go everywhere at anytime. There I was, on the back of a scooter for about 1 hour touring the further side of the Hanoi city and that really challenged my courage.
Once you get past the traffic, Hanoi is not a bad city. Grey and dull as it is, the locals are happy and friendly. Hoan Kiem lake, right in the heart of the city is where many early risers meet and do some group exercises. A rumoured 2 meter turtle also takes its residence in the lake, although it never came out to greet me. Shopping is great where you can find quality tailors that will make suites and dresses at attractive prices. I bought myself a set of traditional Vietnamese dress for a mere US$10. What a bargain.
One thing perhaps not to miss is the water puppet show. It's a form of traditional entertainment in Vietnam before the invention of radio and television. Colourful wooden puppets controlled with long sticks attached to their arms and legs which dance to traditional music performed live in a theatre that is more of a pool than a stage. It's interesting and is a good way of experiencing some folk music and traditions.
Architecture in Hanoi has been influenced by many cultures and religions from its past. Pagodas scatter around the city along with colonial churches and government halls. The Tran Quoc Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam built in the 6th century. The chaos of the city seems to disappear as soon as you enter this incense filled pagoda, as if the gods have created a sanctuary for people to escape to. I offered incense and prayed for my safe return to the hotel on the scooter. My chauffer waited patiently outside.
I find that it's quite safe to be walking around Hanoi, if you take common sense precautions as a traveller. People are generally very friendly to foreigners, and hotel staffs are very helpful in pointing you to the right directions. What I love about Vietnamese people is that they are so positive about life - their "tomorrow will be a better day" and "at least I am not dead" attitude is incredible.
Just one precaution though – always eat at a place where menu are marked with prices. A good $4 can get you quite a good meal in a café, and is more likely to be safer on the stomach as well.
City centre Hanoi
Being alone in Hanoi I thought I’d seek local advice on how to see the city with limited amount of time. The hotel staff, extremely helpful and friendly told me that it would be the best way to visit every part of the city, especially for solo travellers as local public transport is both unreliable and slow.
I watched as an old off-white scooter pulls up at the door of the hotel; it was too late to back out. Ming, my guide, assured me that he had taken many tourists before and that he’s never had an accident. I took a deep breath, and climbed aboard.
One block into my trip, my heart was pumping with anxiety. As much as I wanted to trust Ming, there is just something about his scooter that made me nervous – was it the speed he is riding at? Perhaps the mechanical noise that keeps on coming out of the exhaust? My heart nearly jumped out of my mouth when Ming started riding onto the wrong side of the road. Oh when I mean the wrong side of the road, I mean the side where incoming traffic was coming at us heavily. I thought I was already on the brink of my death with buses and mini-vans were close enough I could reach out and touch them. However, somehow, the traffic seem to avoid each other by just a few centimetres and the incoming traffic, honking the hell out of their horns, still did let a little way for us. It's like playing chicken, except I was on a small crappy old scooter and the opponent mainly heavy trucks with very loud horns heading towards the airport with their cargos!
Traffic closing in....
In Hanoi city, there are more motorbikes and push bikes than cars, however they follow the same sort of "rule". The only rule there is that everyone seem to follow is to honk louder than everyone else and let way to those who has a louder horn. They just honk at anytime for no apparent reason. They drive on the left, right, middle as well as on pedestrian footpaths. Crossing the road is like playing some sort of game where you need to dodge things, but you only have 1 life. You must look left and right at the same time, calculate the time and steps you need to cross after a particular vehicle so that you can pass it and continue with enough time to cross in front of the next incoming vehicle after having just missed the one that's coming on the opposite direction. Took me a while to get use to it and now I am the queen of J-Crossing.
Traffic lights don’t work. In fact, I don’t think I saw any lights that were ‘switched on’. Large intersections just become a bit mix pot of vehicles and people having a go at each other. They just drive on without consideration, drivers, riders and pedestrians alike, all cross and go everywhere at anytime. There I was, on the back of a scooter for about 1 hour touring the further side of the Hanoi city and that really challenged my courage.
Once you get past the traffic, Hanoi is not a bad city. Grey and dull as it is, the locals are happy and friendly. Hoan Kiem lake, right in the heart of the city is where many early risers meet and do some group exercises. A rumoured 2 meter turtle also takes its residence in the lake, although it never came out to greet me. Shopping is great where you can find quality tailors that will make suites and dresses at attractive prices. I bought myself a set of traditional Vietnamese dress for a mere US$10. What a bargain.
One thing perhaps not to miss is the water puppet show. It's a form of traditional entertainment in Vietnam before the invention of radio and television. Colourful wooden puppets controlled with long sticks attached to their arms and legs which dance to traditional music performed live in a theatre that is more of a pool than a stage. It's interesting and is a good way of experiencing some folk music and traditions.
Water puppet theatre
Architecture in Hanoi has been influenced by many cultures and religions from its past. Pagodas scatter around the city along with colonial churches and government halls. The Tran Quoc Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam built in the 6th century. The chaos of the city seems to disappear as soon as you enter this incense filled pagoda, as if the gods have created a sanctuary for people to escape to. I offered incense and prayed for my safe return to the hotel on the scooter. My chauffer waited patiently outside.
Offer an incense for a prayer
I find that it's quite safe to be walking around Hanoi, if you take common sense precautions as a traveller. People are generally very friendly to foreigners, and hotel staffs are very helpful in pointing you to the right directions. What I love about Vietnamese people is that they are so positive about life - their "tomorrow will be a better day" and "at least I am not dead" attitude is incredible.
Just one precaution though – always eat at a place where menu are marked with prices. A good $4 can get you quite a good meal in a café, and is more likely to be safer on the stomach as well.
