We were told many things about Vietnam and especially the Vietnamese in the weeks preceding our arrival here. They came from many sources, all well informed and based on experience which gave us reason to believe them.
Overwhelmingly, we heard that the Vietnamese are greedy, grouchy, sometimes deceiving and often dishonest. We were also warned that we might suffer from malnourishment and frequent harrassment. After hearing all that, it's a wonder we didn't pack up our bags and fly straight to Nice. Luckily, we did hear some great things about the freshness of the food, the wonderful scenery and the incredible cheapness which extends to everything.
So far, all of our experiences have been incredibly positive. Maybe, it is lucky we arrived in Hue rather than Saigon or Hanoi or maybe when one expects the worse, the only way is up. It's true that we have to haggle harder and be a bit more aware of how much things should cost and learn to tune out from the constant solicitations for taxis, cyclos, clothes, food etc... But at this point, Vietnam is looking like it could become our favourite destination in South East Asia. Most people we have come accross have been very helpful and charming, the food has been splendid and so affordable and we have really enjoyed walking around the streets, bustling with scooters and rambling colonial architecture. It was even a bit chilly in Hue which was such a relief from the constant heat.
So, so far so good and let's hope it lasts. We are not dellusional though, we know we will experience some setbacks but good first impressions do wonders and when someone snatches money out of our hands or refuses to give change back, we will try and hold on to them.
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