Walk Slowly

That’s what’s written in Insight Guides: VIETNAM page 276. I just can’t believe that our tour guide said exactly the same thing: “Walk slowly.”

Ho Chi Minh City, September 28 2009

For this last day of my first trip to Vietnam, I had already booked a local tour through Air Asia’s Go Holiday. The itinerary was half day touring Ho Chi Minh City by cyclo and by foot. When we had to cross a street, I and Tia automatically ran half insane through the swarming complete insane motorbikes. But our tour guide just smiled and said, “Don’t need to run. Just walk slowly.”

What?! Walk slowly? That’s worse than being insane.

However, our tour guide really amazed me. I watched her walk gracefully through the insane motorbikes but didn’t even get a scratch. It was almost like watching a circus girl jumping through a ring of fire.

Thinking that it was the last day of trip anyway, I decided to challenge the “Walk Slowly” method. And… to my surprise, the motorbike could keep their pace. I tried again several times on different streets afterwards and “Walk Slowly” did always bring me safe and sound across the street.

 

P.S.

Take care on the pavements – motorbikes sometimes ride up here too, says Insight Guides: VIETNAM. That’s true.