Upon arrival to this city, it being nothing that i could even relate to, I was exactly what you see in the picture. I figured, something, anything, in this city would give me some sort of comfort. Hell, I’m surrounded by more food then I’ve ever been and couldn’t open up my mouth to even order because I strayed away from where people speak english. I was chained to a tree, very hungry, wondering how the hell did this trip turn out like this so quick.
You want english, you pay…55.000 for a bowl of pho, which will taste like shit, they won’t smile at you nor will they make any effort to show that they are thankful that your me chong ass is purchasing food from them, but they speak your language and this is what you think you need. Simple conversation seems priceless when no one understands you, even eye contact, as it isn’t so common here.
Out of no where, I gave up. I realized there is better soup, and it shouldn’t cost more than 15-17.000. Pick a hut, a vendor, someone at ben thanh market, something that you are afraid of and it’ll blow your fucking world away. So what they can’t understand a thing you say. You point at food or your belly “Pho Ga!?” all is said and done. One or two minutes you have a perfect bowl of pho in front of you, and you can tell the people (family) who is running the shop is thankful for your business. Prices aren’t marked, they can charge you what ever they want and know you will pay it (thinking you are getting a deal) with a smile and a big thank you but instead they basically give it to you for free. Cafe sua da and pho ga for 25.000 (17.500 = $1) (!!!!).
The guesthouse (Miss Loi Guesthouse) that I’m staying at is tucked away down two alley ways. I would have never found it as its a 15 minute walk away from pham ngu lao (stereotypical in a very good way) backpacker district. 
13$ a night (SOOO much nicer then the 15$ a night I was paying for a small, small room with one crappy bed), I leave my room key at the desk and I don’t have to worry about shit. They don’t even want my money until I check out. I love it. I could leave my laptop (if I would have brought it) in the lobby with a stack of money on top of it and it would be there two days later. I wake up (no later than 545am, its impossible to sleep in here, I don’t know why, but you wake up when the city wakes up, again another unexplainable feeling here) to free breakfast consisting of fresh pineapple, banana, banh mi, tea or coffee. Again, life doesn’t get any better then this. Keep reminding yourself this, because it does. (somehow)
Unexplainable feelings have pretty much been the entirety of this trip. Sad thing is I have to leave this town in a day or two to head north. Very hard to believe, but this trip gets better as you head up north, then through Laos, Cambodia, then back down. I’m traveling to places I never imagined I would do in my lifetime. I’m one of the lucky ones, fortunate to have felt these feelings, and even more so because there is a good 4 weeks left in my trip. A few videos are up on my flickr. I can’t promise you that I’ll have an update, or any at that, in the near future. We will see how things go, but I’m sure you will hear more than enough one I get home.
“pick something you’re afraid of and it will blow your fucking world away.”
…. isn’t that the truth.