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CURRENTS
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Be prepared for an adventure. Be patient and flexible. Most roads are in poor condition and, in Ho Chi Minh City, are crowded with pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes. Getting around will not seem as simple or as quick as it does on the map. On the other hand, the countryside is beautiful, and most Vietnamese love Americans.
• Learn a few Vietnamese expressions. Cam on means thank you. Chao is an all-purpose word for hello and good-bye. Frequent use of these two expressions will win you appreciative nods and bright grins. • Don't limit yourself to Western food experience where the locals eat. Don't stay away from all "street food," unless your stomach is easily upset. However, don't drink the tap water and avoid ice. Don't eat uncooked fruits and vegetables unless they're peeled. • In restaurants, do not order items that are not on the menu, and always ask the price of a drink before you order it. Be aware that small dishes of snacks which appear on the table cost money if you indulge (and are charged per person!). In many restaurants, you may be charged for fresh hand towels. • Rice and soup stalls can be identified by signs reading "Com Pho". The Vietnamese eat dinner around 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Your best bet for a late meal, after 8:30pm, is usually a hotel restaurant. • There is nothing more refreshing on a hot day than fresh coconut milk (nuoc dua), perhaps sweetened with a bit of sugar. Coconut milk is as hygienic and safe to drink as the vessel it is served in is clean. Perhaps the best vessel is the coconut itself.
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Tips for Travellers to Vietnam