WTF?
In 1999, after a couple of years fiddling with that blogging thing on various other people's domains, I thought I had enough things to say to merit my very own corner of this here interweb. In 2007, I suddenly ran out of ammo. Thankfully, that didn't last forever... So, I'm back. Still not dead yet. Like a phoenix from the ashes. Behold.
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January 29, 2003
:: A Day Late, A Dollar Short ::
Well, I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. I really do understand now why some people are so very frustrated with Vietnam. It's all well and good for people to try and sell me things, it's even OK for them to try repeatedly, but some things are not OK. For instance:
1. 10 year old children selling postcards, no matter how much they may want you to buy just one more pack, under no circumstances at all, should ever tell me, "Fuck you and your grandmother!!" when I do not buy.
2. Travel agents take a commission on what they sell. This is an accepted fact. They've saved you the hassle of going to the train station and figuring things out on your own, it's only fair. However, a $9 commission on a $21 ticket is a bit excessive, no matter how much they try to explain it away.
3. Tour operators whose tickets have the words "10% refund fee" printed at the bottom in 2 languages should give refunds when they are requested. They should not offer the customer 10% of the ticket price in lieu of the refund, and they certainly should not tell the customer, "NO REFUND! YOU GO NOW" when the customer attempts to point out their own published policy.
It can be a bit trying.
However, on the plus side, I will be going to Hanoi tonight on a train and not a bus. Granted, I've lost a bundle on the deal, but I'll be able to sleep and walk around instead of being packed in like a sardine amongst the luggage and fellow travellers. And on top of that, I had a lovely motorbike tour of Hue and the surrounding areas today. It included a trip to the monastery where Thich Nat Hahn, one of the coolest buddhists ever, lived and taught until he left Vietnam for political reasons. If you get the time, you should read his books. Also on the list were several other pagodas from the last 400 years or so, and a gorgeous complex built for an emperor in the 1800s that they call a 'tomb', but which really is more of a city.
On that note, sorry to be brief, but I don't want my train to leave without me....
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Hey Sweetie,
Just thinking about you. I just read your latest Blog and "A Day Late, A Dollar Short" which was really funny in a haha sort of way ;)
Well I know we didn't get to hook up in Asia. Works been busy for me and I had to make a trip to Korea for a design workshop.
Travel Safe and see you soon!
Hugs,
Stephen
Damn, and I thought the tuk-tuk drivers were bad. The Thai kids just blocked my path selling postcards, but insulting your grandmother? Cripes. These children need to know how hard Louisa can hit. Not that she's going to hit them, but it may give them some perspective on their sales techniques.
Thanks for the info on Hanh, I found his works on Amazon, looks like great stuff. Here's the URL for my fellow readers:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553351397/qid=1043952556/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-4998675-8896021
Hope you made it to Hanoi safe and sound. Godspeed, my dear.
oops. lets try that url again.
Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
Thich Nhat Hahn