Arriving.
Published: 14.05.2025
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"One must always be ready to set off," says Kato in the novel I am currently reading.
"Even when you have just arrived?" "Especially then"
Phew. I prefer to define myself as not really having arrived yet, because I do not want to leave Hanoi again right away. It is loud and colorful and overwhelming and bustling and packed and shrill and so much more... On the evening of the first day, I write in a message to home: "Hanoi is a bit like how I sometimes imagine the flow of my thoughts in my head. Chaotic, loud, chaotic, but somehow everything works out."
Moreover, the relatively long stay here gives me time in the next few days to get used to everything and to try things out. The temperatures combined with the humidity, the persistent dismissals of sellers, shoe-shining offers, or restaurant owners, as well as the currency, which I really struggle with calculating despite having a mathematical mindset... are just three of these many things.
Overall, I am already satisfied with my previous (mis)successes. For example:
1. Arrived at the hostel from the airport without being scammed. 2. Getting scammed by the street vendor when buying fruit (but after watching the film about street vendors in the Vietnamese Women's Museum, I really don't care) 3. Buying fruit from another street vendor at a reasonable price. 4. Negotiating somewhat successfully when buying clothes. 5. Trying out the most important coffee varieties (from now on, I also like sweet coffee). 6. Eating food that costs almost nothing and is fantastic. 7. Crossing the street (I learned you do it like this: close your eyes and pray. I do neither, but surprisingly manage quite well; is it due to the courage I've gained or my naivety? I don't know, probably it's both). 8. Ordering something without knowing exactly what it is and how it tastes (I repeat myself, it all tastes fantastic). 9. Being able to say hello and thank you in Vietnamese (at least I think so; I’m probably actually saying something else, maybe even something quite suggestive - but the people are too nice to let on).
Let's see what number 10 will be.
"Even when you have just arrived?" "Especially then"
Phew. I prefer to define myself as not really having arrived yet, because I do not want to leave Hanoi again right away. It is loud and colorful and overwhelming and bustling and packed and shrill and so much more... On the evening of the first day, I write in a message to home: "Hanoi is a bit like how I sometimes imagine the flow of my thoughts in my head. Chaotic, loud, chaotic, but somehow everything works out."
Moreover, the relatively long stay here gives me time in the next few days to get used to everything and to try things out. The temperatures combined with the humidity, the persistent dismissals of sellers, shoe-shining offers, or restaurant owners, as well as the currency, which I really struggle with calculating despite having a mathematical mindset... are just three of these many things.
Overall, I am already satisfied with my previous (mis)successes. For example:
1. Arrived at the hostel from the airport without being scammed. 2. Getting scammed by the street vendor when buying fruit (but after watching the film about street vendors in the Vietnamese Women's Museum, I really don't care) 3. Buying fruit from another street vendor at a reasonable price. 4. Negotiating somewhat successfully when buying clothes. 5. Trying out the most important coffee varieties (from now on, I also like sweet coffee). 6. Eating food that costs almost nothing and is fantastic. 7. Crossing the street (I learned you do it like this: close your eyes and pray. I do neither, but surprisingly manage quite well; is it due to the courage I've gained or my naivety? I don't know, probably it's both). 8. Ordering something without knowing exactly what it is and how it tastes (I repeat myself, it all tastes fantastic). 9. Being able to say hello and thank you in Vietnamese (at least I think so; I’m probably actually saying something else, maybe even something quite suggestive - but the people are too nice to let on).
Let's see what number 10 will be.
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Answer
Travel reports Vietnam