When I’m not walking or riding on my friends’ scooters, I get around Saigon by means of the xe om, the omnipresent and omniannoying-until-you-need-to-use-one scooter-taxis. “Xe,” I am told, means “vehicle” and “om” means “hug”, which is an adorable if entirely misleading depiction of the experience. I’ll be buying a cheap used scooter in the next couple of weeks, so not many more vehicle hugs for me. In the meantime, I took a moment to consider the many means of transport I have used over the last six months (I’m sure I’m forgetting something):
Car; bus; ferry; canoe; rowboat; longboat; slowboat; raft; cable car; bicycle; trishaw; tuk-tuk; sangthiew; cyclo; pick-up; minibus; truck; plane; horsecart; horseback; stagecoach; ox cart; locomotive; elevated train; monorail; subway; motorcycle; scooter; elephant.
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September 8, 2007 at 6:13 am
Mark S.
Funny you should mention the transport thing… I’ve been compiling small videos taken from each of the means of transport I’ve used so far in Cambodia, eventually meaning to publish them to Youtube. You’ve got me beat by at least a dozen vehicles… I only hope I can close the gap.
September 9, 2007 at 10:47 am
Thomas
Hey Mark! What’s up? I added one to the list last weekend in a town called Mui Ne: sand-dune sled. Very fun. It reminded me of my childhood back on Tatooine. I miss old Ben.
I’ve done that with the videos too, moreso at the beginning of my trip. Will get them up on the site one of these days.
Speaking of transportation, I bought a used scooter earlier this week! The first motorized vehicle I’ve ever owned.
September 10, 2007 at 7:35 am
Mark S.
I’ve been tempted to buy a moto here, but every Westerner I know who owns one here has been in at least one nasty bone-breaking accident (and subsequently air-lifted to Bangkok for treatment). The Khmer have certainly learned the same extra-sensory skills that govern large flocks of birds and schools of fish, whereas we Westerners seem to rely so heavily on these things called ‘laws’ and ‘the right of way.’
I think I’ll pass on the moto until I build up some mighty hubris.
But for you my friend, I say ”Soa-my bahn choak chey!”
(Good Luck!)
September 11, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Thomas
Honestly, I think Saigon traffic is even more nuts than Phnom Penh, with the mitigating factor that the roads here are actually in decent shape. Except when they’re not underwater.
In any case, it’s true, notions like right of way will only get you killed. It’s all about unlearning to drive.
In related news, I had an offroad spill on a motorbike in Mui Ne last weekend. We were barely moving, and I didn’t even fall down, but my friend sprained her ankle. It sucked majorly. These motor scooters are definitely dangerous. Unfortunately, life here in Saigon just doesn’t make much sense without one.