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 What people need not leave by richiecdiscLeave a Comment
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I have had a wonderful trip around SE Asia as people are extremely friendly and travel is so easy. Till this last stop, I was trapped only here.
I am kind of rush for getting back to China by taking the train connected between Hanoi and Nanning (a capitcal city of Guangxi Province). As I think all tour agencies I tried before are quite reliable and honest, I simply ask the guesthouse(Prince 57, which is highly also not recommended because of their unpleasant service as well) for the train ticket. The young lady is still quite helpful for telling me its schedule, price and other issues(it is difficult to book, as she explains). And I think it seems quite easy for me, so I just book from their office by paying the deposit(they ask me how much I want to pay and I am too nice or silly to pay half of it). However, when I get the ticket, I notice I paid extra 12 dollars comparing to the actual price shown on the train ticket. And then the lady tells me there are commission fee included. I feel shocked as they never mentioned this when I book the ticket. I would understand they need to commission for this extra service. But no prior notice on that turns me into a very bad mood. I have the 1st dispute during my travel with the lady, again and again, each time she tells me a different stories. With time spent, finnally she only agrees to give me only 2 dollars as the discount.
Though it is bad, but it's the only experience I have during the travel around SE Asia.
I don't have much to say but just want to alert VTers that there are good and bad people all over the world.
Ask for prices from different tour agencies; ask enough details of the money you are going to pay for; And to get a train ticket, the best thing is to buy it at the train station on your own. Leave a Comment
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When you are there, you will certainly be tempted to buy DVD (roughly 1$ each) Of course, at that price, you are not going to buy only a couple, are you?!!!
BE CAREFUL TO THE COSTUMS !! Not that they want to make you pay the taxes, they just want their bribe !!!
I never got caught but a friend of mine did twice !!!! For 100 DVDs he had to pay about $45 or they would keep them all.
How did I avoid this. Luck might be an answer, but I also divided the DVD heap into my different bags. About 30 in each bag ! And of course in your hand luggage. Therefore you'd be better of if you travel with someone!!!
If you get caught by a zealous civil servant, 2 things. Bear your nicest smile, try a bit of a bargain and pay. After all $45 is what? the price of 2 DVDs in your country...... Leave a Comment
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 Tam coc by skydivefred
The trip starts with a tiring 2 hour drive to a river from whiwh you start a one hour rowboat ride (temperature is getting hot). Then you start a one hour and a half (for the fittest one hour) climb of a stone stairway AT THE HOTTEST MOMENT OF THE DAY. Along the climb you will meet very aggressive sellers who will try to sell you very expensive soft drinks AND YOU WILL BUY THEM BECAUSE YOU WILL BE SOOOO THIRSTY !!!!!
The cave itself is not interesting at all.
The trap consists of selling you a lot of drinks on the way to the cave, it is obvious. and if you don't want to buy they get very aggressive!! So if you want to enjoy the trip DON'T FORGET TO TAKE AT LEAST 2 LITRES OF WATER PER PERSON.
Don't go and if you want to enjoy a beautiful and soothing boat trip go to Tam coc (Near NINH BINH) the so called inland halong bay.
Hire a boat for yourself , tell the guide not to speak to much (or they'll never stop) and enjoy the landscape and silence of the place.
See the photo. Leave a Comment
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 Riding family by skydivefred
There is only one very good way to get rid of them if they get too insisting.
Say a loud NO, GO AWAY (in Viet : KHONG, DI) they will stop at once.
Now you can discuss with these very nice people as well, they often speak English or French, you can even offer them a drink, be nice. As soon as you are fed up just tell them to go away. and they will. Don't show any interest to there merchandise§ Leave a Comment
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 by iwys
If you really feel the need to fire a gun, don't use an automatic weapon and ask for mufflers to protect your ears.
What will they think of next? B-52 rollercoaster rides? Leave a Comment
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 kids in Hoi An by xaver
The problem is that all these tourists reading Lonely Planet like it was bible, end up doing all together the same thing without discovering a place with their own eyes.
I usually travel with LP too as it is helpful for itineraries and many other stuffs, but for example I often prefer to discover restaurants and dishes on my own.
In Hue I followed LP advice for a restaurant and a particular receipe, i went there for breakfast, had that potato salad and it was really excellent.
Went back for dinner as I really enjoyed the place, and it was full of lonelyplaneters, sitting with their guide and ordering the same potato salad, i tried to get that salad again and this time it arrived in 2 minuts(in the morning I waited about 15 minuts), and it was definitly tastles, that's how lonely planet, though still a great guide, transformed a nice restaurant in a perfect tastless fast food LOL
Just look around and enter the place that fits better for you, or try to ask to some locals, sometime it works, sometime they will tell you to go where they take commissions, but this does not necessary mean that you won't enjoy your meal. Leave a Comment
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 bridge in Hanoi by xaver
I read about this fat in Sir Richard pages before leaving, so I said where I wanted to go, but did not get upset when he brought me somewhere else.
The hotel was fine and probably it was one of the best hotel experiences I have had so far.
If you really want to go in a specific hotel, contact them before leaving and they will make sure that someone is waiting for you in the airport, I did this way, when I came back to Hanoi as I really loved my cab driver choice! Leave a Comment
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 boats by xaver
That was the option we all chosed, I know I had a single room as I asked for that, but I preferred to sleep under the stars with the a/c made by the night breeze.
Try to be very clear with the agency about what kind of service you expect, then check what they are going to give you before leaving the harbour for the night, so if you do not want to sleep on the boat(wich is a great experience) you can go to the hotel. Leave a Comment
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 The airport bus by SirRichard
First, the driver of the OFFICIAL VIETNAM AIRLINES bus from the airport took us (the 6 passengers of the minibus) around the city streets, stopping at the hotels he recommended (cheap and clean, go to see the room, please) for more than 30 minutes, instead of dropping us to the official bus stop...
Then the taxi and moto drivers insist of taking U where they want (the places where they get comission) instead of where U really want to go...
Anyway, after this "welcome" hassle, I found Hanoi to be a pleasant and interesting city, with a very relaxed and nice atmosphere... but the beginning was a bit stressing, so I warn U! :-) Leave a Comment
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