Random Little Things

the sidewalk in Hanoi

Jakarta, Indonesia was our first experience with intense traffic. We thought Cairo was insanity, but Jakarta was even crazier. To cross the street, you just walk right out into the traffic, holding out one hand at hip level. You confidently stride into the swarm of motorbikes, tuk-tuks, and cars hoping that everyone will watch out for the foreigners and let them pass. At first, a lot of locals would take pity on us, and gesture for us to follow them, as they seamlessly blended between all the traffic. Now, we could easily cross any street, no hand-holding required.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, we were surprised at the amount of motorbikes that stream through the streets. Motorbikes are more common than cars, but they consider more than the street their pathway. Often, in crowded traffic (or just by someone impatient), the drivers would quickly turn onto the sidewalk and drive down it just like a street. Much to our annoyance and more often than not, our strolls would turn into dodging motorbikes that would come up on us from behind. They also parked their motorbikes on the sidewalk, often pedestrians would be forced to walk through the street because bikes took up all the room on the sidewalk.
In Phnom Penh, we found a massage place where the masseurs were blind. It was a little strange at first, as they held onto the edges of the massage bed or your arms or legs to orient themselves. They were extremely friendly, however, and gave really great massages. Next up, a Thai massage.