Moto-Taxi

I've discovered a business venture that would work wonders in Madrid....Moto-taxi! So get this, in Asia there is another form of transport called moto-taxi. You get on the back of a bike and it takes you wherever you want to go for a third of the price. It shimmies through traffic and will even carry luggage!!! They're everywhere. It's only a scooter but out here it's the mode of transport. Whole families of 5, groups of friends, (3 or more), overflowing cages with pigs, fishing baskets, you name it...they all fit! Sometimes, you cannot even make out the driver!

My last day in Vietnam was spent on layover in Saigon. I flew from Hoi An and had 6 hours to kill, so I happily offloaded at "consigne" the deadweight of a rucksack I carry around, and headed into town. Much to my dismay, the moto-taxis at the airport were inexistent and I had to sweat it for over an hour on the back seat of some guy's taxi who quite literally took me for a ride. But I made it to our favourite restaurant in Saigon. We happened upon it by chance on day 1 and it became an instant favourite. A yellow wall encircles this lush, lush tropical garden of palms with hard wood tables and chairs dotted around the interior. As I walk in, my tummy starts working overtime; the mouthwatering aroma of BBQ fills the air. I realise that no matter where I sit, there will be a "mini outdoor kitchen" nearby cooking one of the house specialties. Each mini kitchen does it's own thing. I can pick and choose at leisure. Oh BLISS! So there I sit and order my last iced lotus tea, bbq pork on a skewer (YUM!) and some banana flower salad...of course!! For dessert, I order my latest discovery. Here it is: a tube glass filled with layer 1: creamy chopped chestnuts, layer 2: green coloured tapioca pearls, layer 3: green and black tea flavoured jelly strips and all over, coconut milk!! And then, I raise my glass, look around and say cheers! A vuestra salud, Mom & Dad!

On the way to the restaurant, I happened upon a set of moto taxis on a corner and without hesitation, I went to book my return to the airport. I was somehow REALLY EXCITED at the prospect of riding back on a bike through the streets of Saigon with a total stranger! Between sign and sign, we somehow managed to agree to meet an hour later. To my surprise, he was waiting for me right outside the restaurant! I hopped on the back seat, and instantly felt like a local. There are thousands of motor bikes in Saigon (and I cannot stress thousands enough). So much so that cars all circulate in single file cause the rest of the road is for the bikers. So there I was, with my mini backpack on my back, holding tight to this middle aged man, zooming through the streets of Saigon, being able to not just see the parks but smell them too! The drive was exhilirating! I felt ready to board my flight back to Thailand.