610

February 7, 2009
In Hanoi it is not difficult to get somewhere. There is a huge fleet of motorbike taxis, called Xe Oms. Xe Om literally means "moto hug". You hop onto it and you will be taken to your destination at a modest price (bargain first!). Xe oms can be found anywhere, especially at street corners. As a foreigner you don’t find them, they find you! I bet you will hear "motorbike" more often than "hello" or anything else.
If you need one, first make sure you don’t smell any alcohol. Actually I can give a whole list of safety issues, including "don’t ever take a xe om". Maybe the best idea to avoid stress during the ride is to close your eyes and slowly count to 610. A good chance you will be at your destination once you hit 0.