The Journey Begins

One of a million tributaries
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People always ask me why I like to travel alone.  The answer is partly simple:  I like having the opportunities that come to try something new or meet new people when you don't have someone you know there as a crutch to fulfill your social interaction needs.  I like having the flexibility that comes with being alone to be able to do things some people might deem as crazy.  I'm not crazy.

The awesome part about traveling to a place like Thailand is that you really aren't alone!  There are free spirited solo travelers everywhere you go.  The only downside of traveling alone, especially to a place like Asia, is that you have no one to take your picture, so you will find many of these pictures I'm not in, but dammit I was there!

The backdoor of their home
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So I begin this story in Ho Chi Minh City.  I've been here before and it seems like life as usual, not much has changed. The only difference I can tell is the population went from ridiculous to borderline obscene.  The last time I went the traffic was at least fun to drive through, now you just spend so much time waiting on your little motorbike, tropical sun scorching your body, breathing in all the friendly and toxic fumes.  If I were to define "not fun" this would probably be it.

OMG Tourists!!
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I spend about a week between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho, breathing in the life that permeates the air, visiting people, drinking, and hanging out at coffee shops.  Really nothing to talk about, except!

I went to the fucking emergency room in a developing country (gotta get all aspects of culture right?)

Well lets begin with how I got there.  Some girl, I met a few days before, took me out to walk around the the city and we stopped at a place where they serve what I thought were milkshakes.  Lo and behold these weren't just ordinary milkshakes, they were peanut fucking infested milkshakes.  As many of you know, I am highly allergic to peanuts.  I turn into a shriveling, gasping, raisin when i ingest this stuff.  It was exceptionally bad this time to the point where I had to go to the emergency room in what they call a hospital.  Let me describe what the hospital is like:  outdoors, 10 x 10 room, six people all sick, the most unsanitary floors and walls I've ever witnessed in a fucking hospital, and doctors that wouldn't tell you what the fuck they're doing to you.  I was afraid to get sick in a hospital!  Yeah what a horrible day.  Moral of the story, don't accept drinks from strangers.