NBR: The Chaos and Grace of a Scooter Ride in Vietnam

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:15 am

A friend passed this short article from the Perceptive Travel site along to me. I found it to be very interesting as well as some of the other related articles linked at the bottom.

I think I really have to start wandering outside of the US borders a little more often.

http://www.perceptivetravel.com/issues/ ... etnam.html

Rob

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 2:58 am

My brother toured the whole country of Vietnam on a scooter about 10 years ago when he was working there. He had a blast. I haven't been in Vietnam since 1973. I guess I should make a trip back.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:32 am

I dunno about Veitnam... but a pilgrimage to India has been discussed by a few 20-somethings in our temple and my best friend is trying to prod me to save up to go. Would love to do it on some Bajaj scooters!

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:37 am

On the scond page, How in gods name did he ever fit THAT many boxes? They are the pros!!

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:41 am

neotrotsky wrote:I dunno about Veitnam... but a pilgrimage to India has been discussed by a few 20-somethings in our temple and my best friend is trying to prod me to save up to go. Would love to do it on some Bajaj scooters!

I've been to India and it's cool place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. Different but cool....

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:42 am

It's pics like that which are STRONGLY tempting me to getting a Symba over the Stella. I *will* still do the project but for a daily driver, 60 million can't be wrong. Especially when they flog their bikes like that and they keep working!

GrittyTacoman · Post by **GrittyTacoman** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:31 pm

My wife and I were in France for a couple weeks this May. Put 1700 miles on a rental car. But saw bazillions of scooters over there. So I'd throw France out as a possible scooter odyssey destination too. Lots of fun winding roads, beautiful countryside, quaint towns. What could be better than scooting along with a baguette under your arm, a glass of rose in one hand and an artisanal goat cheese in the other?

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:09 pm

I read an article where there were scooters races late at night in large cities like Hanoi. The cops didn't try to stop them, because they were so massive, but they did shoot randomly into the pack of scooters as they would go by.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:20 pm

rsrider wrote:The cops didn't try to stop them, because they were so massive, but they did shoot randomly into the pack of scooters as they would go by.

Best reason I've heard yet to ride WOT .... not that I need one.

Rob

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:28 pm

You should definitely check out the Top Gear episode where the hosts ride scooters across Vietnam. Hysterical.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/vietnam-pt-1

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:40 am

GrittyTacoman wrote:My wife and I were in France for a couple weeks this May. Put 1700 miles on a rental car. But saw bazillions of scooters over there. So I'd throw France out as a possible scooter odyssey destination too. Lots of fun winding roads, beautiful countryside, quaint towns. What could be better than scooting along with a baguette under your arm, a glass of rose in one hand and an artisanal goat cheese in the other?

While France would be awesome and easier to navigate for me... it just doesn't have as much adventure. It's *too* familiar of a culture. Not that it's a bad place. I would LOVE to take a vacation on a scooter-backpacker tour of France! But, I wouldn't mind a bit more

GrittyTacoman · Post by **GrittyTacoman** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 3:44 pm

neotrotsky wrote:
GrittyTacoman wrote:My wife and I were in France for a couple weeks this May. Put 1700 miles on a rental car. But saw bazillions of scooters over there. So I'd throw France out as a possible scooter odyssey destination too. Lots of fun winding roads, beautiful countryside, quaint towns. What could be better than scooting along with a baguette under your arm, a glass of rose in one hand and an artisanal goat cheese in the other?
While France would be awesome and easier to navigate for me... it just doesn't have as much adventure. It's *too* familiar of a culture. Not that it's a bad place. I would LOVE to take a vacation on a scooter-backpacker tour of France! But, I wouldn't mind a bit more

That's true, France would provide a rich experience but not too much adrenaline unless you tried to ride your scooter in rush-hour Paris, or insulted Jerry Lewis.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 11:57 pm

Skootz Kabootz wrote:You should definitely check out the Top Gear episode where the hosts ride scooters across Vietnam. Hysterical.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/vietnam-pt-1

Thanks for the link. That was hilarious.

I can't decide if I need an armored smoking jacket, a porcelain ballerina, or a weed bag ... maybe all 3.

Rob

ThreeSheets · Post by **ThreeSheets** » Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:00 pm

I would be scared of being robbed of my nice scooter on a tour to a 3rd world country!