Two wheels
I left Saigon for the airport on a “Honda Om” translated from Vietnamese it literally means Honda Hug. This is the term for a motorbike/scooter taxi.
It is 6:15am on a Saturday morning, and there is already a steady hum & tooting from all the motorised 2 wheelers on the road. I was contemplating catching a metered taxi, which would have been pretty cheap 150,000VND (Vietnamese Dong). The current exchange rate is 1AUD = 17,000VND which means the cab ride was about $9 for a 15km ride/ 30minute trip, its quite reasonable. However I decided on the Honda Om, because I just love the ride. It costed 50,ooo VND so I saved a few Dongs for some souvenirs 
During the early morning, its perfectly cool and it was overcast so conditions were ideal. I had my big pack on my back which sat nicely on the bike and my smaller pack was sitting in front with the driver.
To visit Saigon without getting on Honda Om or riding a motorbike yourself is to miss out on a real Vietnamese experience. I have been to many cities in the world and no where are there as many 2 wheelers like the streets of Saigon. Its chaotic, you are have the constant hum of engines and horns going off and there are LOTs of them on the road. If it was the equivalent in number of cars there would be a gridlock. However with motorbikes it works, and moves like a well oiled engine.
As the traffic rarely ever clears, to make a turn into oncoming traffic, one just inches forward slowly and the ongoing traffic will just swerve around you. They don’t wait or stop, they will just go wherever there is space to get around you. It’s kind of scary for the uninitiated, and its best to just keep your eyes on the scenery beyond (assuming you are not the driver) rather than that oncoming vehicle.
I just love the sense of freedom that riding on a motorbike gives you. You are right in the element, passing through the streets you can smell and see much more closer. You are part of the action rather than a spectator from a vehicle.
So if you are in Saigon, do it… get on a Honda Om for the ride of your life
PS Disclaimer…Please do so at your own risk of course. I have no responsibility for any accidents.
September 19, 2010 11:52 pm 
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