My first trip

[cedwards001 18]

I think I am good to go to Vietnam now. The sad thing is that I will miss the Super Bowl! ouch

In any case, I will just bring some extra cash with me in case the cops come by to question me. Maybe some cash bills will let them forget I was ever there

Carl

Edited January 26, 2010 by cedwards001

[luckytxn 2,264]

I think I am good to go to Vietnam now. The sad thing is that I will miss the Super Bowl! ouch

In any case, I will just bring some extra cash with me in case the cops come by to question me. Maybe some cash bills will let them forget I was ever there

Carl

Trust me on this. The police will not even bother you for anything.

[journey4life 0]

is it really safe to stay alone there anyway ? always something to think about when leaving the usa. i had a chance to meet a filipino lady but i broke it off due to this travel these days is risky at best . good luck

[lindal24 1]

you can't be afraid to experience life... man up and just do it...

[journey4life 0]

Thanks lindal ,,its a little late for manning up ,,i already broke the 2 yr relationship off after much thought about this.

[ScottThuy 140]

If you dont travel.. its like spending your life in a prison and fear is your captor... VN is very safe as long as you use common sense... I would not walk around with money hanging from my pockets or draped in gold.. but I carry alot of money when I am there and I do wear some jewelry... being there is like being at home when you know what to expect...

[journey4life 0]

I guess you got a point ScottThuy ,

but im not much of a risk taker never have been, the hardest thing was getting myself involved in this kind of a relationship and breaking it off. I have got much advise from several pastors and all hav advised the dangers of intl travel and whats expected if you would bring a finacee here so i just decided what was best overall and i will continue as i am now i have no plans on marrying ever again.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

is it really safe to stay alone there anyway ? always something to think about when leaving the usa. i had a chance to meet a filipino lady but i broke it off due to this travel these days is risky at best . good luck

Few people in Vietnam have any animosity toward America or Americans. As long as they're not breaking any laws, the government of VN tends to leave foreigners alone. They need the tourist dollars, and they don't want to get a reputation for jacking around tourists. The biggest problem a lone American is likely to run into is the language barrier. A 3 star hotel will usually have at least one staff member on duty who speaks English. In a 4 star hotel, there will probably be many staff members who speak English.

The only thing I would caution against is going shopping by yourself. Prices in Vietnam are unbelievably low on most goods. A shopkeeper will happily charge a tourist 3 or 4 times what they would normally charge for an item, and the tourist will think they're getting a great deal. If you bring a local VN person with you to negotiate prices then you'll save a ton of cash.

There are indeed many places where Americans are not well liked, and where travel can be particularly dangerous. In many Islamic countries, for example, there is a perception that America is a nation of infidels who are at war with Islam. It would not be safe for an American to travel to one of those countries and venture off alone. If you were traveling to the southern regions of the Philippines, especially the ARMM, then you would have a genuine reason to be concerned. If you were traveling to the northern predominantly Catholic region, I think you'd be reasonably safe.

If you dont travel.. its like spending your life in a prison and fear is your captor... VN is very safe as long as you use common sense... I would not walk around with money hanging from my pockets or draped in gold.. but I carry alot of money when I am there and I do wear some jewelry... being there is like being at home when you know what to expect...

True. I dress like a backpacker, and look a little like an aging hippy. Most people wouldn't suspect I had much money or anything of real value, except maybe my camera. I've carried as much as $5000 with me, but I keep it in the zippered pouch in my traveler's wallet. When I open my wallet, it looks like I only have a few hundred thousand dong. Even so, I don't carry that much cash unless I have to. The 4 star hotels usually have a safe in the room.

[journey4life 0]

Thanks Jim i appeciate the nice comments, the places i was considering was manilla possibly and i singapore which i know singapore would be ok mostly. i do understand things in VN is inexpensive but i just cant seem to take the risk of the intl travel it just seems crazy these days and would be best to stay put for now.

[ScottThuy 140]

singapore is a very safe city/country IMO... so many people speaking english that ther is little or no issue communicating and they dont screw around when it comes to crime...

In Vn the hotels usually have someone that speaks english as Jim says.. and for a few bucks you can have someone go with you everywhere you go as a guide/translator.. in Hanoi they have "Hanoi kids" its a service that puts a young VN student with you to practice thier english conversational skills for free for the day..(article). they want to spend time with you if only to have a cup of coffee and practice pronunciation and become comfortable with your accent...

Edited January 30, 2010 by ScottThuy

[journey4life 0]

Yes i have seen singapore is safe and clean i have seen on the googe earth and videos shes a filipino living there as a maid shes a very nice person and she same age as me . But this is a big decision to make bringing her here and having the time to help her since my work rules my life. just the whole idea of intl travel is scary these days.

[BurningFinger 5]

journey4life,

I want to share some of my travel experiences with you. I began international traveling all by myself when I was in my early 20's. But since I had never traveled internationally all alone, I decided to go to countries like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Holland. Holland is not close to the US, but it is not all that far away either. Once I had this experience under my belt, I began to venture to countries like Japan, Singapore and eventually Vietnam. I don't know what your travel experiences are BUT if this would be your first time traveling internationally all by yourself, I suggest that you start with countries a bit closer to home first, and then work your way to Vietnam. Just go to a Caribbean island for a week or so and see how it feels. If you like it, then venture off to further distances. In my opinion, it has more to do with you needing to "wise-up" then it does for you to "man-up". That is, get some more travel experience before flying half-way around the world all alone.

Yes Singapore is very safe. I have been there many times and English is one of the official languages of the country so from my experiences, language will not be a problem. Vietnam is also safe. The first time I went, I kept a very low profile and tried my best to respect the social and cultural norms of the people there. For my subsequent trips, I was more outgoing and relaxed.

One last thing. Nobody can judge you on your possible concerns about traveling there. You are human and these feelings are natural. The fact that you posted your concerns on VJ is your first step in addressing those concerns. Do some more reading on Google or even Wikipedia to learn more about the culture, history and people of Vietnam to get a better perspective. You can also ask a family member or friend to accompany you on your journey. There are quite a few VJ members that are currently in Vietnam or are planning on going. Perhaps you can get in touch with them to coordinate meeting up with them there so you don't feel so alone when you arrive. If you decide to go, have a great time

[journey4life 0]

BurningFinger

thanks for the advise at this time i really dont have the time to travel to caribbean or places like that if im going to try to keep the person im talkng to in singapore so i will have no choice but go there if i plan to continue this relatiionship also she is really expecting me she would hope that i could visit the philippines one day with her if we continue on this path. Guess this whole type of relationship is hard. And to answer your question my only travel is in the states. im from va by the way.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Yes i have seen singapore is safe and clean i have seen on the googe earth and videos shes a filipino living there as a maid shes a very nice person and she same age as me . But this is a big decision to make bringing her here and having the time to help her since my work rules my life. just the whole idea of intl travel is scary these days.

I understand the reluctance. Before going to VN the first time, the only international travel I'd done for 20 years was Mexico and Canada. I was nervous about international travel, and especially nervous about traveling to Vietnam. Like many people, I thought the VN people probably hated Americans because of the war. Most people I've talked to had the same reaction - "Don't they hate us over there?". Of course, none of these people had actually been there.

There were three things that persuaded me to make that first trip. The first, of course, was Phuong. I really wanted to meet her in person. The second was that I would be traveling with her uncle, who assured me that it was safe and that I wouldn't have any problems with people not liking Americans. The third was that I'd read several articles about war veterans who had returned, and had been warmly welcomed. I thought that they must surely have much more serious issues with returning to that country then I could possibly have. If they could do it and report what a positive experience it was for them, then surely I could do it as well.

All of my fears vanished my first day in Saigon. Practically everyone I met greeted me with a big smile. Phuong's cousin met us at the airport, and took us to a great little open air cafe for lunch. The girls who waited on us were very friendly, and tended to us with earnest. Every trip since then has been pretty much the same. None of the things I was worried about ever happened. The VN government officials never gave me a hard time. Nobody ever tried to steal anything from me. I never once met anyone who treated me badly because I was an American. In fact, most of the people I met seemed to perk up when they discovered I was an American. Most VN people have family or friends living in the US.

Everything seems scary until you actually do it. Thousands of Americans travel abroad every day, and the vast majority of them never have any problems.

[BurningFinger 5]

Going to Singapore is no problem at all. In fact, it is one of the safest countries in the world. The Marriott Singapore is a fantastic hotel but it is pricey. Taxi's are good and get you to your destination on time. The MRT train system can bit a little bit pricey but they get the job done. The locals for the most part all speak English so asking for directions should be easy. Immigration and Customs at Changi Airport will take no more then 20-30 seconds to look over your passport and welcome you into the country. The streets are clean and the locals are kind. If Singapore is where you want to start, you are making a great choice. I understand your concern. Believe me I do. Just try to relax do a little bit of reading. If you have any other questions about Singapore or even Vietnam, do not hesitate to ask. Best wishes