Motorbike is the most popular form of transportation in Vietnam. Here, they can carry everything and almost anything in a bike or motorbike - from boxes, butchered pigs, personal fridge, HD TV's, computers, etc. During Tet (Vietnamese New Year) most people can be seen carrying cherry blossom potted trees in their motobaiks.
Like your regular car taxis here, xe om is an unregulated industry. This means anyone with a license to drive a motorbike can be a xe om driver. The xe om drivers near touristy areas loves to inflate prices by a mile. A German friend and me also had the unpleasant and funny experience of being harassed by a drunk xe om driver. He was pestering us to take his xe om in his slurring speech.
I like Xe Om (motorbike taxis) rides in the morning when there is no traffic in the crazy streets of Hanoi. I like the wind blowing through my hair. Channeling Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday except its not Gregory Peck driving but some crazy speed devil driver.
On my to West Lake yesterday, out of the blue, the same old xe om driver in the corner shouted "Pilipin!" as if he had hit the jackpot of correctly guessing where I'm from. I don't have a choice of avoiding him as I must pass that corner when going to the nearest grocery store. He had been guessing my nationality since he first saw me holding a map of Hanoi (Aha! tourist!). His first guess, was Lao. I shook my head and said "Nope" smiled and went about my business.
After a week, he was in his favorite spot under a tree. This time he said "Thailand." I smiled and said "nope." Well, this week he finally guessed it right. But, only because I passed by there the other day wearing a "Pinay" shirt.
In the street where I stay, there are two xe om drivers that I like because they give me fair prices and they have their own "styles". One of them is nice lady xe om driver. Being a woman, this does not mean she is not a dare devil. She likes beating the red light too like so many ordinary motorbike drivers. That is not my pet peeve though. She makes me religious when I'm a non-believer. I do a bit of praying when we pass by the shopping district of Hoan Kiem. Window shopping is her favorite past time while on the job. Once, she didn't stop looking at a formal ball gown displayed in one of the shops while driving of course. Ah, women, no matter what age and race, shopping is a universal language.
Last, is my all time favorite old xe om driver. An old man probably in his seventies. I feel safe in his hands. He is careful when driving. So careful that it usually takes me twice the amount of time to get to my destination. Sometimes he takes me to longer scenic routes, which I don't mind but it makes me wonder if the fare we agreed upon is enough to earn him a profit.
Too bad now I actually prefer walking rather than taking short motorbike rides as I am trying to meet the 10,000-steps-a-day health routine. Those motorbike drivers could be quite a character!
