My favorite thing in Vietnam
It’s not the food (though I love starting my day with a heartwarming bowl of pho with quay), the coffee (oh man could I go on about how much I love coffee here), nor the confident older ladies (I want to be like them when I grow up).
My favorite thing in Vietnam is…
Riding on the back of a Grab motorbike!
This is my absolute favorite thing to do in Vietnam. It’s so fun: here’s something exhilarating about riding on the back of a bike — I love the feeling of weaving in and out on the streets, rushing past the buildings stacked side-by-side on the road, feeling the wind surge on my face - it’s absolutely thrilling.
Grab is a ride-hailing app and transport service, similar to Uber in the US, common in Southeast Asia (I used in while in Thailand as well) but with the option to choose GrabBIke (motorbike, not bicycle bike!) or GrabCar (boooring!). They also offer food delivery services, so I’ll often see Grab drivers picking up a takeaway container from restaurants and food stalls.
I feel so present and alive when riding on the back of a bike. I get to be an observer of the streets whizzing by rather than be the driver focused on navigating Hanoi traffic; there are no rules, no lines, and barely any stop lights — it’s every driver for themself which is quite exciting when I’m just along for the ride, passing other cars and motorbikes, letting my body sway to the left or right as we take a sharp curve to the next street.
I wonder if part of this exhilaration and excitement I feel is due to the thrilling sense of freedom. Freedom to go wherever I want, whenever I want, especially because there are no paint or lanes to restrict movement. A sense of freedom that comes from traveling and moving in open space, getting to breathe fresh(?) air (probably not, especially given that most riders wear face masks to protect from pollution - oops), feel the wind against my face while moving, and witness a 360° view of my surroundings. I think a big part of it too is feeling like I get to break free of the constraints I’ve put on myself that hold me back, whether they are due to unconscious conditioning or subconscious societal messaging, for a brief moment when perched on the back of a motorbike, completely present, wild, and free.
Questions from the parents
哎呀! Do you wear a helmet?!
Yes, of course! I don’t fancy dying just because I was an idiot. In Hanoi each Grab driver has a second Grab-branded helmet for their passenger. However in Chiang Mai the second helmet seemed to be the driver’s own - each driver presented me with a different option and none were branded. I found the chin strap to be too long each time I put on the helmet; either everyone except me has a giant head or not everyone ensures the helmet fits snugly. Again, I fancy not being an idiot, so I will take my time adjusting the chin strap, even if the Grab driver sighs impatiently.
Where do you put your hands?!
Ah well when I was a wee newbie I would grab the back edge of the seat, clutching it tightly every time we made a sharp turn or went over a deep pothole. However that was a dead giveaway for “hi I’m a tourist!” so I began to observe how local riders were holding their seat, especially when I noticed all of them looked bored, calm, or chill, gazing out to the distance, scrolling through their phones with both(!) hands, or holding a carry-on suitcase fitted between them and their driver.
Most riders will put their hands on their thighs if not holding anything, so I began to copy them. I realized it’s all about engaging your core, leveraging your thighs, and letting go of fear. To that point, I would not be surprised if every Vietnamese rider has a strong awareness of each and every muscle that makes up the core. Think of it like riding a horse without gripping the reins. Soon I got confident enough to text while on the backseat!
Is it busy on the road?
Absolutely, and I love it! There are many motorcycles and cars on the streets, and every road is a high traffic area, even the Old Quarter, a popular tourist area. I love crossing the busy streets and dodging traffic — it feel like (New York) home, where it’s all about confidence and assertiveness. It’s like a live version of Frogger, except you only get one life.
My GrabBike driver (in green) needed to refuel mid-ride, so he told me to wait on the side while he filled up the tank. Haha!