Fili’s world

It wasn’t till just a while ago that I didn't like reading travel books, but now that I've been traveling for so long - I find them hilarious.

Reading the following phrase on Emily Barr’s sarcastic “Back Pack” about psycho-traveling around in South-east Asia had me smiling, remembering back on my first arrival at Hanoi (which is the real capital, and not Saigon – which she writes about):

“Vietnam is disgusting. At least, this quarter of its capital is.

I keep thinking it’s a joke; I keep expecting to turn a corner and find the real Vietnam, the one everyone else has been to. The interesting one in the guidebooks. The one where I walk around like a model, fanning myself gently, strolling into ancient temples and learning abut inner peace.

The real Vietnam is scented with frangipani and huge tropical flowers. This one stinks. Animals, vegetables, and probably people are rotting everywhere. I don’t mind the heat so much, but I do object to the overpowering vapours of stale piss. It smells like the gents at King’s Cross-station. But I am outside. This is meant to be fresh air. The sky is gray and dripping with moisture, like a sponge. There is no sunshine, and no breeze. I can hardly breathe. All the smells are trapped. They should clean the city up if they’re trying to attract tourists.” .