I actually wrote this on 21 June (exactly one month ago) but didn't get around to posting it until now…..

I have hated mobile phones for a long time. I feel that most people don't really need one- unless they are doctor or someone who has to be on duty at all times. I have resisted getting one at work for several months, but I finally gave in. I don't really like the idea of being reachable at all times, but it is useful to have one for making phone calls. That is particularly true here in Vietnam where there are very few public phones and sometimes you are really stuck if you truly need to make a phone call. I have a feeling I might regret getting one, but right now it does feel rather like having a new toy.

I don't think I am in danger of becoming a yuppie though. The other night I went out to one of the restaurant/clubs that foreigners and wealthy Vietnamese tend to hang out at. These kind of places make me uncomfortable: mediocre Western food, loud colors, bad music and beautiful bar girls in slinky dresses. It's just not for me. I am much happier eating at street sidewalk eateries and hole-in-the-wall kind of places where the atmosphere is provided by the walking, cycling and motorbiking parade that is Saigon.

The June 1 date for the new helmet law came and went and I haven't noticed much difference- people still aren't wearing them in the city, but they are required to when driving on the highway. I have had a couple of motorbike "lessons" from Kat. They have been late at night or around siesta time when the traffic is not too crazy. I am not going to rush out and buy or rent one, but it is useful to learn how to ride- it's much easier than I thought, even with a passenger on the back riding side-saddle... and there's nothing like cruising around Saigon on a cool night with a lovely girl riding on the back of your (or her) bike while she is hugging you tightly. It's a lot of fun to ride a motorbike as it is a much more sociable activity than riding in a car. You can people-watch and you can talk to your riding partner or the people riding in a group of bikes with you. I have even seen couples on separate bikes holding hands while they ride. I would say that the two favorite pastimes in Saigon are motorbike cruising and going to coffee shops.

Expenses: My utility bills have been ridiculously low. The water and electricity bills for the last month were less than $9 combined and the phone bill was less than $6. My most expensive monthly bill is for cable TV and that's about $17 a month. Very cheap by Western standards, but then again salaries here are low. The minimum wage for a state employee is less than $28 a month. Most of the Vietnamese people I know at work earn between $140 and $200 a month. Doctors must work at public hospitals, where they earn perhaps $500 a month- and considerably more from private practice on the side.

Listening: The latest from PJ Harvey, Radiohead (thanks Kina), Madonna and Sinead O'Connor. The latter two are pirated copies I got for about $1 each. It's difficult to find non-pirated copies, even at department stores.

Reading: Nothing at the moment. A couple of weeks ago I finished reading Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X. Pham, a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) who went back to Vietnam and cycled from Hanoi to HCMC. It's an interesting book, but I didn't really like the way he organized it as the bulk of the book deals with his bycicling in California and Japan and his time in HCMC and Vung Tau prior to the big trip.

Viewing: I used to think that people who said they watched the Discovery Channel were full of it, but it really is that good. I particularly enjoy watching Lonely Planet and other travel-related programs.

Food: Particularly enjoying the soups. Pho is the classic that most people are familiar with, but Bun Bo Hue and Hu Tieu Nam Van are my current favorites- complete meals unto themselves. The food is here is so tasty and healthy. The usual meal consists of rice, a main dish, and a soup. Even the desserts are fairly healthy as many of them are made from green beans, bananas, coconuts and other fruits and veggies.

Weather: Lots and lots of rain.