3rd day was great. I waited for today to go back home... I miss home so much and of course my bed as well. I woke early in the morning have my breakfast at the lousy restaurant and then took a long walk along the street hoping for something special. Souvenirs and of course side seeing. But to my surprise there is nothing for me to see except heavy traffic and people around that area that thought I am part of their citizen. Some approach me and speak with me in Vietnam but when I wave my hand and says I am not local they look at me strangely. I don't like that looks; I mean when they stare at you one kind like I am an alien. After about 400 meters walk, I decided to turn around and head back to my hotel since there is nothing to buy nothing to see. I pack all my stuffs and took awhile to surf Internet and then way down to the lobby to check out. As I have made reservation for a cab a day before, I requested the front counter staff to check if the cab arrived as I asked but I was told there is no request on a cab because the night shift staff did not make any transaction on cab request. I was so mad and demanded them to arrange it immediately and they do it but with a price increased to 250000 Dong. Initially I was told that it cost only 180000 Dong. Since I was on exact time frame to reach the airport, I say yes without considering any other options , further more this is at my company cost; who cares.
The cab arrived 10 minutes later and I noticed the hotel bell boy was given a tips by the cab driver while I was inside the cab waiting for a take off. No one tells me anything about tips or any additional arrangement. It took approx. 1 hour to reach the airport and no conversation was initiated with the cab driver since language is our barrier. Once we arrived at the airport, he turn around and I hand over the 250000 Dong to him and asked for receipt but he was quiet and weird. He was searching for the receipt in the car front compartment for about 30 seconds and I started to feel strange when he lifts out the receipt then put it back and then took it out again but leave it blank. I ask him to fill it up but he started to talk to me in Vietnam by showing me the money I passed to him. He show me 10000Dong and says "hotel" while the remain in his other hand was pointed back in pocket. I was like.. HUH???? what is he trying to say? I asked in 'WHAT" and he starts to talk none stop in Vietnamese language; like trying to explain to me something which I cannot understand at all. I ask him to stop and give me the receipt but he continues talking. I tried to come out from the cab but he pull my hand and continue talking none stop. From his face and expression, I think he is trying to tell me the amount of money I pay him is not enough as he need to pay the hotel some loyalty money for calling him to pick me up. I asked him what he wants but he continues talking in his language that really makes me agitated. I can see he is getting more loud assuming I am deaf and dumb instead of considering me as a foreigner. I put him a stop and told him that I am not Vietnamese and I cannot understand what he is saying but he never stop talking. I was mad that time and I put a stop for all this! I ask him what he wants but he was quiet and begin to write the receipt and dragging my time. I hand out USD10 from my wallet and show it to him and asked him is this what he wants? He was like.. smile awhile and continue to talk in his language again. I pull his receipt and his pen, I pen down the USD10 in the receipt and then pass him the USD10 and walk out from the can immediately. He jump off from the cab and say 'Thank you sir. You OK?". I was frustrated that time and begin to say out loud I am okay and chase him away. He keeps on saying thank you but I begin to nag along my way into the airport main gate. Everyone is looking at us but I don;t even care about it and walk straight to the check in point. I wish I can just slap him with my bag and punch his nose till it bleed. If he wants to run a cab business why not learn a simple English? Hey asking for a tips or additional fare is not that difficult right? Damn!
So it took me 3.5 hours in the plane to reach KL. I was glad as the flight was equipped with LCD screen. It is showing Transformers2. I feel so good when I step my foot out from the plane. I am back to Malaysia! I can see people that can communicate with me and I can feel ease at all time everywhere I go. Gosh. Miss home so much. I reach Penang about 9pm and straight I go to nearest pub to have few glass of beer to release my tension. By the time I reach home, it is already 1230am. I feel so good and sleep like a pig till the next morning. I hope this is my last trip to Vietnam.
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