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I normally flew Vietjet from Swampy. Taxi from the airport USD15. Alternatively, you can take the bus...can't remember whether its No.16 or 23.

Ask to be dropped off at Ly Quoc Su St. It's the backpackers central but they do have very comfy private rooms at Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel and also at Central Backpacker's Hostel.

If its not to your liking just walk straight down (it's a one way street) till the end of the street there a traffic junction, then turn left. About 5-10 meters there's a nice 4 star hotel on your left USD 25 a night.

If you flew in with a 30 day visa and wish to stay longer, go to the bus station at Hoan Kiem Lake. There are minivans to Lang Son, the Vietnam-China border for your visa run. 4hrs one way 60,000 Dong.

Or you can go back to Ly Quoc Su Street, ask where Hanoi Backpacker's Hostel at. You will be pointed into a small alley akin to soi here.

Once you are at the alley, on your right there's a German Restaurant that serves a mean Goulash. Next to it is a laundry and next to the laundry is a travel agency. 150,000 Dong and you don't need to take the trip to the border. Only your passport goes. They'll returned it to you at your hotel or you can collect personally.

Wearing Rolex in Hanoi is fine but a...no..no in Saigon. Yes, the Vietnamese call it Saigon...lol.

Since tou have TEFL, go online and sign up to this google this website, The New Hanoian. Sign up as a member and in classifieds offer English tutoring, rates starts at USD 10 and could go up to USD25 an hour.

Last thing, you can recieve money from anywhere into VE but nothing goes out.

Have a good trip, cheers!

...when her daughter posts pictures of the two of them on facebook,...

???

"

We adopted a stray dog, his neighborhood names was Loong also. The only difference is that we gave him more than just food, medicine and a place to sleep in bad weather. We gave him real love, attention, discipline, trained him to give up his fears, insecurities and bad habbits. He stopped begging for food.

most familes do the bare minimum though. Yes, better than letting them starve to death or die from their injuries, but real love and prevention of ailments would have been better for the dog.

Do you have his pictures? I love looking at photos of happy rescued dogs in their current environment.

Cheers

My feelings are that this sort of matter isn't addressed within their 'cultural rules'.. e.g. Don't lose your cool, respect your elders, don't point your feet, greng jai, etc. So, they either a.) feel like they can 'get away with it' in a similar manner to driving like a maniac behind your tinted windows, or b.) they somehow can't figure out that they are hurting the person's feelings..

Thoughts?

'Friends' in Facebook, that's the answer! How many users actually know all the 'Friends' they added in FB? Not many.

To most youngsters, the number of 'Friends' in their FB profile's reflects their popularity status.

'Friends' recommendations are auto-generated by FB and pushed to the user's account.

I know of one who clicked, Accept, to all by automatic default response, my wife!!! With nary a thought to consequences it could render.

Then some of these so called 'Friends', posted some scalding reply which made her feel slighted...lol.

I simply said, "Som nam naa!"

Thus, your lady friend's daughter got her feelings hurt most probably by those 'Friends'.

Nothing to do with Thai culture! It's the Cyberworld culture, one that gives courage to the cowardly in the secure comforts of anonymity.

Not unlike the keyboard warriors in most forums.

As for you being asked those impolite or rude questions, here's what I had answered personally, in my situation.

"Khun kon Thai chai mai kap? Tair wah, tam mai mai mi marayat na kap?" The 'kap' at the end makes it really courteous with disbelief and very effective.

Loosely translated as...

"Aren't you a Thai? But, how come you are so rude and disrespectful (to asked such a question)?"

My Thai is at toddler's level, and my tones are not even perfect. But they always understood.

Most, would immediately apologized, while some totally dumbstruck, shocked and too embarrassed to respond.

The wife taught me this as a subtle yet, effective stinging retort...lol.

Cheers