Robbed in Ha Noi!

I had been warned about Viet Nam months ago. They said that if you survive Thailand, Viet Nam will be the place you lose everything. I had been in Viet Nam for over a month, with no problem. But within a few hours of setting foot in Ha Noi, it happened.

The day started out badly. I arrived in Ha Noi, about 7am, after a 1.5 day bus ride from Nha Trang. There had been a 4-5 hour stop over in Hue the day before, and while there I inquired about where in Ha Noi I will be dropped off. They told me, on Hai Ba Trung, and showed it to me on the map. This is good, I thought, just a couple blocks away from the guesthouses.

But when I arrived in Ha Noi, they did not drop me there. They dropped me off on some small street, 2 km away, and would not tell me where I was. So there I was, surrounded by motorbike & taxi drivers, being offered rides into town. But when I'm upset, I refuse to spend money. So I was determined to walk.

After heading off in the wrong direction, I soon figured out where I was, and made it into the center of town, about 1.5 hours later, completely drenched with sweat. But I had cleared my head and was no longer upset. After checking into a hotel and taking a shower, I went for a walk around town.

Even though I do not like markets, I wandered into Dong Xuan Market. It was hot, crowded and filled with stuff I don't want to buy. I was in there for probably one minute. But while I was there, two women bumped into me, one on each side, an extended bump. I immediately checked my pockets for my wallet and camera. There were still there. I turned around and left the market.

It was not until I returned to my room, that I realized my little Maglite flashlight was missing from the side pocket of my backpack. Ok..., so it is not as big a deal as if I had lost my money, credit cards or passport. But still, I was robbed in Ha Noi! But by whom?

It could have been those two women. Perhaps, if I go back to the market tomorrow, I could buy back my flashlight from them. But it also could have been the two guys I asked for the location of a gym. They were laughing as I walked away, and there was no gym where they sent me. Or it could have been the motor bike & taxi drivers.

But one thing is clear. I need to be more careful. I should keep nothing of value in the pockets of my backpack. And I should keep my backpack on my person and locked at all times. Also, I should go back to wearing the security pouch under my clothes, rather than keeping my wallet in my pocket. Hopefully, I won't get robbed again.