This city never sleeps (which is understandable for a city of 7 million) - it wakes up ealy and doesnt go to slep till late, then begins it all over again the next day.
The people are very kind and helpful; not knowing any viet is not a problem; you just need to use sign language and most people know a little english: basic numbers and greetings.
I was fleeced by a private taxi upon leaving the airport, but this gave me an understanding of how much things should cost and to be wary of people looking to fleece tourists. Upon reflection it was my own fault but considering it cost me twenty US dollars, it was not that great a loss.
The food is fantastic, though travelling by myself limits where I eat and how much I want try - its a bit hard to converse on the quality and variety of different foods by yourself.
As to seeing the sights of HCMC I ahve done none of this. I have mainly stayed I district three and travelled no more that six blocks from my hotel ... this sounds boring, but the city is a maze of similar streets and alleyways which vary little from district to district.
The weather is tropical; very similar to darwin, though with much pollution.
HCMC could be a good place to live in, especially if you lived within the maze of alleyways (they have so much atmosphere and community).
Vietnamese could be acquired over time; the pronouciation is the difficult part. when I say a word it is very rarely understood the first time. Hopefully I will have aquired a basic knowledge of viet befoe I leave for Europe.
