My Cyclo Adventure

On Wednesday, my friend picked me up and took me to the Metro, comparable to our Costco or Sam's club.  I needed to look for a small vacuum along with meats and other food items.  I found one that and box was not to large so after completing our shopping we went out to her motor bike and discovered that with the box and two large shopping bags we would not be able to carry this safely.  Her bike is smaller than her sons.  I offered to take a taxi back and she went to give the taxi driver instructions.  Well I am not sure what happened, they haggled awhile, I don't think she liked his price ?? After a few minutes she looked at me and said, you take cyclo home.  OK, I have not done that yet so, new experience!  They are trying to outlaw them in Vietnam because they are such a hazard, to slow for all of the motor bikers and taxi's.  I got in with my box and the thing is like a lounge chair.  He put the cover over the top because it was still sprinkling.  Now this was a very small, thin man and I am no lightweight especially with my box. We did alright the first few miles but then we came to a hill.  I really wanted to jump off and let him peddle up the hill  but their was a communication problem and there was rush hour traffic and the roads were flooded from the storm.  Well to make a long story short, we made it home in 55 minutes a 20 minute motor bike ride and as we came to my building I was pointing to it and he thought that I was admiring it.  He went right on past and I thought ok, now what, maybe he is going to the light to turn around?  As I said traffic was heavy.  No we passed the light and finally I began pointing back and trying to tell him to turn around.  He finally got the message. Arriving back I realized that my friend had my purse in one of the shopping bags with my money.  I did have a large bill so I gave it to him and of course he had no change.  He went to one of the men sitting by the building and asked for change. The nice man called me over and said he did not have any change but let him keep the change, he is very poor !! Well I ended up tipping him the whole charge for  the trip so he made double on me but he also had to peddle this not so light weight foreigner.  Never a dull moment !!