1. Diversity in landscape: flat Mekong Delta, wind, beautiful coastline, hills in the highland, devastated forest from the war

2. Mekong River with floating houses with questionable toilet practices

3. Women with conical hats and full scarf mask covering nose, mouth and neck

4. Honking, Honking, Honking, Honking, Honking (if you've ever been in France, you will recognize this as part of the French legacy?)

5. Traffic with near misses, no anticipation and a honking code: 3 short honks "I'm here", short honks with a long honk "I'm here and coming through" one long honk "I'm here, I'm coming through, and we may all die"

6. The cost of baguettes varied depending on the honesty of the vendor; sometimes due to the proximity of the origin of the baking and where sold

7. 1 USD = 16000 Dong; 1 Baguette 1000-2000 Dong

8. Ho Chi Minh City War Museum shows a different perspective and talks about the American War; the Cu Chi tunnels glorified the women who killed American soldiers and the jungle traps; Which is worse the minds that think up traps or those that developed Agent Orange?

9. Floating markets; long boats steered by a woman rowing with the oars crossing and a forward stepping motion

10. Large round basket-like boats near Nha Trang

11. Women wearing pantsuits with short sleeve tops and colorful prints

12. Western food available in "backpacker" areas: Pizza, Mexican, beer, salads, cheese

13. Route: Chau Doc-Can Tho-Vinh Long-MyTho-HCMC (Saigon); HCMC-Dalat-Phan Rang-Nha Trang-Quy Nhon-Bus to Kon Tum-Dak To-Dak Glu-Hoi An-Da Nang-Hue-Dong Ha-Lao Bao

14. Did we mention: Honking, Honking, Honking, Honking, Honking

15. "Same Same, But Different"; same as in Thailand and Cambodia

16. Cafe shops: French pressed coffee on ice; first served with tea; sitting at small sized tables and chairs; hammocks hanging nearby

17. Rice=com; Beef=thit Bo; Chicken=thit Ga; Dog=Thit Cay; Beer=Bia; Rice noodle soup=Pho

18. Nha Hang=Restaurant; Nha Ngi=Guesthouse; Can on=Thank you; Chao (sin jou)=Hello

19.Vietnamese silk and silkworms

20. Sugar cane drinks sold at the side of the road

21. Marble mountains and Happy Buddha statues

22. Early morning exercise by locals in the park

23. DMZ and Vinh Moc tunnels

24. Hotels with satellite TV, fridge, hot water, complimentary drinking water, toothbrushes, combs and soap

25. Sometimes not so nice people

26. Sometimes very nice people

27. When being given anything (like money, a card) the item is given with 2 hands, we tried to remember to take with 2 hands

28. Vietnamese flags flying even in the small hill villages, we think to prepare to celebrate Tet--the Vietnamese New Year Feb 16th; the Chinese New Year is Feb 17-18; We will be out of the country by then

29. Depending on your age and how sloppy you look, a common name you may be called to you back is tay balo (westerner backpack), a relatively recent term for scruffy looking backpackers; If cycling, may be called tay di xe dap (westerner travelling by bicycle); or Falang or Farang.

30. The top five in food: crickets, dog (thit cay in south, thit cho in north) duck embryo, field mouse and king cobra. We didn't try any that we think

31. Mobile party tents mostly for weddings but also for birthdays/celebrations

32. French legacy: good baguettes, good coffee, escargot