Being connected

This is by far the most connected I've been on a trip. It's different, but good. Due to the time difference, every morning I wake up to a bunch of messages and whatnot that have come through while I was asleep. In Saigon I was retiring to the hostel during the hottest part of the day to write in the air conditioning and nap to get ready for the evening. With my phone and computer here, during that time I was able to check email, text friends back home, blog. It feels a little bit like I haven't left (in a good sense). Dan mentioned that we are communicating via text and email roughly the same amount that we do when I'm in Boulder. Though, at the time that I am writing this it is about 01:00 in Boulder, so that gets in the way.

Having my phone here has been really handy even though I have not unlocked it and bought a Vietnamese SIM card.

I got an app (citymaps2go) that allows you to download entire city (or country) maps for use offline. Your phone can use the GPS to find your location even if your data is turned off, which has made wandering the city incredibly easy. I don't typically plan much where I'm going, I just head off in the general direction I think I need to go and figure it out along the way, which is also a good way to see things off the beaten track. With googlemaps, if you load the map ahead of time, you can do most of this. But I think the GPS works better with this app for some reason, and you don't have to think about loading the map ahead of time.

The other app I've been getting a lot of use out of is Tinder. It is technically a dating app, but it has been really handy to find people living in the city to talk to. I've gotten a lot of advice about where to go and what to see, and I've met up for meals and drinks with a number expats and other travelers.