{"id":1024,"date":"2013-11-12T01:40:01","date_gmt":"2013-11-11T18:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/?p=1024"},"modified":"2019-07-03T11:56:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T04:56:00","slug":"cyclo-driver-in-ho-chi-minh-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/cyclo-driver-in-ho-chi-minh-city\/","title":{"rendered":"FACES OF VIETNAM Edition 3 &#8211; A Cyclo Driver in Saigon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/cyclo-driver-in-ho-chi-minh-city\/#Drives_a_Cyclo\" >Drives a Cyclo!<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/cyclo-driver-in-ho-chi-minh-city\/#Life_of_a_cyclo_driver_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_city\" >Life of a cyclo driver in Ho Chi Minh city<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Drives_a_Cyclo\"><\/span><strong>Drives a Cyclo!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Cyclo touring has declined in popularity in Ho Chi Minh City over the last several years.\u00a0 Its reputation has taken a hit because of the many bad experiences from travelers and the government has really limited the reach of cyclo tours in the city.\u00a0 Actually, we have mentioned in a\u00a0previous blog\u00a0the precautions that tourists need to take when <a href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/2013\/01\/23\/saigon-taxi-and-cyclo-scams-a-comprehensive-guide-to-avoiding-taxi-and-cyclo-scams-in-saigon\/\">hiring <\/a>cyclos. \u00a0Now, there are only certain places around District 1 where a cyclo can tour.\u00a0 Unfortunately, this really limits the amount of money a cyclo driver can make.\u00a0 Out of desperation, many cyclo drivers can appear to be very aggressive.<\/p>\n<p>Aggression is clearly not a trait of Mr. Kim\u2019s.\u00a0 In fact, he is very quiet, unassuming, and mild-mannered.\u00a0 We found him dozing off under a bridge in Saigon with his shirt off, hiding from the heat.\u00a0 We may have startled him a bit when we woke him up from his peaceful nap!\u00a0 Mr. Kim is 60 years old and has been driving a cyclo for over 20 years!\u00a0 He has seen the tourism industry in Saigon go through many different phases.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Life_of_a_cyclo_driver_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_city\"><\/span><strong>Life of a cyclo driver in Ho Chi Minh city<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> Tell us about your family, Mr. Kim.<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> I have 6 brothers but 3 have died already.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a wife.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> Why did you choose to do this work?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> I don\u2019t speak English.\u00a0 It\u2019s very cheap to ride a cyclo.\u00a0 If it breaks, I can fix it easily.\u00a0 It is easy work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:<\/strong>\u00a0 If you don\u2019t speak English, do you face any problems with tourists?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> Not really.\u00a0 I write down the price, they tell me where they want to go.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:<\/strong>\u00a0 When do you start working?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> After 6 PM.\u00a0 I like to sleep during the day because it\u2019s too hot.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> How do you pass your time during the day then?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> Well sleeping&#8230; Or, the lady across the street with the store asks for my help sometimes to carry things.\u00a0 I help out some of the other shop owners around here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> How much do you charge?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> Depends.\u00a0 From 50000-100000 for 1 hour and 200000 if they want to go around the whole city.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:<\/strong>\u00a0 And how much do you make in a day?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> Only about 100000.\u00a0 Sometimes I get no customers so I don\u2019t make anything.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> And whom do you provide for?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> No one.\u00a0 Myself.\u00a0 I live with my brother and his family but I am usually out all day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:<\/strong>\u00a0 Oh ok.\u00a0 And they live close by?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> Yes in District 1.\u00a0 I can go home for lunch sometimes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> Do you travel around Vietnam to different cities?\u00a0 Or even outside of Vietnam?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> With what money??<\/p>\n<p><strong>XO:\u00a0<\/strong> Okay, what about going out for dinner or beer?<br \/>\n<strong>Mr. Kim:\u00a0<\/strong> With what money??\u00a0 [We sensed a theme so we ended it here instead of pushing the topic more&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p>Talking with Mr. Kim was a very different experience from the people in our other interviews.\u00a0 Besides the fact that Mr. Kim was a man of few words, the other workers were much more enthusiastic about their profession and their way of life.\u00a0 We are certain that they recognized that it wasn\u2019t the easiest way to live but they were making the most of their situation.\u00a0 We aren\u2019t sure that we saw the same drive and passion for work in Mr. Kim.\u00a0 Perhaps this is because Mr. Kim only has himself to take care of and has very few responsibilities or maybe it is because he is older in age and doesn\u2019t desire as much for himself.\u00a0 Either way, we can\u2019t say for sure that Mr. Kim loves what he does for a living, yet he has been doing it for more than two decades!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1026\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1026\" style=\"width: 283px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1026 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/mr-kim-cyclo.jpg\" alt=\"Mr. Kim - a cyclo driver in Ho Chi Minh city\" width=\"283\" height=\"378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/mr-kim-cyclo.jpg 283w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/mr-kim-cyclo-224x300.jpg 224w, https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/mr-kim-cyclo-112x150.jpg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 283px) 100vw, 283px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1026\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mr. Kim &#8211; a cyclo driver in Ho Chi Minh city<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you see Mr. Kim around the city and recognize him from this blog, ask him to take you out for a spin! \u00a0For more Vietnam travel tips and advice, talk to us personally on our many <a title=\"Our Tours\" href=\"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener \u201ddofollow&quot;\">Vietnam tours<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Drives a Cyclo! Cyclo touring has declined in popularity in Ho Chi Minh City over the last several years.\u00a0 Its reputation has taken a hit because of the many bad experiences from travelers and the government has really limited the reach of cyclo tours in the city.\u00a0 Actually, we have mentioned in a\u00a0previous blog\u00a0the precautions [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Faces of Vietnam Edition 3 - Cyclo Driver in Ho Chi Minh City","_seopress_titles_desc":"We spoke with Mr. Kim about his experience as a cyclo driver in Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Kim has been driving a cyclo for over 20 years in the city!","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[432],"tags":[67,69,144],"class_list":{"0":"post-1024","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-life","8":"tag-cyclo","9":"tag-cyclo-ho-chi-minh-city","10":"tag-vietnamese-culture-2"},"acf":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1024"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5304,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1024\/revisions\/5304"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xotours.vn\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}