Viet Nam Generally

Viet Nam is an amazing country. But I have to say, it has also been the most difficult country I have ever travelled in as a young single female. I have never felt in danger per se, but I am painfully aware that most people see me as "easy game" to be ripped off, scammed, or harrassed. In every other country I have travelled in, there have been the inevitable bunch of people who want to abuse your vulnerabilities. However, what I have always found is that the majority of people are struck by the "I have a bambino at home just like you" phenomenon, whereby they go out of their way to help you, generally because they hope that someone would do the same for their child if they were in a similar situation. From sharing their food with you (Poland, Laos); to handing out free bottles of water (Laos); or undercharging you on Taxis (Thailand) - people are so, so generous and it is one of the main joys of travel. And whilst I am not asking for this help, it always mitigates the feeling that peopleare out to ripp you off. This semblance has not been my experience ofViet Nam. Every traveller has their own tales and their own experience of countries. Unfortunately mine, as a single female traveller, has been very much to be harrassed and cheated, and I have not had anyone do anything to help me. Just one example is that I have watched motodrivers ignore women with boyfriends, or two women together, and then spend the next 5-10 minutes following me ("Hello! Where you from?Melbourne or Sydney? You come with me? Many people from Australia have good time on my moto! I love you!"). It's fine, but after 10 days orso, it gets tiring. I nearly hit a moto driver the other day, and that's saying something for me! I try to remember what these people have been through (I continue to thank God every day for the fact that I have not experienced similar). I try to remember their poverty. But none of this mitigates the fact that this is a very, very difficult country to travel through if you are a young woman travelling alone. So whilst this is anamazing country, I will not be coming back to Viet Nam anytime soon.