…I’d have $50 USD.

The currency in Vietnam is called Dong. 20,000 Dong equals $1 USD. So, If I had a million dong, I’d have $50. That’s it. To buy a new iPhone (actually used, and probably stolen) from one of the 30 vendors in Ho Chi Minh Chinatown you’ll need 6,200,000.00 dong, cash.

So I bought an iPhone for six million dong. I’ll be extra careful with this one…

I’m adding to my list of Things I learned in Asia that you shouldn’t hold your phone out in public, especially within arms reach of motorbikes. I was in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia, holding my iPhone in both hands looking down at Google Maps, and then it was gone – swiped out of my hands by a man on the back of a motorbike. I shouted and mindlessly ran after them down the middle of the street, then my flip flop flew off and I watched it tumble across the road. Did I get the flip flop? Obviously not! I kept running with one bare foot, but I quickly lost sight of the bandits among the traffic. I looked around expecting someone on a motorbike to help me chase them. A kind old man on an ancient scooter stopped! I hopped on and we headed in the thieves’ direction, then, at the first intersection, we realized they could have gone any direction. They were gone. I got a ride back to my shoe in the middle of the road, and stood in the dust.