About the Scooter...

My trusty ride for the last couple of months has been this 4-speed emerald green Honda Wave featuring a manual gear shift and dual mirrors.  It costs me all of $55 a month and costs about $2.50 to fill the tank.

Speaking of filling the tank, while there are a handful of "regular" gas stations around Hanoi, they're relatively few and far between.  Even moreso once you leave the city and venture into the countryside.  Instead, all sorts of mom and pop shops sell their own gas out of these rather odd looking contraptions.  Best of all, it's full-serve!

Aside from gas, the only other requirement is a rain poncho.  Mine's this cheap yellow thing that came with the bike.  Most folks here have much more elaborate ponchos of sturdier material and which often cover the entire bike.  Motoring around Hanoi is a blast, but when it rains, it generally pours and that means, even with full poncho gear, you're usually pretty wet by the time you get to your destination.