If, at the end of my days, the sum of what I've taken exceeds the sum of what I've given, then I have lived in vain.

Some 30 years later I found myself back here again [in Vietnam] on what was to be a short visit that lasted months, and since then I've been living my life with one foot in Ho Chi Minh City and the other in Fair Oaks, California.

Why Ho Chi Minh City? It is crowded, noisy, scruffy, crazy, but always interesting and things are happening all at a break neck speed.

Indochina gets into your blood and once you have a taste you'll find it's impossible to stay away.

Overall the cost of living in Ho Chi Minh City is cheap and if you can stay away from Western restaurants and use just local products in your everyday life it's really cheap.

Thailand has good medical care and even though I haven't tried it, Singapore is said to have high quality care also.

For the most part Ho Chi Minh City is safe but like any large city you need to pay attention to what's going on around you.