Dear Hanoi,

So this is sensory overload. Everything around me competes for my attention, but it’s the honking that dominates. This city is infested with motorbikes. I want to cross the street — that’s what the guidebook says to do. But every time I look up, my vision goes blurry. It sends a message to my brain, “Don’t go.” I shut my eyes, they’re not helping anyway. Deep breath. It tastes like exhaust. I step forward. A motorbike swerves around me. I’m still alive, so I keep walking. A woman is frying spring rolls up ahead. I can smell them now. That’s where I’m going. A few more steps and I’ll be ok, sitting in the shade, watching the motorbikes whiz by as I gorge myself on spring rolls worth every Hail Mary I had to say to get there.

-A brave, hungry tourist.