Should I be wary of the locals?

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As with any part of the world, you need to use your head and watch who you trust. However, once you travel in Asia for a little while, you begin to develop a "gut instinct" that tells you who you can open up to.

Your ablility to open up to the locals and your interactions with them may provide the most treasured of memories of your trip. One interesting thought on those lines is that my most memorable experiences with them came not from anything planned or organized or bought via any tour, but merely from seeking them out on their "turf" in places where they were just going about their daily lives. For example, at the food stalls tucked in back of the markets. I'd find a table of half a dozen of them eating a lunch of noodle soup. Although none would speak any english, we'd "communicate" - sometimes for hours - laughing as we tried to teach each other names of food ingredients, looked at the photos I'd brought of me back home standing on snow-covered mountain tops (which sometimes brought a crowd of eager viewers rushing over from other tables!). Sharing with them in a relaxed atmosphere, where you can display genuine interest and respect in them, will allow you not only to develop meaningful memories, but a sense that you've made some friends that will also remember you for some time... 

More about my many good and few not-so-good experiences can be found in Rice Crust from the Bottom of the Pot.

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 Although the author has tried to make the information as accurate as possible, he accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury, or inconvenience sustained by anyone using the information.