I want to address the street food safety question honestly because the advice online ranges from paranoid to reckless.

The actual risk model: foodborne illness from street food comes primarily from undercooked protein, food left at ambient temperatures too long, and cross-contamination from surfaces shared between raw and cooked food. It does not come primarily from the 'dirtiness' of the stall or the absence of visible hygiene theater.

Practical indicators that correlate with safety: high turnover (popular stalls sell through their stock quickly, reducing time-temperature risk), food cooked to order in front of you on high heat, separate utensils for raw and cooked items, and the presence of local customers including families with children and elderly people (they know which stalls to avoid).

The advice I ignore: avoid salads or raw vegetables categorically. Most street vendors use these to add value to their dishes and spoiled greens are obvious by smell and appearance. Avoid ice in Southeast Asia. Most urban areas have reliable filtered water supply for commercial ice production. Avoid anything you can't identify. Trying things you can't identify is most of the point.

The advice I follow: skip any stall where the protein looks like it's been sitting out for a while. Trust your nose. Don't eat from buffet-style setups in the heat of the day. Carry oral rehydration sachets regardless — even the safest traveler gets a stomach day eventually.