One feature of this trip was an overnight train ride from Hue to Hanoi, which sounded a bit charming. Even if being bunked 4 to a cabin wasn’t Orient Express level luxury, I figured it would be on par with the 2 star hotels w’ve stayed in - simple but clean.
Instead, we got more worn, drab-green cabins whose only real charm was getting a good “roughing it” experience. After a beer or two to ease the jolt (a Gorillapod can be twisted into a cupholder, by the way), the stewards brought around schedule cards with pictures of much nicer cabins. Chris and Matt set out to find these mythical cabins, with clean, already made beds and walls paneled with fake wood instead of real grime. Having honed their negotiating skills after two weeks of beating down local hawkers, they came back with an offer to upgrade all 3 cabins for our group for half price, or about $8 a person. With 12 hours to go, we all jumped in and moved on up.
Except, that is for our tour guide Huy. Unlike our Cambodian guide, he hasn’t really endeared himself to the group, and had disappeared to take a nap. So he got quite a surprise when he found us not in our assigned cabins, but up in a higher class. Once he found out we weren’t squatting and had struck a deal, he followed suit. The look on his face must’ve been priceless, though.
Another good advnture was walking to the “dining car” at the back of the train. This passed through the non-sleeper cabins, where the locals were sprawled on the seats and the floor with babies, assorted food, and TV, surprisingly. A few squat toilets with the light of the tracks flickering below completed the picture. The dining car itself was only four booths and staff preparing rice and selling beer straight from the fridge - much colder than off the drink cart!
The rest of the ride wasn’t as exciting; we pretty much lounged, muched, and socialized in our fancy cabins until everyone was ready for bed. It wasn’t a terribly restful night, with the alternating motion and stops of the train, and bunks that were a little too short to stretch out. At a little past 4 in the morning, though, we made it into Hanoi with yet another story to tell.
April 18th, 2009 at 10:39 am
The Germans and I took the overnight train from Hanoi up north to the hill country and back. I had the first sort of puke green car on the outbound leg, and a much nicer one on the return trip (although I’m pretty sure there was no wood paneling involved!!). I definitely managed to sleep en route, though. It helps to be really tired