We love train travel & last year's overnight journey from Hanoi to Danang was enjoyable, despite:
- the transition from a 13 hour to a 19 hour journey
- mice spotted running after the catering trolley which consisted of some kind of chowder-like fare (this had been described to us as the restaurant)
- the fact that the porters in the train just turned the mattresses over when ending or commencing the journey rather than changing the sleeping sheet.
We thought we were adventurous enough to try it again. When they didn't have a sleeper, we thought we were still adventurous enough to try it again. R reminded me that we had often travelled in Europe for long journeys in seats only. I was reassured until much later when I remembered that these had usually been first class carriages with gourmet meals included. I made sure to check how many kilos of luggage we could take because we are travelling with 2 backpacks, one little girl suitcase & a day backpack each. All good, the website told me as each person was allowed 20 kilo bags.
We got to the station early, luckily, because the train waiting room soon filled up - with boxes & boxes of who-knows-what & bags & bags of rice. Then, more stuff started filling the station, then more, then more. We started wondering what was going on.
When the train finally arrived, an hour late, we realised what was happening with the stuff. It was all being transplanted from the waiting room to the waiting train. The train didn't wait quite as long as it needed to have done to get all of the parcels on board as I realised when I was propelled forward forcibly by the biggest cardboard box I have ever seen (or felt against my whole body). That box was coming in & the fact that I was taking the steps up the train one at a time, with my own luggage, was no deterrent to it's owner. No sooner had I climbed to my feet & we were off. I couldn't actually stand on the floor, due to the number of boxes that had been pitched in from the platform. We had wondered why there were so many porters seemingly just standing around while we were waiting for the train, once it arrived however, these guys came to life and demonstrated their purpose in life.
I finally made it into our carriage. C had found her seat & was being variously swatted by the end of a box or a bag of rice or having her little toes run over by rolling suitcases (really, really big ones of course). C was sweaty & a bit weepy as she had lost sight of both of us in the rush to get so many people & so much stuff through such a small space as a train door. I was sweaty & weepy but had no time to dwell on it as I was pummelled by the various luggage items that proceeded up the train for the next hour. Not surprisingly, we had no space to put our luggage. The conductor told us to put it on the floor or hold it - for the planned 9 hour journey (which would certainly be longer). This wasn't going to cut it. So I stood, with our bags on my seat & finally the conductor was able to shuffle some things over & we had some space for one of the bags. The girls in front kindly offered to put one of the bags at their feet which was so nice of them. We were able to sit down 45 minutes after we got on. Whew I thought as I sunk down into my seat, now I can relax.
Wrong! I had a huge box behind my seat & the wall at the end of the carriage which meant not only could my seat not recline but it was actually angled forward. This might have meant I was still sitting up straight, except that the seat in front was in the reclined position so I was now seated at a forward angle with my face almost planted in the seat ahead - great.
After a few hours, the girls in front got off. Hurrah I thought, I can put the seat up. Alas no, some new people got on who didn't know about the agreed our-bag-at-your-feet deal so they told us to move it. Move it where? Once again I found myself standing with a bag on my seat. Two stops on we had more luggage than previously, on the train. The conductor, a very efficient little man, then said told R to follow him with the bag so that I could have a seat for the remaining 6 hours. Bag stowed in a special spot & seat available to sit in - luxury!
The next part of the journey was uneventful, except the occasional bickering between people who didn't appreciate another's toes in their face or on their head; the trolleys & trolleys of mysterious food & drinks that were up & down the aisles; & the ongoing questioning by C about when we were going to get there (in hours & hours of time so just relax - & repeat).
Where it did get interesting was when we stopped for 30 minutes at a station well set up with all kinds of provisions. People were on & off the train buying all sorts of foodstuffs. Evidently, the vendors are not allowed on the train. We only realised this when suddenly a woman jumped onto R's legs, threw open the locked window & jumped out, closely followed by the huge pappadams & other plastic bags of food & drink she & her partner in catering had been selling. This girl then also used R as a human trampoline & pivoted out of the window too. The carriage cheered, all except the uniformed, stern-faced, moustach-e-oed policeman who was glaring after them.
The next fun spot was going to the toilet. I will spare the details except to say that the gymnastic abilities to actually get into the toilet & onto the seat were beyond me & resulted in R having to just stand in front of the door.
The squat toilet has been replaced with a Western one but there is clearly not enough space for there to be a toilet & room for legs (although I am not an engineer so who am I to comment). Back from the toilet, sitting in the dark as most people lay on sleeping mats on the floor, causing anyone walking to step over them precariously, I saw a mouse dart under my legs, past the bag with our food in it - perfect!
We finally arrived an hour late (really 2 hours given the delay) & were met by a slightly annoyed driver who had been waiting for an hour. Finally at midnight we arrived at our hotel, so so pleased to see our lovely beds in our apartment hotel - good night.
Top 5
1. Gosh - what to say, love an experience!
2. No need to worry about excess luggage on a train trip in Vietnam, bring the kitchen sink, everyone else does, so get shopping & get on the train
3. I love taking photos but no photos should be taken to record the horror of the second class Vietnamese train toilet
4. One can exist in much less space than one imagines when required
5. The kindness of strangers can never be underestimated. It is always humbling.
Wrong! I had a huge box behind my seat & the wall at the end of the carriage which meant not only could my seat not recline but it was actually angled forward. This might have meant I was still sitting up straight, except that the seat in front was in the reclined position so I was now seated at a forward angle with my face almost planted in the seat ahead - great.
After a few hours, the girls in front got off. Hurrah I thought, I can put the seat up. Alas no, some new people got on who didn't know about the agreed our-bag-at-your-feet deal so they told us to move it. Move it where? Once again I found myself standing with a bag on my seat. Two stops on we had more luggage than previously, on the train. The conductor, a very efficient little man, then said told R to follow him with the bag so that I could have a seat for the remaining 6 hours. Bag stowed in a special spot & seat available to sit in - luxury!
The next part of the journey was uneventful, except the occasional bickering between people who didn't appreciate another's toes in their face or on their head; the trolleys & trolleys of mysterious food & drinks that were up & down the aisles; & the ongoing questioning by C about when we were going to get there (in hours & hours of time so just relax - & repeat).
Where it did get interesting was when we stopped for 30 minutes at a station well set up with all kinds of provisions. People were on & off the train buying all sorts of foodstuffs. Evidently, the vendors are not allowed on the train. We only realised this when suddenly a woman jumped onto R's legs, threw open the locked window & jumped out, closely followed by the huge pappadams & other plastic bags of food & drink she & her partner in catering had been selling. This girl then also used R as a human trampoline & pivoted out of the window too. The carriage cheered, all except the uniformed, stern-faced, moustach-e-oed policeman who was glaring after them.
The next fun spot was going to the toilet. I will spare the details except to say that the gymnastic abilities to actually get into the toilet & onto the seat were beyond me & resulted in R having to just stand in front of the door.
The squat toilet has been replaced with a Western one but there is clearly not enough space for there to be a toilet & room for legs (although I am not an engineer so who am I to comment). Back from the toilet, sitting in the dark as most people lay on sleeping mats on the floor, causing anyone walking to step over them precariously, I saw a mouse dart under my legs, past the bag with our food in it - perfect!
We finally arrived an hour late (really 2 hours given the delay) & were met by a slightly annoyed driver who had been waiting for an hour. Finally at midnight we arrived at our hotel, so so pleased to see our lovely beds in our apartment hotel - good night.
Top 5
1. Gosh - what to say, love an experience!
2. No need to worry about excess luggage on a train trip in Vietnam, bring the kitchen sink, everyone else does, so get shopping & get on the train
3. I love taking photos but no photos should be taken to record the horror of the second class Vietnamese train toilet
4. One can exist in much less space than one imagines when required
5. The kindness of strangers can never be underestimated. It is always humbling.
I can imagine how awful it was (and funny now that it's behind you) and an experience you will never forget.
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