Continued from Hoi An Day 2.
Today is another traveling day. We are a little tired of always being on the move, but at the same time, there isn’t that much else we’d like to do here in Hoi An.
Pack pack pack. We are getting more and more efficient in packing since the start of the trip.
After breakfast, we were able to take it easy since our ride back to rail station in Danang doesn’t arrive until 10:30am.
Back to the outskirts of Danang.
Drama free ride. We ended up paying $16 for the ride back here. Too bad there wasn’t other tourists to split the cost with us.
We got to the station about an hour before the train is scheduled to depart. Better to be early then to be late.
While looking for some snacks/lunch, we saw this cat on a leash. Cool as a cucumber with it.
Not really anything good to eat here for lunch, so we stocked up on snacks.
Please meet the person that the sun revolves around. While we waited, we sat in front of the most annoying self absorbed person we’ve run across in this entire trip. I’m sorry to say, or perhaps, needless to say, is better suited–she’s an American. She was on an international call to her mom, back in the States I presume. This seems to be the first time she’s ever been out of the country for extended periods of time.
Like, OMG, like I need to figure things out. Dad will help with my ticket back to the States. Like I feel so bad for my friend who was boy crazy and now is married. Like I would never do that. I love him(referring to her hippie boyfriend who hasn’t showered in probably a week), we need time to discover who we are as individuals. Things are just like, so organic with me and him(this one is for you JB). He needs to discover himself, and I support him like 110%. Like, yeah. I want to go to Central America to teach English so I can like learn Spanish, like yeah. I am like so excited I got a traveler’s backpack, for like, $20, like yeah. And people in America pay like yeah like $300 for them. I need to go to Europe because like I have too much money right now, and if I don’t go like I will not get the chance, like yeah. Move to Arizona, like I would Never do that. Like like like like like like like this went on for almost an hour!
And of course, she had on a super loose shirt with a bikini top, and elephant print pants! AAAHHH!!!! RL and I were rolling our eyes so much that we felt like the meanest people…But apparently, I don’t feel so bad anymore because I am still making fun of her here.
Our train is late.
Boob shaped rice cracker.
Train finally arrived!
Crap, we got one of those seats that face each other. Less foot space.
And of course, the guy with the bird cage sits across from RL. Though, for some reason, he got up part of the way through the trip and never came back to his seat.
As we are leaving the station, I see all the food and snack stalls closing shop. There are only a few trains that run each day here in Vietnam. Weird to think that they set up these shops just for a handful of trains a day, maybe less than 5 a day?
By the time we pulled out of the station, we are already running an hour behind. This will be a relatively short ride to Hue, and is supposed to be through the scenic Hai Van Pass.
When I booked my train tickets online, I had requested to get the side of the train facing the coast. Well, no promises, and no promises means that it didn’t happen. I got the side with the crappier view, and on top of that, the window is caked in a thick layer of dirt.
About the only good photo from the inland side of the train.
The beautiful ocean view from the other side.
And half of the people are asleep on that side! Why!!!!! Let’s switch seats!
Oh yeah!!! In my desperation for some photos, I decided to go look outside of the ocean side window at the end of the car by the bathrooms. Well, wouldn’t you know it, they even had an open window here!!
Looking back towards Da Nang.
Those white flowers cover entire mountains.
See.
The squat type restroom that was right next to me while I took photos. It’s scary, to say the least. There is also a Western Style Toilet at the other end of the car though, still scary, but at least you won’t fall into the toilet with the constant jolting of the train.
Back to my seat, this is the inland side view. Meh.
Decided to go back to the open window. Our train is going really slowly around these mountain bends. We just hear the wheels underneath us shrieking and squealing from the tight turns.
Hair down, smells like shampoo.
Look, food! We’ve only been snacking since we’ve gotten on the train and haven’t had lunch.
Corn! This is unlike the corn in America, it’s got a more starchy texture and isn’t sweet. I remember eating these growing up. The guy who sells it peels the corn husk off, and then hands you the corn. He does this in between taking dirty cash for payment. Seasoned with a hint of dirty money baby!
More snacks. Some sort of sesame candy.
Lots of fruits on top of that bus. We are out of the beautiful mountain passes, and are now traveling alongside a highway.
Towards the end of the ride, they start playing clips of some European comedy show where they punk’d people in awkward situations. I was a big fan.
Here in Hue! It’s pronounced sort of like Wey.
Taxi touts everywhere. Ahhhh….Just keep head down and head towards the line of taxis parked ahead.
OK, taxi by meter, hopefully he’ll be fair.
Arrived at our hotel, no drama in the taxi fare. Cool. I even paid him a tip!
So, this hotel is ON IT as far as trying to please us. We show up and we get fruit and juice handed to us immediately. Then they go over everything we can do in this city. They are so on it to the point where we feel a little pestered…
View outside of our room window.
What you get for $20 in Hue in a great location close to lots of dining options. Wow, cheap!!
We were tired from the train ride so we just sat around in the hotel until dinner time. Man, those train rides, even the short ones, somehow just takes it out of you.
Out for dinner, there’s a restaurant very close by with great reviews.
Found, about a 3 min walk.
All the patrons are all foreigners…Not sure how I feel about that.
Oh, this is similar to what we had the other day in Hoi An.
Duck in mango sauce.
Curry. Everything was very delicious, the reviewers were accurate.
Now, we will attempt to walk 3 miles after a large dinner in search of the Noon Gate of the old Citadel.
Bridge changes color. Kind of cheesy, kind of cool.
What’s not fucking cool is the whole bridge from beginning to the end COATED in spider webs!!! AAAHHH, run away!
Safe from spiders. There’s a supermarket, we need some soap.
Got soap, nothing to it. It’s what happens when you take showers, you run out of soap.
Walking into the old city. There are no sidewalks….just oncoming traffic. Nice.
We walked and walked and walked…
Only to discover to the Noon Gate is all covered up because it’s under renovation. Well…that’s a lot of hot sweaty wasted effort and not an enjoyable walk. Boo.
We did, however, discover that rollerblading is still the thing to do in Vietnam though. This is right across from the Noon Gate. Date night, anyone?
OK, back out of the old city, and again, walking into oncoming traffic. It has also started to rain on us…I hope it doesn’t pick up.
On the river(Perfume River), there are all these boat cruises all parked in the same area, and they all have performers inside singing and playing music. Seems lame and boring to me.
Windows Cafe. It was actually packed. Finally, MSFT gets some love.
“These things are everywhere”–RL
Restock. Not too many convenience stores here. We miss 7 Eleven.
Back home to sleep. We only have a half day in Hue tomorrow before we need to board another tiring overnight train.
Sidenote. A lot of people still use Nokia phones here. I’ve been hearing that classic Nokia ringtone from time to time in SE Asia.
To be continued at Train to Hanoi.