Cat Ba Island to Hue via Hanoi

Slow start to the day, the tourist strip particularly quiet this morning. Jumped in an electric cart up the hill to the edge of the bay for a coffee and some photos on a clear day and then strolled back down to the hotel, packed the bag up and while I expected the bus to arrive eventually after the set time, it was actually 10 min early. Nothing looks like there’s a system, but there definitely is, and it works like a dream.

Bus and speed boat and transfer to another bus and the usual pushy got to get off and on first, bs ensues. Hurry up and wait, barge past to get your bag etc etc. 🙄

Trip back to Hanoi uneventful and with all roads into the Old Quarter closed we were all dropped off on the outskirts of the old quarter at the bus office. A happy chance as a cafe I wanted to go to was 500m up the road. With time to kill I dragged the bag up the foot path/road for a beer and a Bahn mi and a look around. The Hidden Gem Cafe is furnished and decorated with all reclaimed and recycled stuff. Very me!

Grabbed a Grab to the train station and then set off to find my accom from a few nights ago as I had inadvertently taken one of the security tabs.

As I’m near the train station I noted as I crossed tracks that there were guards looking down the tracks - another happy accident. Not the touristy area, but still the train squeezing between houses. Got a glimpse inside the sleeper train that I’ll be on in a few hours as well.

With a phone nearly flat, I followed my nose most of the way but had to check a few times to the Lanha Homestay and I’m now sitting in their foyer with it on charge. Don’t have to be back at the train until 8:30.

On my way back to the train, as luck would have another train was going past. Not a good photo in the dark, but I had thought it was the one thing in Hanoi I didn’t get to see and the photographer had given me the address of an area that is not heavily touristed and full of bars and cafes to sit on balcony’s over looking the tracks.

Sharing the cabin with 3 others, a young mum and 2 yr old - she disappeared at some point in the night and came back without the child and 2 older ladies on the top bunks. My ticket said 28, on the top..but so did one of theirs…lots of discussion and several people involved in sorting that out. Mine was the bunk with the bag of snacks. Again the VIP package.

The 2 older ladies got in, lay down and slept…woohoo I thought. They were awake again at 11, turned on the cabin light…not their own bunk light, ate and nattered away like it was the middle of the day until 3. I eventually got them to turn off the cabin light, but then they got down on to the bunk next to me and continued to talk until their stop.
Loop ear plugs are the single best (next to the air mattress) investment ever! Didn’t even hear them leave.Read more