Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (with a Junket thrown in)
PLANE - Saigon - Ha Noi (1.45 hours)
The first leg of our journey North was easy. A pleasant 1.45 hour flight to Ha Noi. Once we had made it into the Old Quarter from the airport we were quickly picked up by a hotel tout. It was a nice hotel with a nice price but the staff were very pushy trying to sell you tours to SaPa and Halong Bay. (We did however take up on one of their tours the following day to Halong Bay as it was a better way to see it as trying to go independently can be very time consuming).
Across the road from our hotel we spotted some beauty salons and it didn't take long for us to decide to have our toe nails painted, after all we were about to spend three days out on the bay so would be able to show them off. Jo got a fabulous purple flower design and I a red flower design.
Ha Noi is known for its street bars and so it was important that we partake in this daily ritual. Once our nails were nicely painted we headed just a few metres up the road to one of the street bars. Beer was flowing freely and at only 40 cents a glass we couldn't say no to a couple or three. You can also get some yummy snack food to go with your beer and each bar seems to have its own specialty. This bar was serving a fried dough served with a sweat n sour dipping sauce.
MINI-BUS/JUNKET/MINI-BUS - Ha Noi - Halong Bay - Ha Noi (3 days)
Our trip to Halong Bay started out with a 4 hour trip in a mini van. Just after midday we were boarding our Junket. A big wooden boat with accommodation on the lower level, eating area and more accommodation on the middle level and a top deck for a bit of R&R.
Halong Bay is very beautiful and is listed as a UNESCO area. It has nearly 2000 lime rock islands in the bay and quite a few are inhabited. Our first day involved visiting a beautiful limestone cave, some kayaking and a dip in the water where Jo managed to get stung by a jellyfish. We were told that the jellyfish wouldn't rise to the surface until after sunset but I think this was a little white lie as we saw them heaps afterwards and I got stung the following day swimming at Cat Ba Island in the middle of the day.
Day 2 of our tour took us to Cat Ba Island where we climbed a hill and witnessed the surrounding breathtaking views, got very muddy and then very wet as the rain poured down. Accommodation for this night was not on the junket but in a hotel in the main town of Cat Ba Island. The afternoon was spent lounging around on the beach reading and having a massage. The following day we were back on the junket and back to Ha Noi for just a few hours before catching the train to SaPa.
TRAIN (Overnight)- Ha Noi - SaPa (Hard Seat) (11 hours)
After refusing to spend an extra $10 each to have a travel agent book us a train ticket to SaPa we opted to purchase one from the train station direct. Well wasn't this a bad move. No sleepers (hard or soft) or soft seats were available and so we were left with option of waiting a day or 2 and get a sleeper or bite the bullet and buy a hard seat. After all how bad could a hard seat be??!!!
While trying to purchase our tickets we met an American girl who was also heading to SaPa. She was up for the hard seat and so we went for it as well (can't afford losing another day or two).
Our train wasn't leaving for a few hours so we sat around chatting waiting for our 22:05pm train. Close to the time we made our final toilet stop (didn't want to go on the train if possible) and then headed to our carriage. We found our seats and we could not believe it!! It really was hard seat. Imagine a wooden park bench and you've got it in one. How was this journey going to unfold?? And they crammed you in as well. It's alright for the skinny ass'd Asians but our foreign bums take up a bit more room.
It is only a few hundred kms to Lo Cai (the last station and stop to head out to SaPa) but it is very slow going at about 30kms/hr and a lot of it uphill so the trip took an almighty long time. Especially long when you are sitting in a hard seat.
Not much sleep was had but it was a joyful experience to be hanging out with the locals and by day break we saw a few hours of amazing scenery that we would not of been privelaged to should we of been on the sleeper train.
SaPa was a really beautiful place. High up in the mountains(which meant it was a bit cooler) there was rice field upon rice field. Our two days were spent visiting the closeby Cat Cat Village and Jo bargaining with the local indigenous ladies for souvenirs.
TRAIN (Overnight) - SaPa - Ha Noi (Soft Seat) (8.5 hours)
On arrival to SaPa we organised our return journey for the following night. We were unable to get a sleeper but at least we could get a soft seat with aircon. Event though it was more comfortable than the hard seats I found it difficult to catch any zzz's.
Back in Ha Noi we explored the city by foot and by public bus. Visited more street bars and Jo purchased prescription sunnies and glasses at a bargain price ($85us for both). The lake near the Old Quarter was a delight to walk around and a few degrees cooler than on the busy streets.
We partook in some more street bars of course and yummy street food.
TRAIN (Overnight) - Ha Noi - Hue (Soft Sleeper) (14 hours)
Finally we managed to book ourselves a soft sleeper for this leg of our travels. We saved up to $10 each by being able to get the ticket at the train station as the travel agencies always wack on a huge commission.
The trip was another long one and we were glad to be able to sleep or at least try too. The aircon was not working well and so it was a long hot night and once we arrived in Hue it was even hotter.
Hue has a lovely citadel to explore with citadels within the citadel. After we had explored this we then decided to hire a boat and spend an hour on the perfume river to try and get some cool air.
BUS (+ chauferred car) - Hue - Hoi An (4 hours)
The journey between Hue and Hoi An was to be our shortest leg of our journey. It involved just a mere 4 hour bus ride (Including a 30 minute stop). We waited impaitiently in our hotel foyer for our 8am pick-up. A lot was happening at the front desk with tourists argueing about something, one of the hotel staff was hovering between us and watching what was going on, he half indicated for us to get ready so we put our packs on. As we stood out on the street waiting for some direction another local guy also waiting impatiently said "Hoi An" and we replied "Yes, Hoi An" so off we trotted. When we got to the end of the laneway we were directed into a nice shiny black car. Jo and I both thought that it was our transfer car to the bus station so happily hopped in to this air-conditioned comfort. 20 minutes down the road though we started to have doubts as the bus station was only 4 kms from the city centre where we were staying. The driver dpoke no English so we couldn't ask him what was going on. I had a couple of theories of what was happening A) the guy was going to Hoi An anyway so he hotel arranged for us to go with him for some extra dosh and didnt tell us or B) we had hopped into someone elses chauferred car. Well 30 mintes into our trip our drivers mobile phone rang and I thought "here we go, it will be the hotel" and sure enough it was. Our bus was waiting for us (we didn't need to get to the station as the bus stopped at our hotel) and that bought attention to the staff that we must of gone with the chauffer driver instead. So we had to turn around and drive 30 minutes back to a waiting bus. The driver and the two of us had a good laugh about the whole thing but it was an hour of the day out the window.
So we hopped on the bus and made the 4 hour trip to Hoi An. Once in Hoi-An we spent some time looking for a hotel and ended up staying at the first one we looked at (had a swimming pool which considering how how it was was very handy).
Hoi An is known for its tailors so we spent our time having clothes made (me a dress ($15us) and a pair of shorts ($9us) and Jo had shirts made for work, Chinese Silk PJ's and a pair of leather knee high boots which were a bargain at $45us.
We also partook in a cooking class at the RedBridge Cooking School. This was a lot of fun and the day was toped off by hanging out at the restuarants very swanky swimming pool.
Hoi An escaped the bombings and has ben left nicely preserved with its beautiful colonial style buildings and narrow streets (That cars are not allowed to drive through). It was a delight to stay here and one could spend many days here.
BUS (Overnight) - Hoi An - Nha Trang (11 hours)
The first overnight bus on this trip and I was hoping it would be the last. What a nightmare. Horns honking, aircon in overdrive and uncomfortable seat beds. I didn't get an ounce of sleep but that was OK as the following day we spent relaxing on the beach and continued to do so for 4 days.
Along the beach there is lounge chairs that you can hire at various restaurants. Our choice of resort style beach lounge chairs was at the Louisane Brewery. A restaurant, bar and brewery complete with it's own swimming pool and beach area (serviced of course by the bar/restaurant). Jo and I practically lived at this place for the whole 4 days. We did manage to venture further afield a couple of times (and Jo ended up with a stomach bug) but we were always drawn back to our favourite place.
On Saturday 16th August was a full moon and the restaurant next door to the one we frequented was holding a full moon party. It just had to be done but how would we stay awake and enjoy the night (We didn't last much past 9pm usually). We decided that we would have to have an afternoon siesta follwed by a late dinner. This worked well and I managed nearly 3pm and Jo 4pm.
The climate of Nha Trang was favoured by both Jo and I as the days were hot (but not sticky hot) and usually a breeze and the night air was cool.
BUS (Overnight) - Nha Trang - Saigon (9 hours)
The final leg of our journey and another bloody overnight bus. We tried to fly or catch the train but they were all FULL so our only choice was to brave the bus once more.
So after a bumpy 9 hours I am back where I started this journey. A day left to do some shopping (a fake Rolex for a family member and a bargain at $20 AUS), transport arrangements to Cambodia and as the rain yet once again dampens this city, some catching up on the blog site (Which has since taken me a couple of weeks to complete).
- comments