The Road to Hanoi  

While in Saigon the four of us (Mike’s friends, Dick and Jose, joined us) began making plans for our travels to Hanoi since we had no clue of how we would get there. The options were driving (no way), taxi, bus or train. We decided first on stopping to visit 2 cities along the way. First to Nha Trang, then to Hue and finally to Hanoi. Our mode of transportation to the first stop, Nha Trang, would be a ‘Sleeper Bus’. These buses are modern and will carry about 30 people. You are able to stretch out your legs and the seat folds back so you are almost completely prone. Very comfortable.

The four of us left Saigon at about 8:30 am for the 9 hr. bus ride north. Once outside of the city the road became a small two lane road with a very narrow moped lane on each side. We all decided on front row seats and what a ride we were in for. The motorcycles were all over the road so the bus driver was swerving in and out of his lane to pass the mopeds, bikes, cars, trucks and even pedestrians. It was definitely a game of inches many times while passing. Unbelievable. We arrived in Nha Trang about 6 pm, hungry and very, very thirsty. After quickly checking into our hotel, we chose a restaurant for dinner. The hotel Dick and Jose were to stay in didn’t get a confirmation from the Saigon booking office so they didn’t have a room. They wound up sleeping on a single bed in the storage room. Very cozy.

Nha Trang is a bustling city on the coast with a very nice beach so the next day we took care of some business (booking the next segment of our Viet Nam journey) and seeing the city. There was also time for some beers at a bar on the beach and, later, a swim in the ocean. Felt great.

At 7 pm another ‘Sleeper Bus’ would pick us up for an all night ride to Hue. Since we were very tired, sleep was easy, even with the honking of horns and constant motion of the bus. Dick and Jose stayed in Nha Trang for a couple more days then would go back to Saigon. During the early morning hours we crossed over the Hai Van Pass and by the time we came out of the long tunnel, the weather had gone from very warm to cold and rainy. Arriving in Hue that morning, somewhat rested and cold, we found a hotel, cleaned up, piled on more clothes and were off to see the city. Walking around the Citadel and Imperial City and imagining how beautiful it once looked with all of its history took most of the afternoon. After leaving the Citadel we hopped a ride on a ‘cyclo’ (3 wheel bicycle with a seat in the front) and were taken around the outside of this walled fortress with our peddler showing us the sites and damage that is still visible from the war. The next day we took a boat down the Perfume River to visit the Thien Mu Pagoda which is also rich in history, with construction being started in 1601. Adding to this deep history are the memories and scares that still remain from the war.

Here we go again! Yep, another all nighter on a‘Sleeper Bus’ and this time to Hanoi. About 6:30 am, on the out skirts of town, we were woken to the sound of something like - this was the end of the bus service but who knows since it was in Vietnamese. Our backpacks were put on the wet sidewalk and the bus left. Fortunately there were a number of taxi’s and others trying to take us to their hotels. As it turns out, these buses aren’t allowed into the city because of their size. After our taxi stopped at one hotel (too small and dirty) the next one was very nice and near the Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter of the city. After cleaning up and putting on more clothes (is there a pattern here?) we started a walking tour of the Old Quarter.

Where’s Pat and Mike?