Vietnam. It’s all about the journey… North to South

Ever had a dream of a long, lazy, comfortable train journey. Nothing to do but gaze out of the window at the ever evolving scenery, admire the glorious weather – sun falling and rising, read, doze, eat and have that enforced permission to do nothing? Maybe? Maybe not?…..

Vietnam is a very long country and if you want to get from one end to the other in one hit there are two ‘one hit’ options.

A: Fly – 2 hours. Costs a lot; misses the scenery

B: Train – 36 hours, see “dream”, above; and cheaper than flying.

We have never been ones to take the easy option so after research we opted for the train and after much more research, booked 1st class – sounds so romantic.

Let’s now remove the rose tinted specs…..

Firstly, 1st class cabins are four berth so unless you pay for four beds or are already in a group, you share. That’s okay – we can cope with that – an opportunity to meet new people. No curtains for privacy and the toilet and wash basin and another wash basin are in an alcove at the end of both ends the corridor (some more well serviced than others but generally okay).

Secondly, the only bunks available when we booked were top bunks and no ladder, just a couple of small foot ledges and pull up bars (we have missed the gym, but time and place….). Luggage space for top bunks over the door.

When we boarded in Hanoi our cabin companions didn’t materialise so we were able to get settled and enjoy sitting on the bottom bunks for a small part of the journey. There is one small table between the two bottom bunks but nowhere for top bunks to put anything. Ceiling height is good but if you sit with legs dangling you are impeding the people on the bottom bunk so it’s not ideal.

Thirdly, food is either available in the ‘restaurant’ car (sounds posh – seriously not) it’s actually where the staff congregate and a few people go to eat or drink and smoke. There is a menu but you get whatever there is and sometimes it’s okay and sometimes it’s edible but only just); or ‘trolley service’ – regular carts of noodles or rice dishes or snacks bundled up and down the narrow corridor at irregular intervals, alongside random sandwich and icecream (9am) and fruit sales. Thankfully also lots of hot coffee, hot water – hooray, and cold beer – bigger hooray!!

It sounds a bit meh, but the journey was actually really enjoyable! The train is NOT speedy (although laughingly called Saigon Express) and it rocks and rolls and lurches and stops every so often for no reason (or because it’s just hit a buffalo) as well as at major stations to pick up and drop off.

After exploring the train and a drink in the restaurant car to see how it all worked, we found our cabin was now occupied by our cabin companions. A pleasant Vietnamese couple of around our age who were already tucked up and ready for sleep – at 9pm – a theme that was to continue!

The next day dawned bright and early with our companions arising at 5.30am to have breakfast – some of which they kindly offered to us as the Banh Ran (sesame squishy and deep fried doughnut type food – rather nice!) had been cooked especially for the husband by his mother. After a somewhat protracted phone translation conversation we found out they had been visiting the husband’s parents in Ninh Binh and were returning to Ho Chi Minh. Conversation was pretty difficult as of course, we spoke no Vietnamese and they spoke no English, but we managed to find out a few things about each other.

After that, they spent most of their time alternating between phone gazing, food, and an occasional beer, but seemed to be asleep for about 80% of the journey. It was a little awkward for us to gaze out of the window on the top bunks so we read and had regular visits to the restaurant car. The staff there got quite used to us.

One thing was very consistent throughout the journey. It rained and rained and… rained. We arrived in Hanoi in pouring rain, got to the train station in pouring rain

and gazed out of the window at the very lovely scenery in the rain.

The second morning again dawned bright and early and this time it really was bright. No rain, and just coming into the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh.

Saigon, as pretty much everyone calls it, is a city on overdrive and somewhere to explore soon, but for now, it’s back on the bus for an 8 hour journey inland to see how what makes us tick is made – a coffee plantation!