Train from Hochimin to Hue

Train to Hue.

Took a taxi to the station with Shorty who went on to the Airport. Watching her waving form receding as the taxi drove away. Two weeks together was special, but now I'm alone.

Train departed at 11pm. 4 berth coup, shard with 3 Vietnamese, a couple of them speaking some English, bloke across from me, the only one going to Hue, very friendly. This is his second ever trip by train he says. Of course i forgot his name

Comfortable bed on lower bunk. Facilities good, toilet clean and inc washeret. Smoking in the gap between the carriages. Fresh water on tap plus a wee bottle for each passenger. To sleep in my Lunghi. Not a great sleep, alternately too hot or to cold depending on how covered I was by blanket and how strong the AC was. Train not particularly stable, so sometimes woken by stronger shudders. Crying baby a couple of coups along.

First stop at dawn, two guys in upper births depart. One other bloke appears and goes to sleep in upper bunk opposite, refugee from crying baby coup perhaps?

Bloke across from me buys me pop corn and cola for breakfast! I will ask his name again;

Hai; means sea or small ocean.
海 Vietnamese have Kanji names, found this out went we went for dinner at the home of one of the Koyuki ladies. Hai is from Can Tho, the place we visited before returning to Saigon.

Beautiful view drift past of course. Sometimes hilly. Now Sea, beaches, boats and Islands. Soundtrack: Recondite live mix.

Then 3hrs of good sleep. Finish he coke and corn, meet a Columbian.
Reading Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, a pep talk that's easy to agree with. Placid Mix.

Brunch arrived at 1030. Bland Chicken and veg with rice. Hai paid again, wouldn't take my money.

In and out of Da Nang Station. Hopped off for a beer, 15gd at the first shop, 12 at the second.
Hai won't take my beer though, so one more for me. He bought some nice sesame snacks to munch on.

Finished Vagabonding, gets a bit rambling towards the end, but good food or thought. Now trying Dawkin's God Delusion, perhaps easier to get into than Selfish Gene.

North of Da Nang amazing sea views from a line that is winding its way around the hills 500m or so up. Gotta be one of the most spectacular lines I've ever been on, beets last months Hokkaido sea front line due to the elevation.
No roads, no towns, no humans in sight, just the hills, the jungle, the sea and the line.

Cart comes back with he same food. No, but I'll have a beer and some jerky. One hour to go.

And here we are, checked a few hotels and ended paying about ¥600