Luang Prabang, Hanoi, Laos & Vietnam, 27 - 29 June 2012

Another day, another night-bus, or so it was starting to feel like. I've lost count of the sleepless nights in transit by road, and I wasn't left wanting once again. Our bus, which was a little plusher than before with sort of airline seats that fold almost flat but barely any legroom, left Luang Prabang at 6ish, and was due into Hanoi the same time the following day. By 8ish it was dark and most people were dozing, and I tried to join in, but my stupid great caucasian body wasn't designed for the kiddy-seat I was being crammed. I saw every hour around snatches of sleep, and we arrived at the Vietnam border at about 4am, so at least we weren't getting rocked about. Then some dickhead decided he wanted to listen to a song at full blare at 6.30 despite everyone still trying to sleep around him, so I whacked his arm and made a sign which to me meant "turn it off", but in hindsight I think he read as "I'm going to cut your head off". No matter, it worked. The border was another crappy no-mans-land where I guess both countries say "that's not our land" and leave it as a dirt-track. Took 2 hours to stamp a load of travellers passports, though I'm sure the guy was just opening them all up to the pictures and making them talk to each other and kiss and stuff. Back on the bus we stopped for something to eat which we opted for egg, rice and unnamable vegetable, though I pity some others who opted for pork, as the "pork" hanging up out back near the toilets (doubling as a kitchen) looked a lot like a staffordshire bull terrier. I then spent the next 6 hours laying on the floor as it was the only way I could lay down properly. 2 locals got off with 3 drinks bottles with live birds in, that they had obviously smuggled in, but not under their own seats, they got 2 travellers sat next to us to get up and produced them from under their seats. Around 7 we were told to get off the bus in the middle of nowhere, though it turned out so to get on another bus, but this one had been in a crash (that day) and had 2 big windows smashed in on the side, and glass all over the adjacent seats and floor. We eventually got off in Hanoi a total of 28 hours after setting off, and stayed at the first place we came across as it was cheap enough for us. With pretty much no evening left, we had a short walk to see what was available to eat and then went to bed. The following morning we found another cheaper place to stay, and went wandering. I found the bus I needed to get to meet Jen at the airport, and we walked all the way down to a mall with cinema. I don't know why, but we ended up watching The Amazing Spiderman. Probably because it was only $2. Was a good way to pass the hottest part of the day, and on the way back to the Old Quarter we stopped off for some Vietnamese fare and beer.