As good as it gets ... or ... could it get worse ???

A holiday??? We need rehab ... after yesterday!!! Shocker from start to nearly finish ...
Transport to Da Nang booked by travel agent... guy had no idea, probably not even a licence, could not find reverse ... drove on the wrong side of the road so Uli screamed ... took the long way around ... slow as a snail ... then in Da Nanag he just drove around ... then he turned back I gave him heaps ... we needed to go to the train station 20 minutes to go. He stopped at a petrol station ... we were both furious ... then he called us a taxi. 5 minutes later taxi arrives ... we hop in and he says he takes us to the airport ... Matt told him "sh sh sh sh..." and he understood ... to make sure we are on the right track M rang Lien Chau, a student we support. She was waiting at the train station for us. She confirmed with the driver ... Ok, finally we get there, train already at the station. We say a quick "Hello and Good bye" to Lien Chau and her sister.
We had booked seats in car 3, walking towards the end ... no car 3, talk to the Vietnamese rail officials ... no English ... and could not be bothered. Found a guy he took us back to end where three should be ... he says “keine drei” ... so we continued in German. He was our lifesaver!!! His German was near perfect!!! Amazing ... He figured out that car 3 will be added to the train here. Ok, so we waited. We had booked soft seat air con ...
Then three additional cars are added, our number three too. We get in ... no seats, just berth, six in a small compartment. Before we could say "boo" we had 9 people in there and it was stinking hot, Uli outside standing room only. We both nearly lost it there and then ... short fused after the first ordeal. But we had nowhere to go ... flights out of Da Nang had left for the day. Uli went and looked for our lifesaver, and sure enough he was in the next car. Uli came back five minutes into the trip and he checked our tickets and told everyone the two beds / seats were ours … as per ticket and they should vacate. We took only one bed, but at least we had the bed above us so we could both lie down whenever we wanted. We ended up being 8, two soldiers took their gear and left. Slowly the air con started to work … things were getting a little better, but the seats were hard, and they got harder during the trip.

The train went very slow for the first hour or so, we were crossing plenty of rivers and creeks. Most bridges were under some sort of construction. Over time we got used to our travel companions and they to us. A smile always helps …

WE were both reading our books, pity Matt finished his half way through, but he had his camera and out and hopefully put it to good use. Scenery was much the same, rice paddies, mountains in the background. In some areas the farmers were harvesting rice. Interesting the different methods.

Came 5 pm we had both relaxed a bit, still soft seats would have been better, but … Slept a little and all of a sudden the guard came to tell us Nah Trang … our destination!!! Quick, quick .. get up Matt … packing everything and then following the guard to the exit door. Not all doors are open on this train.

Yes, we made it …. Got off the train and out in the street and into a taxi. Then the all important question M -> U … you got my camera. NO was the answer. M left everything behind, ran back to the train which was about to depart. Reached car number 3 and the whistle was blown for the train to depart. My camera … I screamed … it is still in car 3 … but I did not want to go on the train and continue towards Sai Gon … negotiations without words … or understanding .. OK … went in came to the compartment … no camera. The guys where honest I had the feeling … so I quickly ran to the exit, one foot on the ground and the whistle was blown twice …
Devastated I walked back to the taxi. Driver was very nice and comforting. I told Uli the only possibility is that I put the camera in the backpack when we had to hurry to get off the train. Our driver understood, got out and opened the boot … please check Sir. I did not want to … either it was there or not. Anyway I did and there it was!!! Relief … shock horror number three for the day was over!!!
Hotel is great, beautiful, big room. Short refresher … and then it was up to Louisane for an ice cold beer and dinner. What a day it’s been, now we could laugh about it … but we will certainly contact that travel agent who sold us the transfer ticket. That driver could kill someone …

To answer the headline question ... Yes, we could have bought return tickets!!!


On that bombshell we say Gute Nacht !!!

PS: My proof reader was just laughing her head off reading and correcting minor details.