Back in Hue

  Hue, Vietnam
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Hi All,
Been back in Hue a week now.
Decided to travel back from Dalat by Bus, as its the fastest way back and thats what my drivers will do when they finish a one way tour.I was a little apprehensive as my last and only long bus trip in Vietnam when i was here with Jeremy last year, was an absolute nightmare and the most uncomfortable 12hrs of my life.  
We were getting a first class coach from Dalat to Danang - 16hrs - and then riding the bike the last 100km to Hue.Tam booked the bus for us on recommendations of his friends and was freaking out beforehand that it would not be good enough for me.  Well first impressions were grand, it had Hi-Class written on the side and was newish with comfy reclining seats, free water and pillows & blankets (best not to wonder how often they are cleaned).We boarded the bus at 3pm, with the bike safely stowed underneath.  

Traveling by private bus rather than local bus is and expensive option for the Vietnamese so i was happy when my fellow passengers boarded to see that although i was the only foreigner they all looked well dressed and there were no chickens or pigs joining us (pets that is, I'm not calling the locals animals lol).

The first part of the trip was from Dalat down to the coast at Nha Trang where we were stopping for dinner, I was looking forward to seeing Nha Trang again as i loved it last year.  Luckily a new highway has been opened that cuts a few hours off the journey, unfortunately its a very steep, very windy, very bumpy few hours - i don't think they finished the road before opening it! - apparently the elderly lady directly across the aisle from me was prone to motion sickness (perhaps she should of thought of that?) and for hours she did the noisiest most dramatic vomiting i have ever had to be trapped near. I forgot to charge my ipod before leaving and the battery was really low so i tried to time it that i pushed play every time she started. But it just went on and on and in between puking she was wailing and moaning.  

2hrs in we stopped on the side of the road for fishing (Vietnamese pronounce p as f) and she took 1 step out the only door, bent over and hurled, while the rest of us tried to scoot out the door and away from her as quickly as possible.That was the first of half a dozen toilet stops on the busy highway and although i have become rather efficient at bush toilet stops over the last few weeks  - keeping my feet dry etc - i was mortified to find there was absolutely no where to go where every passenger and those on passing buses wouldn't see my bare white butt.  I tried insisting i could hold on but Tam told me not to be ridiculous and pointed out all the other women fishing, after all they were in plain view, so i left my dignity on the highway and joined them.

After another 2hrs we stopped at Nha Trang for dinner, actually at a truck-stop with 20 other coaches no where near the town, by this point my ipod was flat and i was in a massive strop over pukey across the aisle and after 5min's at this hot, smelly, mosquito ridden dinner stop I told Tam that I didn't care if i walked back to Hue but I was not getting back on the bus if pukey got back on.  Poor guy didn't know what to do, he had indeed got us on the best bus going, far superior than all the others I saw at the truck stop, and the inside was as clean and comfortable as you could get on a bus, but i was tired and cranky and hungry (and there was no way i was eating at the cess pit we stuck at for the next hour) and annoyed with everyone was staring at me as i was the only foreigner among a thousand Vietnamese.  


By the time the Bus was ready to leave i had calmed down a bit and decided just to suck it up and get through the next 12hours. The rest of the trip was a little less painful as both pukey and I managed to sleep on and off.    
We arrived in Danang at 7am and after the bike was unloaded and reassembled we walked it to a servo as they had to empty the fuel tank before loading it.  It was so nice to be back on a bike again, I am so never going on a long bus trip ever ever ever!!


Its a beautiful ride over the Hai Van pass, a mountain range thats between Danang and Hue, absolutely stunning scenery.  A tunnel was opened a few years ago to make the journey quicker and safer but its not open to bikes, I had traveled it by bus a few weeks ago and there was nothing special about it, but the old highway that bikes use is just fantastic.

clouds @ Hai Van Pass

The Hai Van Pass is the Highest in Vietnam, the name means "pass of the ocean clouds" as in the top section which is about 500m high you are literally riding through clouds, both amazing and terrifying as visibility is pretty low and there are loads of dangerous bends,  when you can see it the coastline is just beautiful as well.

looking back at the pass

A great way to wake up after being trapped on a bus for so long thats for sure!
  

fishing village

good balance

 

the road to Hue

We got our first flat tyre of the trip 40km from Hue in the middle of nowhere, but Tam was able to change the tube and pump it up in about 10 Min's thanks to the emergency kit he carries. 
We arrived in Hue at 11am, 20hrs after we set out and i was so happy to be back, and to have a shower and clean clothes!             

Now I am hard at work looking for a building to rent, and pricing all the other stuff I will need for it, tables, kitchen stuff etc, I have found a couple of places I like so fingers crossed negotiations on one of them will work out and I will be in business soon.