kez & hay travels 06

Up at 06.00 for a 3 hour journey to the Vietnamese border in an extra large tuk-tuk which should have held a maximum of 20 people but crammed 30 of us in, along with bags of grain and coconuts which Kerry had to sit on for the whole journey.  We were joined by 4 other travellers, and at the border we walked across to the Vietnamese check-point which was in the middle of nowhere.  Once we had filled in a few forms, been searched and explained that a tampon was not an illegal substance, we had no choice but to make a hair-raising journey on the back of a motorbike, with our bags strapped to the back of the bike or between the legs of the driver.  If we were lucky we got a helmet!  Hayley's driver was a 14 year old joyrider who seemed to believe this 1.5 hour trip should be turned into a race with the other drivers!  We would have appreciated the wonderful scenery as we raced through valleys, but were occupied with praying that our life wouldn't end there!  The drivers took us to a small village, to a parked minibus which was marked for Hanoi.  Here, with the help of the other travellers, we spent 40 minutes trying to bargain our way down from 30 US dollars for a ride to Hanoi - we eventually got down to 15 US dollars. So from 13.00 to 18.30 we were squashed into this bus with 30 plus degrees beating down on us.  Little did we know that the bus was not actually destined for Hanoi but a town en route.  We were quickly herded onto another small bus which then drove for 3 hours to Hanoi.  Once at our destination, after 15 hours travelling, only one toilet stop (don't ask!) and no food,  we fell out of the bus and waited for the driver to get our bags from the boot.  Only he didn't, well not until we paid him more money.  Problem was none of us had anymore money and eventually he grew weary of us and realised he wasn't going to get blood out of a stone.  We eventually arrived at a hostel with our bags at 22.00 and collapsed with mental exhaustion - welcome to Vietnam!!