Dong Van and Meo Vac
Most who do the Ha Giang loop would prefer to rent their own motorbikes which is doable if one has an international license. For those without like myself, I chose to ride pillion by signing up with an agency as there have been cases of foreigners being caught by Vietnamese police who have been fined sums that are heftier than riding pillion behind a local. Yet, the benefits of riding a motorbike by oneself along the loop are indeed tempting, I would definitely choose to do so if I can get my head around the idea of going back to driving school to sign up for a riding course in future. Otherwise, e-scooters are way safer options that I have tried but they can only be rented to explore areas like Ninh Binh. For such loops like Ha Giang that extends hundreds of kilometres, an e-scooter simply does not have enough power to last. This night, I packed my bags as I would not be returning to the homestay and we turned in at 2000 in anticipation of the next day. I could hear heavy showers throughout the night which reduced to light drizzle in by early morning.
20 December 2019.
Two guides came for the Danish couple around 0715 the next day. My guide, Thien later came along at 0730 as arranged. The weather was worrying, it wasn’t raining like yesterday but the grey overcast skies might mean that the most spectacular views along the route might be covered in fog. We made a short stop at Thien’s homestay where he insisted I put on the agency’s raincoat to block out the cold. I was even given two plastic bags to tie at my ankles so that my feet would not get cold. Meanwhile, Thien got ready and placed my backpack in a big waterproof clear plastic and strapped it to the back of his bike. By 0800, we started off with the 150KM bike journey, with my job simply to observe the passing scenery. The first part of the journey was covered on flat, winding roads where we passed big towns and there was one thing I was beginning to notice about Northern Vietnam that is quite unlike its Southeast Asian neighbours, I didn’t see any religious institutions or buildings, especially temples. Instead, an altar would be housed in a typical Vietnamese home, there would be Chinese characters on it that translates to prosperity and peace be upon the family but there tend to be no deity figures displayed on the altar that are common in Taoism. Even the joss sticks are different.
0721 hr, local time.
Instead, a Vietnemese town can be easily identified by their distinctive narrow concrete buildings that are usually three stories high on the streets. Serving as shop and accommodation spaces, they tend to be grey along the countryside and painted in single colours in the cities.
Passed by Minh Tanh Market, 0815 hr, local time.
From the itinerary provided by the agency, we would be seeing the Quan Ba Heaven Gate and the Twin Mountains en route to Dong Van, my final destination for the day. As Thien drove up into the mountains, I could see why he had been so insistent on wearing raincoats and plastic over my shoes. It is not impossible to do without, but we were driving into thick white fog where visibility was poor and it was getting colder each time we drove higher. I couldn’t see more than 10 metres ahead of me and my glasses would turn cloudy in a matter of seconds whenever I took my helmet off. Thien went slow, kept in lane and with every turn he would sound the horn. We stopped a few times, at viewpoints where there was supposed to be a view if the skies were clear. Nonetheless Thien was patient and said to wait for 5 minutes for the fog to clear and another 5 minutes when it didn’t Luck probably wasn’t on my side, the heavy fog embraced too much of the landscape. Whilst my view of most viewpoints and the Quan Ba Heaven gate were simple greyish white blankets of fog, I guess this was probably the only time of the year where I would be able to experience what it felt like to be in the clouds.
0919 hr.
Fog cleared up as we descended. 1011 hr, local time.
A town along the QL4C which we descended towards. 1015hr, local time.
1033 hr, local time.
1052 hr, local time.
Lunch at Yenh Minh, 1218 hr, local time.
Interestingly, we met the young American couple and their two motorcycle guides during lunch at Yenh Minh. It was no wonder as our guides were from the same agency but the timing was quite a coincidence. They were going back the way we had driven from, back to the homestay for the night and would begin their hike the next day. Hopefully, the fog would have cleared enough by the afternoon for them to see something. By now, I noticed public transport shuttling along the highway including Ha Giang-Quan Ba, Ha Giang- Yenh Minh, Ha giang – Meo Vac. The only downside was that they do not stop for the views.
Heading into the foggy mountains after lunch. 1347 hr.
Sung La Valley (Sủng Là) was my favourite stopover, it was literally a paradise in clouds, made all the more enticing with its yellow flower fields. Boys and girls alike carry baskets of flowers on their backs which you can ask to take photos with for a small fee, there is also the Hmong ethnic dwelling that has been used as a backdrop for the Vietnmese film, “Pao’s Story”, about a Hmong girl whose stepmother was believed to have been swept away by strong currents. Out of love for her deeply grieving father, Pao goes on a search for her birth mother who left home when Pao and her brother were little.En route, Pao unexpectedly meets both mothers and discovers the reason for their disappearance. The full movie with English subtitles is available on Youtube and I only watched it after visiting Sủng Là. I only wished I had more time here.
1413 hr, local time.
1458 hr, local time.
We reached Dong Van sometime after 1500. As we ended earlier than he had expected, Thien had time to make the long ride back to Ha Giang after I checked into Hoang Ngoc Hotel. Considering that he had ridden this route to Dong Van and back with another solo tourist as a pillion rider just the day before me, he was already tired but was determined to make it back home if he could. Out of curiousity, I asked how much it would cost to hire a xe ôm to Sủng Là and back for the day, 500,000 dong was the answer from the hotel staff. It might be a more worthy consideration to do another one day tour from Ha Giang to Dong Van, just to see Quan Ba and Sung La again in summer. There is also a possibility of trekking to Ma Le village from Dong Van, which will take two days. Most tourists also visit Lung Cu flag tower, near the border with China from Dong Van, all of which are options to consider in future.
First sighting of Dong Van Town! 1548 hr, local time.
Check in, 1600 hr.
It was around 9-11 degrees in Dong Van, with temperatures dropping to 7 degrees by nightfall. A simple turn into the side street from the main road brought me to what looks to be the market, locals were still selling vegetables and fruits that late afternoon. Both Dong Van and Meo Vac, another mountainous district 22km away are known for their Hilltribe Sunday markets and this time I have chosen to base myself at Meo Vac for the weekly event. Thinking back, Dong Van’s market seems more permanent, it’s possible to see some of it on non-Sundays whilst for Meo Vac, it appeared to be more of a makeshift market where everything seems to come alive on Sunday. By this time, I was getting used to the sight of men inhaling lit tobacco from long bamboo pipes or Thuốc lào that seemed like enlarged wooden cigarettes. Try it if you think luck is with you. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4588834/moment-tourist-collapses-massive-nicotine-hit-vietnam.html
Dinner, 1736 hr.
1806 hr, local time.
21 December 2019.
With my phone on battery saver mode and Google Maps leading the way, I started my walk on the Ma Pi Leng pass at 0720. I did not start earlier any earlier because I did not want to walk in the dark but in any case, unlike in Yuanyang County in China, the sun rises earlier at around 0630 in Northern Vietnam during winter.l. It was a Saturday and I would be missing some morning action at the central market in Dong Van but I had to prioritise the walk. Ma Pi Leng is 22km long, one of the tour guides for the young Danish couple had recommended me to walk it a few days ago, stating that it would take 5 hours. I knew I would take way longer though, as I wanted to stop as and when I liked, something I couldn’t do too much on the motorbike tour to Dong Van. I decided on thick clothes, recalling the fog in the mountains and also to lighten my load for the combined weight of my backpack and camera bag was 10.2KG, precise to one decimal point because I weighed it on a scale many days later at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport.
Setting off early for my walk towards Meo Vac. 0719 hr, local time.
Spoptted some bite sized breakfast whilst walking out of Dong Van selling at 6 for 20,000 dong. I was only looking for something to fill my empty stomach but the taste of this exceeded my expectations. Two small dogs from houses along the street ran out, making rounds around my legs in turn, trying to get at the goodies.
0729 hr, local time.
The first few kilometres on the pass involves an uphill ascent along winding roads. Quite a few xe ôms stopped to ask if I needed a ride. There is even a xe ôms station about 4km in. I continued walking, reassured by their presence for I knew if I were to change my mind halfway, I simply had to ask.
Ascending into the foggy mountains. Xe ôm stop. 0846 hr, local time.
About 5km in, I was nearing a teenage boy who stood rather still by the road, watching a video on his phone. His motorbike was parked on the other side of the road, where a small wooden bridge extended out into the open sky. He was stationed to collect 5000 dong from anyone who wanted to take photos at the bridge. With the luxury of time to wait for the fog to clear, I stood there too, for some time. Two Vietnamese youths scoot by on a motorbike, stopping to look at the bridge. “You want a photo?” I asked. I had my back turned towards them and they had been calling me for some time in Vietnamese before I noticed. “Yes, yes.” they were as startled as I was. I took their photos and was starting to busy myself when one of them later tapped me on the shoulder. “Do you want to take a photo too by the bridge? I will help you pay.” he offered, holding out some Vietnamese Dong in hand. I was actually quite moved by the gesture, usually strangers would help take photos of one another in return but offering to pay was something I have yet to encounter. As another group of Vietnamese tourists were then taking their photos by the bridge, I refused as I didn’t want them to have to wait since I would need their help if I was getting any photos.
Passed a small town called Pai Lung where I had the pleasure of walking around till I felt ready to move on. The video shows nboth Pai Lung Primary and Secondary school. 0911 hr, local time.
At about 8KM in, there is a coffee and toilet stop near the statue where the Happiness Road Museum lies up ahead. Ma Pi Leng Pass is part of the 185km long Happiness Road (Ha Giang Loop) which connects Ha Giang city, through Dong Van to Meo Vac.
Road construction through difficult terrains involved placing explosives and hanging oneself off high cliffs to dig into mountains. Happiness Road embodies the desire for happiness that locals look towards.
Happiness Road Museum and a a foggy scenery that can only be imagined at that point of time. 1057 hr, local time.
At around 1048, I reached Ma Pi Leng Skywalk. There was a concrete path that led further up into higher terrain for supposedly better views but with heavy fog, I decided to continue to Meo Vac. There was a washroom opposite the Happiness Museum and as I stood wondering whether to go in, a Vietnamese man alighted from his can driver’s seat, speaking in Vietnamese. In response to my clueless face, he gestured 5,000 dong as a fee to enter the washroom. I passed, finding it weird that he was collecting washroom fees when he had evidently alighted from the drivers seat of a tour van.
I passed some roadside dwellings with a black dog staring at me so quietly, I cowered as I advanced slowly at the opposite side of the road. There were there locals sitting and chatting behind me so I did not have to be scared but I was shaking. LUck was on my side when the dog stayed put in it’s spot as I passed.
Finally at 1130, I had walked about 11km to Mapileng Viewpoint. There were visibly more vans and tourists. “Welcome to Vietnam!” a lady asked if I spoke Vietnamese and if I needed help with taking pictures. She was a domestic tourist herself, I offered to take her picture instead which she declined, citing that she has the help of her tour group companions. They went back to their waiting van, saying that the view would be better further down. I walked down as they drove down. “The view is nicer from here. Just wait till the fog goes.” the Vietnmese lady said after they alighted from the van.
Alas, I would like to say that I finished walking all 22Km of the Ma Pi Leng pass by the afternoon but I did not. I had only completed 10-11km, before getting into the tour van of these Vietnamese ladies. “Of course we worry! I have a daughter who’s 16.” they were a group of young mothers who were insistent that I should not be walking alone on the route. “The fog is not clearing here, maybe we’ll bring you down to another viewpoint where you can see the view. Then, you can continue walking.” I relented, on agreement that I would alight once they brought me to the other viewpoint. As much as I wanted to continue walking, it was as if my own mum had came to me in the form of five to six young mothers kindly offering me to go with them. Although I had confidence that I would reach Meo Vac by the afternoon, I knew they were doing their part as Vietnamese hosts and parents. I boarded the van with the young mothers, there were more of them waiting in the van. On a holiday from Ho Chi Minh, they had rented a van driver in Ha Giang and were heading to Meo Vac, just like myself. Interestingly, their driver turned out to be the guy who had approached me for the washroom fee opposite the Happiness Road Museum. I didn’t know what to think.
1212 hr, local time.
At the supposed river viewpoint where they would drop me off, the driver drove on. One of the mothers explained that it was still too foggy and asked if I was ok to go boat riding on the river with them. At this point, in hindsight, I should have asked to alight for we began to drive off route. With no idea where we were going but knew I was safe with them, I had to follow them. My Google Maps showed us winding down a small path that veered off the main road to Meo Vac, the route went on forever, I realised I would have to backtrack my steps for a long time if I was going to continue to Meo Vac.
When our van arrived at the location for boat riding at 1240, a man in dark red jacket helped guide the van with parking. Nothing significant but I honestly wondered who he was as he was really kind. I had noticed a few locals and declined the boat ride. Before leaving, the ladies took down my number and suggested I wait for them to return. Meanwhile, I walked along the three main dwellings by the road where there were plenty of children to play with to pass the time.
1218 hr.
Back to the man in dark red jacket who had guided the van into a parking space earlier, about one hour into my wait, he approached to ask something in Vietnanmese. In response to my usual clueless face, he simply smiled. Later, when I was with the children, he came along with his motorbike and gestured for me to ride pillion. I trusted him but could only refuse. About 1430, a small team of motorbike riders who had parked at the roadside for some time spoke to me again in Vietnmese. “Take a picture of that girl sitting by the wooden doorway, she’s very pretty.” one of them said in English. “I’ve taken her picture.” I replied, thanking them. “I saw you walk.” they said. “Really?” I was quite taken aback as they should have been faster than myself if so. They were also heading to Meo Vac and offered to let me ride pillion which I refused, trying to be as polite as I could. Everyone I met along the way had heartfelt smiles and were cautious with their words, sometimes it is hard to decipher if one can be trusted but with these people, I did trust them.
I decided to continue walking. I had a detour to make, it was already 1430 and if I were to stay any longer, dark skies would overtake me before I got to Meo Vac. I loaded my translation app and approached the van driver to inform him that I intended to move off first. I could tell he did not quite understand from the translation provided by the app. He tried to type a reply on my recently installed Vietnamese keyboard but the translation again failed in the app. He could also tell I did not understand and gestured one. That probably meant that the ladies would be back in one hour. “Anh Di.” the driver passed me a biscuit which I knew in Vietnamese meant “Eat this.” I laughed, accepting the biscuit. I had indeed forgotten about lunch. I spent the next few hours watching the locals at play and work and after some time, the driver alighted from the van for some fresh air. He ushered me to the front seat of the van and closed its doors. Climbing into the backseats, he handed me a bottle of water from behind which I refused as I already had one with me. Later, he climbed into the driver’s seat, starling me a little but he meant no harm and even started to play Chinese songs on his phone with Vietnames subtitles on them. JJ Lin was one of the artistes whose song he played, I even typed down the lyrics, “是你最美的记号你不知道你对我有多重要 。”
Left: Playing with the children to pass time, 1329 hr. Right: 1529 hr.
Four hours passed us by before the ladies returned. They came to the van 1630, evidently tired out with meek smiles. “You should have joined us for the boat ride, it was very beautiful.” one of them said. Somehow, other exclamations like “Oh you’re still here!”, “You haven’t left?” made me feel like I had overstayed my welcome but it was too late for any action on my part, the sun would set in an hour and a half and we were a long way from the Ma Pi Leng Pass. I suggested getting off wherever they would drop me off but they weren’t having it, insisting on driving me to my accommodation in Meo Vac.
First sighting of Meo Vac, 1641 hr.
Within 20 minutes, we reached Meo Vac and I checked into Little Yen’s homestay at 1650. There was no one at the counter and I went to the back, expecting to find someone local when a Caucasian guy responded to my call for registration. He was a volunteer at the hostel and had been staying in Meo Vac for two months straight. The dormitory room I had booked online was a mixed one and I requested for a change. There were no more private rooms left that night but he kindly arranged an empty dormitory for me, taking note to refrain from allocating male travellers in it. I had Pho again near the hostel at 1745 when it was already dark. I was also beginning to notice that the Hmong people have perfect eyesight, there wasn’t a single spectacle shop to be seen since I left Ha Giang City. Unfortunately, I would have to leave Meo Vac the next day afternoon after seeing its Sunday Market. There are many buses running between Ha Giang City and Meo Vac, the timings I got from the hostel were 1000, 1300 and 1500 – I’m sure there are more. I left my request with the hostel that night, they would reserve a seat for a 1300 bus as soon as possible.
Dinner, 1740 hr local time.
22 December 2019.
The volunteer at the hostel reminded me to get to the Sunday market as early as possible. I had ordered breakfast in the hostel which starts at 0630, he suggested two choices, eat it before heading out or return before 1000 to eat. I chose the latter and sauntered down to the market which was a right turn out from Lo Lo Village and down the road.
Meo Vac Market, 0700 hr, local time.
It was 0700 and the market was already very much alive. Stalls were set up and vendors were ready with their good, many already transacting with customers. The market is extensive, I could not believe it when I turned from street to street which revealed different sections of the market. Processed food, fresh fruits and vegetables, live animals, household items, clothes are some of the categories. There is even a canteen area where you can eat hot steaming bowls of noodle soup. Whilst trying to avoid its swishing tail, I got stepped on the right heel by a brown cow in the live market section. With its hoof being cold and hard, I felt as if my skin had been scraped off but I could only see mud on my heel and nothing else. I left the mud to dry, limping out of the space to watch the pigs. Cows were fascinating to watch until I get hit. They aren’t tied to fences and are instead led on a rope by their owners and usually have to stand for extended amounts of time in the same spot for potential buyers to scrutinize over them so it’s understandable they grow restless. Interestingly, all the cows on sale in Meo Vac that day were brown and they come in many forms indeed.
I stopped very often, watching people and animals and had not had time to see every section when I had to leave for my paid breakfast at the hostel. Fortunately, the hostel is a short walk away and I reached at 0948 to enjoy a plate of Banh Mi (Bánh mì) and tea. No one else was around in the hostel’s cafe, they probably had their breakfast way earlier.
Their motorcycles all rented out for the day none in garage.
0954 hr, local time.
Shortly after 1000, I returned to the market again this time, heading straight to its inner section. Clothes, vegetables, joss sticks, household items, poultry and dried goods are amongst the items sold here. The canteen is also located within. I have no idea if the high school students have school on Sunday or they simply wear their school jackets when working at the stalls. Those blue and white jackets are really pleasing to look at. I wanted to buy something to try and decided on candy, I wanted only a few but bought half a kilogram in the end because they sell in kilograms. The seller was a teenage boy with a cheeky grin who spoke some English. I didn’t know any Vietnamese and was glad with my purchase as I could have very well ended up with a kilogram if without his English abilities. I handed him a folded blue note of 20000 dong to make payment for 15000. He promptly returned me 25000 for I had mistakenly handed him two 20000 notes. With no time left, I skipped my planned lunch at the canteen and returned to the hostel shortly after 1200 to pack my bags. I had been warned to be ready by 1230 as the bus would go about the town picking up passengers before setting off. Indeed, the 1300 bus arrived outside the hostel at 1241.
Bought a bag of Local Candy to try. Hard and not overly sweet,
it seemed to be made from coconut.
The interior of the bus was surprising rather clean, considering the comparatively worn out exterior of the bus. Like all small buses running routes in the area, there is a bus attendant who would point out your seat and help with your luggage. I was expecting to see familiar landscapes from the window but we did not appear to be going back the same way I had come from, instead of Highway QL4C, Google Maps showed that we were driving on DT176 where we passed more villages on a seemingly narrower road.
At 1405, we heard a loud bang and our bus abruptly veered off course. Everyone was in shock. From my side of the window, a motorist was in so much pain, he was lying on his back on the road as our bus driver sprang to shield him from oncoming vehicles with his body. Other drivers passing by stopped to help, the injured motorist was starting to bleed from his forehead. You could almost cry out loud with agony, the accident had thrown him off his motorbike with such force, every little movement hurt. They sat him at the back seat of a passing motorist, our bus attendant climbed on after him and the three of them drove away, presumably to the hospital. The rest of us from the bus started to alight only after the injured has left the scene. Our bus had hit the kerb. The injured motorist was a delivery driver and the accident had broken his bike.
Accident Site. Out of respect and privacy, there are no photos of the wreckage. Right: A second bus stops a few metres behind our initial bus to pick us up. 1215 hr, local time.
We stood around for some time, crowding around the wreckage. The bus driver had been calling someone on the phone. Another bus rolled up behind us at 1430, also bound for Ha Giang. When everyone started to grab their bags and make a dash for the bus, I followed suit. They had foldable seats along the aisle for extra passengers like us. The bus was crammed full this time, and even more so as it picked up more passengers along the way. This bus moved on to Highway DT182 which was extremely windy and narrow. Later, it drove back onto Highway QL4C and we passed by Yenh Minh at around 1510.
Somewhere along the highway, there was a jam for almost half an hour. The locals themselves cleared it by figuring out who gets the right of way. Every driver along the road seemingly cooperated, when a container truck behind our bus tried to overtake us on the right, our bus driver got the truck driver to maneuver a reverse back into a single waiting line behind us for oncoming vehicles from the opposite side to pass first. Reversing had to be done slowly with great caution and once all vehicles heading in the same direction as our bus were all in a single line, the oncoming vehicles drove past us steadily on the opposite side. When they’ve all passed, our bus driver skillfully navigated past a heavy tractor that took up the space of more than a single lane and then we were on our way. Fog was a constant sight but I have to say that we drove into fog again at 1600.
According to Google Maps, we stopped at Thao Giang Trang Kim, somewhere before Quan Ba at 1630. Rest stops are brief, we subsequently left at 1644. Our second bus attendant started collecting the bus fare from each of us and more people alighted along the way, freeing up seats in the bus. We passed by Quan Ba at 1658 with 47km left before reaching Ha Giang City. From the window, there were two Hmong ladies walking in the fog along the road at 1724 as the skies were starting to get dark. The fear can be quite real when the road seems endless when darkness is catching up. I could almost feel our bus driver applying pressure ever so slightly on the accelerator as we sped up, no one wants to be driving in the mountains when darkness falls. Below, photos of a rest stop at 1635 hr and anxiously waiting for arrival abroad the bus at 1756 hr
We pulled into Ha GIang city shortly after 1800 when it was completely dark. Ha Giang City is relatively well lit though and the bus rolled on for another 20 minutes, dropping off passengers around the city. I reached the Bus Station at 1820. There were the usual crowd of xe ôm drivers but all I needed to do was to find a way out of the Bus Station and to my hostel. Google Maps easily pointed out the direction to take. Giang Son Hostel was indeed near the Bus Station, there are also quite a few food stalls lined up along its very street which offered convenient choices for dinner.
Giangson Hostel seemed like a family homestay, my private room was a surprising 123,000 dong including complimentary breakfast. They even provided toilet necessities, breakfast and towels. The boss also speaks good English and helped to reserve a seat on the earliest bus to Hanoi the next morning. The bus would leave at 0640 and the boss informed that he would get his staff to get my breakfast ready at 0600. I declined, saying it was alright as it would be too early and I could get something else for my breakfast.
Arrival at Ha Giang Bus Station, 1820 hr, local time.
Arrival at Giang Son Hostel, 1839hr, local time.
My constant staple, Pho Ga for dinner nearby the Hostel at 1908 hr.
23 December 2019.
The next day, I woke up at 0540 and waited at the hostel’s living area at 0615. As I was heading to Hanoi where it would be relatively warmer, I deliberately wore lighter clothes. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that cold that morning in Ha Giang, averaging about 17 degrees.
There was no one at the reception. I tried unlocking the main door by myself to see if I can later leave without waking anyone up. Fortunately, no key is required and I simply had to turn a knob from the inside to unlock. At 0630, I wrote a note and left my payment hidden behind some stationary at the counter. I was wearing my shoes when the boss unexpectedly appeared at the reception area at 0635. He hurriedly made a really good breakfast of eggs and toast, despite my polite refusal. It was a good thing that the bus was late, I eventually finished it all except for the tea which was scorching hot. My Bus to Hanoi arrived at the doors of the hostel at 0650, I brought the two pieces of toast along with me out of gratitude. The bus attendant again spoke Vietnamese to me but this time I somewhat understood what he was saying. He asked if I was from China or Korea which in Vietnamese, interestingly sounded very similar to Chinese so I had no problem replying the bus attendant. He pointed out the front seat where I would slowly get used to the frequent horn blast in the next few hours. I was going on a very clean sleeper bus and was glad that I knew what to do when he handed me a plastic bag for my shoes. There was no one else in bus when we pulled away. No one left from the Bus Station, wow. The bus picked up its second passenger at 0717 and then more and more as it drove down the street. There was Vietnamese pop to listen too till about 0730, after which the bus driver turned it on and off at intervals.
0642 hr, local time.
Out of Ha Giang City, the bus driver took Highway QL2 through Lang Vat, Tan quang (0757), Pac Ha (0830, after Viet Quang). At Pac Ha, some passengers lifted a motorbike into the bus luggage compartment with the help of the bus attendant. Oranges seem plentiful this season, at Binh Long where we passed by at 0900 I gaped upon seeing every vendor by the roadside selling only oranges. There seemed to be three bus drivers who rotated between themselves, it was strange that I would see a completely new driver at the wheel as I drifted in and out of sleep. Bus drivers who were not then driving would sit on the step where passengers remove their shoes beside the driver’s seat whilst the bus attendant has his own foldable seat beside the front door. With 6 comfortable hours ahead of me, I tuned into my own playlist.
First passenger of the day, 0709 hr.
Picking up other passengers along the way. 0834 hr, local time.
We stopped for lunch at 1050 at Tuyen Quang, I had my shoes in hand, expecting to wear them at the front door but surprisingly, the rest stop provided a basket of black slippers packed full to the brim for bus passengers. That saved us the trouble of wearing our shoes. Knowing that breaks are short, I opted for a packet of chips and soymilk (18000 dong total) until I saw packets of freshly cut guava (15000 dong) by the counter and decided to switch my chips with it. In the end, due to some miscommunication, I paid 33000 for presumably all three chips, guava and soymilk when I only took away the guava and soymilk. Shortly after at 1105, we continued on to Hanoi, passing by school gates where teenage students were on their motorbikes, looking out for oncoming vehicles before crossing. It was still before noon, perhalps they were going home for lunch and back again later in the afternoon for lessons.
Lunch Stop, 1051 hr.
Observe the joss sticks. For prosperity and auspicious blessings.
I really liked that they have small trays to place food items