Day Three/Four in Hanoi

I'm on the night bus to Ninh Binh. Kinda irritated, really; the bus thing was pretty disorganized. Initially there were a few of us waiting near the travel agency. Then there were about 20 of us crammed in a 15 seater van. Then there were fifteen of us waiting on the side of a road for thirty minutes. Then about five of us got back in the van and went back to where we came from to pick up a few more people. There are now about eight people in the van. We go back to another street with another bus, and we finally get in the bus. I guess I didn't really know what sleeper bus meant before now; I honestly would have preferred the van, really. No seat belts, moderate back support...

Meh. I'm on my way to Ninh Binh, and most of my fellow passengers are going a lot further/longer.

It's crazy in Vietnam. I think I may have figured out something about how the traffic works, though. It's like everyone's a terrible driver, and everyone knows everyone else's a bad driver, and everybody's given a horn to use at their own discretion. Thus, the honking is incessant and accomplishes almost nothing. It essentially tells other drivers and pedestrians, "I'm here!" and leaves it up to the pedestrians to either keep going as they were, or get out of the way. Personally, I think it's safer and better to just keep going as you were. As a pedestrian, anyway.

As a motorcyclist? I don't know. It's got to be interesting. I think messenger bikers from New York would be very at home in Hanoi, supposing they knew how to ride a motorcycle. It's essentially the continual search for another open space to fit through.

One of the crazier things I've seen here in Hanoi was a city bus tailgating a motorcyclist. Probably less than ten feet, and a BUS was tailgating a MOTORCYCLE.

It feels so late, like midnight or something, but in reality it's just 7:48. I'll be in Ninh Binh probably before 9, definitely before 10 PM. I hope. By car or motorcycle, according to Google Maps, it would take about 1:40 to get between Hanoi and Ninh Binh, but I don't think any computer can accurately predict how soon you'll get from point A to point B with any part of Hanoi in between.

I think the roads aren't good, maybe even on the highways. I have yet to tell. I should really write more tomorrow morning, because then I'll be rested and have more info on hand. Hopefully more positive experiences, as well.

Don't worry. I'm having fun. This bus situation is just a bit annoying. I feel like I'd have gotten to Ninh Binh sooner, and been more satisfied with it, if I'd just gone down to the public bus station and bought a ticket down to Ninh Binh there. Supposedly this bus delivers me straight to the hotels, but which hotels, that is the question.

Anyway, I'll write you guys tomorrow, if this bus's suspension holds out the night.


!Noah!