Journey from hell...

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We bought an open bus ticket to take us all the way from Hanoi down to Saigon with stops along the way, which we thought was a cheap and ideal way to see the rest of Vietnam.

The first bus was an overnight trip from Hanoi to Hue leaving at 7 arriving the next day at 8am or at least that was the plan. The bus driver was going a bit faster than we felt he should and doing dodgy overtaking maneuvers but hey this is Vietnam isn’t that what we expect? Just as we started to relax and try to get to sleep there was an almighty bang then another – the bus had crashed aarrgghh.

At first we thought he had hit something oncoming but as we all made our way off the bus there was a lorry attached to the bus and all of the windscreen was smashed; the driver had been driving too close to the lorry and smashed into it when it braked – the driver had been very lucky. Most of the people on the bus were tourists and we were all a bit shaken, as we stood outside we talked about what would happen next, would another bus come and get us, would we have to drive to a safer place and then wait there?? Oh no the driver got back on the bus, checked the horn worked and then carried on driving through the night with the bus in the state it was, none of us really wanted to get back on but we thought he would stop and wait for a rescue vehicle! It was scary and we got no sleep, it was raining and he could not use the wipers he kept standing up to see where he was going. Every time he passed another vehicle he had to slow down because you couldn’t tell how far over the bus was so we kept thinking something was going to plough into the bus.

Anyway we survived to tell the tale and arrived in Hue only about 3 hours late; we decided we would not do the night bus again bugger that!

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Photos

and me
These were quite uncomfortable and I was near the toilet soe the smell was not to hot!

Smash
The windscreen wasn't too bad at 1st but in the morning it was all completely cracked and you could hear it cracking - we were cringeing!

Bus driver on the phone
We thought he was calling for help

Comments

[Chris Thompson]

The bus journey nightmere!
Hey guys, loving your updates...keep them coming! Sounds like your having a blast. Glad you're all ok and can look back on the journey and laugh, i told you there is always a nightmere journey...or two! I've just read a couple of books by a guy called Rolf Potts, (check out http://www.rolfpotts.com/books.html) vagabonding and marco polo didnt go there, both really good for different reasons. Try and grab a copy whilest your away, vagabonding is a must for anyone backpacking! Anyways take care and keep the blogs coming! Seed Stacked Chris

[Christa & Billy]

omg
thats just pure madness imagine that happening in this country!!!!

[Christa & Billy]

thank god your both ok x x

[Judith]

Broken windscreen
Health and safety not quite the same abroad is it! When we were in Romania we travelled on a bus like this..also seats were not fastened down, air con meant having the doors open and some of the students with us sat on the steps leading to the aforesaid doors. Cracked windscreens were the order of the day too - not quite as mashed up as yours but there were def cracks in it. I think we are too cossetted in the uk! love Judith