Yesterday into today

After lunch we walked all around Hanoi old quarter, visited some of Piers's friends and eventually back to the hotel to collect our things and cab to the train. We had purchased baguette, ham, cheese and water for dinner. Eventually we found track 4, cabin5, berth 24 and 25. Each cabin has 3 beds stacked 3 high to a side. We were both on the bottom. Piers met an out going Australian, Victor Watt, while I went to check out what facilities were on the train. We had a young Vietnamese couple with a 2 week out baby join our compartment. They had no English but we could see the wife was in pain. We offered drugs but they declined and ended up getting off the train after an hour. Victor ended up moving to our compartment after a discussion with the conductor who wanted 100,000 to allow him RO move! He is 2 months into a 6 month south east Asia tour. Lots of good stories and photos from his recent adventures. The train has 4 classes of service- soft mattress, hard mattress, soft seat and hard seat. It would be a long way in a seat (see photo).

We made it through the night- I can promise you no photos of me until i get some sleep. We are so on the go. Beautiful sunrise.