HO CHI MINH CITY: My last day in Ho Chi Minh City and my last day in Vietnam was a little sad. I have loved Saigon, but needed to complete things on my mental check-list - go to the observation deck on the Bitexco Financial Tower, have one last Viernamese meal and a final visit to a calming temple.
HO CHI MINH CITY: This was my first full day in Ho Chi Minh City, and I start things with an exhilarating ride on the back of a motor bike, weaving through the crazy traffic. I see French colonial architecture and visit Ga Saigon station. I saw the Vietnam side of the war at the HCMC Museum, and I also explore the city at night and of course try local food.
REUNIFICATION EXPRESS Part 1: There's nothing 'express' about the Reunification Express between Hanoi and Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City as it trundles on it's narrow gauge tracks for 35 hours. All overnight trains are an adventure, but this was to be tough going because of the narrow gauge and the rocking of the train.
REUNIFICATION EXPRESS Part 2: This video shows my journey from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon after a disturbing night of strange dreams about roosters. The Reunification express is no 'express' taking 35 hours, but the food was amazing and the scenery stunning.
HANOI: I'm up early to to see the 0900 to Ho Chi Minh City miss me by a few feet. Perhaps not everyone's idea of a good time, but definitely unforgettable. I offer some tips about visiting Hanoi Train Street. I then stumble across the huge Cho Dong Xuan market and find why my overnight train from Nanning, China, didn't operate all of the way into the city centre of Hanoi.
HANOI: Just off the train from China, I witness the traffic and noise
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. So close to the Chinese border, but so different. My first impression was that the city was one of chaos, but it works, and the people are lovely. The video starts with me just off the train from China.
RAIL: Nanning to Hanoi - Easiest rail border crossing ever, or were online reports correct? This overnight rail journey was the crossing I was most worried about, having read some scary reports online. After one last look around Nanning, I boarded the Chinese train across the China-Vietnam border to Hanoi. I end up at a very quiet station 5km from the city centre.
END-TO-END PART 14: Nanning to Hanoi - It is said that people make a train journey more fun, and that was very true of this leg. After meeting the wonderful Shen at Nanning Station, I shared a compartment with two slightly crazy girls who travelled everywhere together. Some of this footage appeared on my daily vlog at the time.
END-TO-END PART 15: Hanoi and the Reunification Express - Hanoi was a crazy city with its crazy honking traffic. The overnight train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, by Vietnam Railways, would be the longest train trip after the Trans Siberian route between Moscow and Irkutsk. Some of this footage appeared on my daily vlog at the time.
END-TO-END PART 1: Reunification Express and Ho Vhi Minh City - I seemed to be the only tourist on this train doing the full Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City leg. Only a die-hard rail traveller would ever contemplate this. Because of the narrow gauge rocking and rolling I didn't sleep very well on this sleeper train. I was haunted by the mystery roosters crowing, and finally made it to the end of the line (sort of). Some of this footage appeared on my daily vlog at the time.