trains, "buses," and in between

I took a sleeper train to Quang Ngai (pronounced wan nyeye, or something like that) last night. Each berth slept 6 people, which is considered a hard-sleeper because its more cramped than the soft-sleeper, which sleeps 4 to a berth. I shared it with a Vietnamese family with two young boys. The family didn't speak any English, other than one of the mothers pointing out the window and saying "beautiful" about the mountains this morning. The boys were quiet and cute. I tried to take a picture of them out in the hallway, but they got shy and went running back into the room. The train ride was incredibly comfortable and the scenery upon waking was beautiful. We were getting closer to the mountains.

From Quang Ngai I took a xe om (the motorbike taxi again) to My Lai, where the massacre took place in 1968. I found out it is pronounced Me Lie. Having read a book about it a couple of years ago, I wanted to pay my respects. I knew it was going to be a difficult place to visit, and it was. More than once I wanted to just sit down and weep, but the xe om driver was waiting to return me to Quang Ngai, so I walked and weeped. I overheard a tour guide say that there are 7 survivors who live in her village and they will never forget that day.

How many people do you think can fit in a 15-passenger van? Fifteen, right? Wrong! After My Lai, I wanted to take a bus about 60 miles north to Hoi An. The xe om driver took me to a corner of Highway 1 and sort of rushed me into a waiting van. I knew it wasn't anything sketchy because the guide book talks about them and they're called "open bus tours". Well 2 hours later and after eventually cramming 24 people into the van (that includes the driver), I made it to a different corner of Highway 1 where I had to take another xe om to Hoi An. During that 2-hour ride I definitely experienced the Vietnam that many tourists probably don't see. I was the only non-Vietnamese person in the van. The woman on my left was falling asleep with her head resting on my shoulder, the woman on my right got sick then tossed her little baggie out the window. Every time I thought we couldn't possibly fit anyone else, the "bus" would stop and get more people! It was kind of nuts. But I made it to Hoi An in one piece. After a much-needed shower, some food, and drinking lots of water I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Old Town of Hoi An.

One other thing...I love baby cows but I think baby water buffalos actually have them beat on the cuteness scale! I saw one on the train this morning.