Monday 22nd Dec
Back in Bien Hoa after my longest train journey without a sleeper. Starting at 9.15 on Saturday morning and arriving at 8.15 yesterday, I survived the discomfort and actually managed to sleep. That's a glimpse of the coast as the train crawled around precipitous cliffs south of Hue and the following morning.
Travelling by rail brings to mind other famous and infamous train journeys; Murder on the Orient Express and The Lady Vanishes, Doctor Zhivazgo and Lara fleeing from the revolution on the Trans-Siberian Railway, Hobos crisscrossing America in goods wagons and Jews horrifically crammed into cattle trucks. Then my own childhood memories of leaving bomb-blasted Manchester for the country and more recently, crossing The States in style with my own sleeper. For me, there's just something fascinating about Railway journeys.
So yesterday I was busy all day downloading and sorting pictures and catching up with emails. Now I'm finalising plans for the next leg of my travels, meeting Richard in Phnom Penh and I must book a Hotel where we can meet, before he flies from Heathrow on Xmas Day!
