Bea and I had a bit of a puzzle figuring out how to get from Ninh Binh to Huế. She was pretty keen on trying a sleeping bus, with its comfy, wide seats made for snoozing. Me? I had my eye on the train.
The decision led to an intriguing turn of events on our journey; for the first time, we resolved to embark on two separate experiences, following different paths. While it might sound unconventional, I saw it as an opportunity for both of us to savour some time alone and to immerse ourselves in the experiences that particularly resonated with us. Plus, it meant double the adventures and stories to share later on. So that's what we did. Bea hopped on the bus, and I went for the train.
On the day we're set to leave, Bea's bus is due to head off around 7:00 PM. So, 20 minutes before, we both head to the agency, and after a cheerful wave and a smile, I leave her to find something for dinner. By 8:45 PM, I'm back at our place, where I find our host Doan and my soon-to-be taxi driver having a good time.
After sharing a few laughs, I grab my backpack, thank Doan warmly, and hop into the car. I figure the station will be quiet at that time, but surprise! It's heaving with people. Lucky for me, I find a handy spot to charge my phone and take a seat, keeping my ears pricked up for the call for my train.
A lot of people are waiting for their train in Ninh Binh Station
After a half-hour wait, an announcement in Vietnamese echoes, and everyone begins to move. I understand that it must be my train, show my ticket to a crew member, and position myself on the platform, waiting. After a few minutes, a train makes its entrance. Convinced it's mine, despite being 10 minutes early, I board and head to my couchette. As soon as I enter the bunk, I immediately sense that something is off: two young French guys are sitting right on my bed. I ask them if they are indeed in the right place, and they show me their ticket, confirming that they are, indeed, in the correct spot. Doubt begins to creep in, especially considering the train has left at least ten minutes early.
Soon another passenger who booked the other two beds in the couchette arrives, so I turn to a crew member, trying not to look too embarrassed: "Am I on the right train?". His response leaves me stunned: no, I'm on the wrong train, I've taken the SE3 instead of the SE19! Despite everything, I remain relatively calm. After all, the train is going in the right direction. The worst thing that could happen to me is spending the night on a seat instead of a bunk bed. Not ideal, but certainly not the end of the world.
I try to find a solution with the help of the train's personnel, but communication turns out to be a bit of a pickle. Many of them don't speak English, and my Vietnamese is, unfortunately, non-existent. Thank goodness for Google Translate! It comes to the rescue, and after a bit of back and forth, one of the staff members suggests I should get off at Thanh Hóa and wait for my train there. Meanwhile, I'm in contact with the customer support via WhatsApp. The person on the other end is super helpful and even proposes to stop both trains at an intermediate station to let me on, something I appreciate but seems a tad over the top. We finally decide to aim for Thanh Hóa, a stop already scheduled for both trains. My adventure "on the wrong track" isn't exactly an action-packed thriller, but at least it seems to be resolving without too much fuss.
