Had to happen sooner or later, and it did. Big time. Booked on the 16.04 from Beijing to Hanoi that, as every Chinese train does without exception, left bang on time as we sat gridlocked in the Beijing traffic.
Why? Don’t know, just happens sometimes, you forget to always be worried, start being a tourist instead of a traveller and suddenly one’s gone without you, doh.
That’s the thing, you know you’re going to do it at some point you just never know when and what it will mean.
So what did it cost? A bit in money, lost the value of the original ticket, grr. But not much in time, managed to get on a local train to Nanning (last big town in South China), pick up another one to Pingxiang, last spot before the border, taxi to the border and then the pace of the journey slowed to a walk as you literally walk under the Friendship Arch into Vietnam (via some customs and jolly form-filling). The picture here is the border post, pretty nice as they go I guess.
Then (look away now parents) comedy moments in wild-west nowhere towns in northern Vietnam before finally getting to Long San and the little bus to Hanoi, getting dropped in the teeming old town only 8 hours later than original planned arrival at the station.
So it wasn't too bad as fugg-ups go, wasn't the first and sure won't be the last.
PollyGone And Missed the Train, Silly Her xxx
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