My most memorable night’s sleep doesn’t involve a lot of sleep.
For one thing, I was in a bit of culture shock. I’d never visited Vietnam before, and the noise, the bustle, the many sights, the sheer amount of people everywhere was a lot to take in. Small wonder then that my stomach was bubbling with excitement. Add to this that I’d never taken a night train before, or indeed any long-distance trains since the age of about 7, and that we were heading for the beautiful Vietnamese mountain town of Sapa, and it was not so strange that I found the concept of sleep a bit far-fetched.
M and I boarded the train in Hanoi and settled in with our snacks. Our soft sleeper train would take about 9 hours to wend its way through the mountains to Lao Cai, where we’d transfer into a shuttle for the last part of our journey to Sapa. I was nervous about who we’d be sharing our four-bunk room with, and soon two Vietnamese men came into the car and prepared their own bunks. Although we couldn’t really communicate, there were nods and half-smiles, and my nerves abated. The space was fairly tight with our packs, especially for tall M, but comfortable enough. Before long, it was time for the lights to be turned out, and I lay on my bunk fizzing with anticipation and contemplating the days ahead, the promise that lay in the names Sapa and Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Saigon.
Soothed by the rocking of the train and the rhythmic clack-clack of the wheels, I did eventually fall asleep. I remember waking up during the night and peeking through the curtain into the infinite blackness beyond, thrilled beyond measure that I was journeying through a strange country. This trip – travelling independently, experiencing a fascinating culture so different from my own – is when I truly began to appreciate how much there is to see, and how much I wanted to travel the world.
This post is part of the bloggers link-up hosted by the awesome Emma, Rebecca and Kelly. This month’s theme is ‘Your Most Memorable Night’s Sleep While Travelling’. Check out more of the posts on their blogs!
