Ticket to ride

So, the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue is definitely an experience. And not too bad, as it turned out.

We had a small (well, generous for Vietnamese people - tiny for us) compartment that slept four. It was very basic, but was clean and did the job admirably.

We set off at 7:30pm from Hanoi, passing right by people's kitchens and the open backs of shops. The noise must take some getting used-to... Shortly before 11pm, we decided it was lights-out, and most of managed to sleep - if a little fitfully - through the night. We pulled into Hue a little after 9am, to be greeted by our new guide, Vinh, who took us to our hotel.

Turns out our latest rest stop is a spa resort, so Mme and Mlle Tepeka spent the afternoon getting pampered while the boys caught up on some missing sleep.

Now we're off to face our first real battle with mosquitos since we arrived. And since Mme Tepeka swells up to the size of a zeppelin if she's bitten, fingers crossed the industrial-strength spray we've brought with us works...