Up quite early and down for breakie, packed, watched Little Women (there is a channel on TV in most of the hotels called Star Movies and it shows non stop films all day in English - so we have got quite fond of it!) and checked out. Nothing much we wanted to do today, everything else to see seemed to be futher out on the city - a bus/taxi or boat ride away. We walked towards the bridge again and went into a supermarket on the other side, it always interesting to visit foreign supermarkets and Claire needed toothpaste and batteries. Got Crisps and drinks for the train which left Hue @ 15.55, was meant to be 16.36 in the itinerary but the tickets said different!

Had a KFC (as it was quick and easy - but not as enjoyable as at home!) and headed back to collect our bags and set off for the railway station. Was a very hot and sweaty 45 min walk to the station, but we arrived with plenty of time to spare and waited to board the train. Seems all 'foreigns' are put on specific carriages, mainly 9 & 10, then i think the guards pick straws to see who has those carriages! For this train we shared with 2 older aussie ladies, Liz and Glenda, lovely ladies, doing a bit tour of Thailand/Laos/Cambodia and Vietnam. It was nice to have a chat, esspecially as we were on the train for well over 12 hours!The scenery is good, lots of water lyingin the fields and water buffalos and people working in them. Lots of storks and herons, but it was soon dark (around 6ish) and we were all getting ready to sleep. Funny, the rocking of the train makes me so sleepy, but i dont really sleep much!

Got off around 12 and dont really know how much i slept with the noises and bumps and not wanting to miss our stop! Silly really, but always on your mind. But felt ok at 4.30ish when we got up, even though the train didnt arrive in Hanoi til nearly 6am. Our 3rd sleeper train was a partial success!