After our wonderful boat tour yesterday, we returned to Hanoi today. Since the tourist buses usually leave Ha Long City in the evening, we decided to take a public bus from Bai Chay Bus Station. The ticket for the 150 kilometers to Hanoi costs 90,000 VND (approx. 3 euros). The bus was the same make as the one on the outward journey, only this time it was full of Vietnamese people. There doesn't seem to be a proper timetable here, as the buses stop at every corner upon request.
We've already reported on the Vietnamese driving style. In summary, I can only say once again: catastrophic! They overtake on both the left and the right. And if there's even 5 meters of space between oncoming traffic and our bus when overtaking, that's already a lot.
The only speed limit is the engine's power. At one point, we sped through a built-up area at over 80 km/h. Absolutely insane! The speed, the poor road conditions, and the seemingly nervous stomachs of the Vietnamese caused some people to vomit on the bus. Apparently, this happens often, because the bus already had special bags for this purpose. After use, they simply throw them out the window. I've never felt so out of place as I did on this bus.
After an eternity of four hours of driving, we finally arrived in Hanoi! Never again!!!
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