The Knight Bus

 After flying from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh and Ho Chi to Da Nang, we were already spending a fair amount of Dong (VND aka the $$) just getting up and down this gangly awkward teenage boy of a country. So there we were, in Hue, about an hour flight from to Hanoi, but $70 each in flight tickets. While seemingly not a lot, figuring you might pay that much to go from SF to LA, but Kelly and I, like all true college students, are cheap. Just as we were about to bust out the $70 to buy our ticket, our hostel manager walks in and puts a paper in front of us.

On said paper: "A sleeper bus to Hanoi, 6 pm to 6 am, 220,000 D"

Translation: "$11 each and no money is needed for a hostel or hotel that night"

I turn and look at Kelly. She gives me the nod, but adds in that it's my decision (Being that I have a bit of a fear of buses..). 12 hours. 12 hours and 22 dollars instead of 140. We went to lunch to "think about it", but we all know what happened. The Knight Bus was booked. We were set.

    Twenty four beds. One squat toilet. 12 hours. A 30 minute dinner break. Games upon games of cards. Snacks and cookies. And very little sleep.
No talking head. No changing shapes of the bus (though sometimes we did have a real squeeze passing a few truckers). And no Harry Potter.

   Although a bit rough at times and a bit tired afterwards, traveling by night bus is a great cheap way to get around and I'd do it again.