After spending two amazing days in a village just north of the De-Militarized-Zone (DMZ) in central Vietnam, I left Tung Luat to head south and try to make the most of the last 10 days on my visa. It's a 10km motor-bike ride to the main road from Tung Luat, then a 1km walk to Hien Luong where I planned to catch a bus south to Hue. Local buses run about once an hour all day, so I was not too worried about finding a ride. I had it in my head that if a truck would pick me up and it didn't feel sketch, I would try that (never hitchhiked before, and this trip is all about fulfilling those "always wanted to try that" sorts of things).
About a half-km down the road, I turned and caught a truck driver's eye and waved...he pulled over! I ran up to the cab and he met me at the door. "Toi muon toi Hue" (I want to go to Hue). He nods with a smile. I ask, "Bao nhieu?" He shakes his head, no charge. Sweet. I detect no creepy vibes, toss my bag up and haul myself about 5' into the air on a rusty 2 runged ladder into the cab. Another driver sleeps in a hammock strung just behind the driver and passenger seats; I'm a bit of a surprise to him when he sleepily peeks at why the truck stopped.
The driver speaks and understands a few more english phrases than I speak in Vietnamese, but neither has significant command of the other's language. We swap the usual information: name, where from, age, marital status. I am extatic at the new experience, the free ride (saved me $2, man!), and the amazing scenery (lush rice paddies, ornate grave sites and temples, bicyclists in conical straw hats) so my face is a contageous grin from ear to ear. I snap some photos of the driver and show him. Smiles. He offers me some kumquats ("China," he says) and I hungrily accept. Tastey. 20-30 minutes down the road, we stop and the drivers get out to pee and buy cancer sticks to support their chain-smoking. When they get back in, the driver says something to me in Vietnamese and I think I understand him, but choose to play dumb. A shrug of the shoulders and stupid grin from me ellicits "I love you" from him. No no, I gesture and laugh. Only friends. I don't want a Vietnamese boyfriend. Well aware that I love you refers to the act more than the emotion, I check in with myself to make sure there are still no sketchy vibes, but all seems ok. A couple hours later, we approach Hue and I show my driver where my guesthouse is on their business card. He guestures to invite himself to come in with me...I laugh it off. Not happening. He drops me off at a local bus station (Hue center is off his route and big trucks don't drive on the town roads anyway), we shake hands and he leaves me to the care of the motor-bike and cyclo drivers.
I deduce it is about 8-10km to town and decide to hoof it. One moto-driver tries to follow me, but I do not want the ride. Another driver tries, no thanks. Walking along, I smile at the locals, surprised to see me (this is not the beaten tourist track...), 95% smile back. About 1km down the road I am getting hot and decide if another driver tries to pick me up, I'll go with him for 10,000 Dong (about 60 cents US). Sure 'nuff, another driver pulls up, moto madam? how far to town? 10km. What? They said 8km 1.5km ago...bao nhieu? 30,000...phew, no. I walk on. wait, wait, 12km, too far. 20,000? what? It was 10km a moment ago...no. Will you take me for 10,000? shake of the head, impossible! 15,000? muoi nghin or I walk. impossible. I walk. about 25' farther down the road than when negotiations began, I hop on his motorbike for a 10,000 Dong ride to my guesthouse. :) Welcome to Hue.
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