10 hours on the Reunification Express

We love Vietnam. We love the excitement, friendliness, scenery and low cost of visiting. But if there is one thing that takes a bit of getting used to, it's the constant noise.

Whether on the streets of Hanoi or hotel rooms of Hoi An, quiet is a precious commodity in Vietnam - one the locals seem to place little value on.

We had heard rumors of long-haul overnight bus rides with karoake blasting the entire time. Surely, we thought, these must be exaggerations. Ah, blissful naivete.

Confronted with a long trip from Hoi An to Nha Trang, I lobbied hard for the train. Known locally as the Reunification Express, the route connects Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with relatively few stops in between. What better way to see the countryside in comfort than on the train. So we bought our tickets, loaded up on baguettes and cheese food product and prepared for our 10-hour ride.

The ride began comfortably. We had bought soft seats in the A/C car (there are no classes in Communist Vietnam. Tickets are purchased based on how soft or hard you want your seat or bed to be.) and were pleased to see the train depart on time with our luggage firmly ensconced in view above our heads.

After a bit of reading (Angle of Repose, by Stegner), I decided to catch a bit of shut-eye with my iPod on (Sun Volt). We were one hour into our ride when it began.

Over the loud speaker and TV screens, Vietnamese pop music began blasting. And when I say "blasting" I mean really loud. If I played music that loud at home, I would hear about it from the "Claw."

And the Vietnamese brand of pop is a special circle in Dante's Hell. Think Boyz 2 Men or N'Sync, but with a bit less skill and more Velveeta. No matter the volume of my iPod, I was not able to block out the thumping pop in the background. After a while, I relented and decided to soak in the ambience.

iPod off, the noise turned from pop to sitcoms, also at top volume. Whatever was on was very funny to the Vietnamese people around us. With a laugh track in full effect, the crowd - both live and recorded - was roaring along with the show. Two hours into the ride. 8-9 hours to go.

Luckily the beer vendor walked by at exactly this moment. Ambrosia. (Aside: It is possible the loud soundtrack was designed to increase beer sales.)

Om. I tried to be Zen. It was pretty funny watching to people around us laugh jovially. If only it weren't so loud. Eventually I was able to block the noise out, except for certain funny parts when the train would erupt in laughter. I was able to read but not sleep. Tough times.

When we arrived in Nha Trang, I felt a bit frazzled. Even with the soundtrack, Erin and I agreed the train was a good way to travel. It's like so many things in Vietnam - wonderful as long as you can handle noise.