Leaving Da Lat for Nha Trang by bus we travelled down the mountain heading for Nha Trang - we met with VERY foggy weather and pouring rain - so foggy we could see little if anything in front of us. Passed many small land slides crossing the highway which our bus driver gingerly drove over at a snails pace and we passed two huge trucks which had overturned, thankfully into the side that had a ditch and not onto the other side, which ended up in never never land, as 'bottom' was wayyyyyyy down.
We were caught in highway disaster – a huge landslide just missed us landing directly in front of bus bus.
Oooooof - what can one say with that !!! Thankfully our bus was travelling at crawl speed.
Everyone had to exit the bus - take their bags from storage under the bus - then carry heavy same across the mud slide. In the pouring rain we opened the outside cargo compartment – I found my bag which I hastily opened and exchanged my sandals for my hiking shoes - and grabbed my rain jacket. We had no idea what was going on - no one spoke English – or rather – we didn’t speak Vietnamese. However, with safety paramount in our minds, we felt prudent to follow what everyone else was doing. We were actually wondering if we would be camping out in the rain for the night.
People arriving from I don’t know where, created a path about 1/2 a metre wide travelling through the slide which was a good distance itself – it was a path of super slippery mud very difficult to traverse being that it also contained large boulders together with smaller yet still giant portions of rocks and trees strewn - everywhere. One side of the path was a sharp steep wall of mud and rock created by the slide, which if desperate (and that was me for a certain) one could lean into for safety - mind you I have no idea what safety this wall would offer as I could find no purchase whatsoever being so slick with mud . . . and the other side didn't exist, as it dropped wayyyyyy down to the canyon below. I struggled across that mess with my right side leaning into the wall, placing bag on my right food - - taking a step with my left and then hefting my right foot along with my bag for about 2’ every step. Tedious but the safest way I could think of.
A tiny Vietnamese woman immaculately dressed in Chanel suit, hat and spike heels, two babies together with gigantic and loudly squealing pigs from a separate truck were the only ‘ones’ carried across. This dreadful trail was narrow and slippery in the extreme - I couldn't think of being afraid for I had to gather my guts together and concentrate on getting me and my bag across - being afraid would have been a waste of energy and time.
When we all finally made it to the other side, we were covered in mud and soaking wet. About one hour later - another bus came up the highway to meet us on the other side where we were waiting - however, this bus BACKED UP the highway to meet us ! Clearly, the driver had received a message from the bus we had just vacated. Thank you thank you, thank you - for cellphones !!
From this newly arrived bus, all the people got off and did the same with their baggage - each struggled across that hellish trail to our old bus - and once inside, our old bus backed up the mountain – and there were many kilometres before it would be allowed the opportunity to turn around. My oh my - in those weather conditions and going backward up hill ? in that fog and rain - that takes expert ability – or ?
So many people turned up to help that I suspect those living about, are well familiar with this type of activity. Our new bus made it to Nha Trang quite safely for which we were most thankful – and everyone clapped in appreciation. The attendant made a speech to all present in Vietnamese - have no idea what he said, but it was pretty clear he was apologizing and thanking us for co-operation. I would have given him a delighted smooch but I don’t think I appeared too – erm – smoochable. LOL When we arrived at the bus station, we discovered that the company had provided multi shuttles free of charge to take us to our next destination in Nha Trang. Was funny (shame on me) to watch our shuttle driver pick up our bags - which were literally covered in mud - heft them into his van with a wince (we offered to help but but he firmly declined) – and he didn’t want us in his vehicle. Clearly he was having trouble with his received instructions so with another wince – a thorough look at us producing a grimace – he next directed us into his van. We tipped him heftily when he got us to our address in Nha Trang.
Three days later we met a couple who had crossed to our 'old' bus. They explained that on their way up the hill to meet us, there had been another landslide which had set off a landmine - and with that, the bus immediately went back down the hill again. Hah - Good decision ! When we were standing in the pouring rain waiting for a new bus, I had been trying to explain to another traveller that no matter how much one needed to go pee - it was not a recommended idea to venture "off the track" in Vietnam because of the landmines – and especially not now with all the mess up in the land. I pointed out that it was foggy as heck and simply walking a few metres up the hill would do just as well - as people are daily being maimed or killed because of landmines - but I was brushed off as being a total idiot. On hearing this again, that person went white as a sheet
Edited by: liamh
