Meanderings

Post by **philipy** » Thu Nov 20, 2025 12:17 pm

Train Street looks errrr...dangerous!
We saw something very similar in Peru at Agua Caliente, which is the village at the bottom of the Machu Pichu mountain. Nobody ever seems to get killed at these locations though.

Old Man Aaron · Post by **Old Man Aaron** » Fri Nov 21, 2025 6:42 am

You're right, it would've been a damn shame not to see it!

All the chequer-plate and pavers to lessen the trip hazards are a good idea. The track looks quite well-maintained, too.

Post by **ge_rik** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 5:42 pm

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Fri Nov 21, 2025 6:42 am You're right, it would've been a damn shame not to see it!

All the chequer-plate and pavers to lessen the trip hazards are a good idea. The track looks quite well-maintained, too.

Not to mention the old wooden doors which they've placed between the rails .....

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I watched spellbound as a couple of locals set fire to fake money on the track. Apparently, it's an old Chinese custom to bring good luck. Originally, they would have burned real banknotes....

It seems counter-productive to me .... But who knows?

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Rik

Post by **ge_rik** » Sat Nov 22, 2025 9:34 pm

I think the booking clerk at Shanty Town must have been in too much of a hurry .....

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Rik

Post by **philipy** » Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:35 am

I've just been reading this report on the Beeb. Sounds as though you got out at the right time. Did you see any of this devastation?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwywl8g31g7o

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Nov 23, 2025 1:11 pm

philipy wrote: ↑Sun Nov 23, 2025 10:35 am I've just been reading this report on the Beeb. Sounds as though you got out at the right time. Did you see any of this devastation?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwywl8g31g7o

Not directly, no. When I arrived at Hoi An, about half way up Vietnam, the river level was normal, but the following day it had flooded - though this isn't an uncommon occurrence, I was told.

That same day I took the train to Hanoi and a couple of times the train track was surrounded by water. I must have been lucky to leave when I did or I might still be there.

The day I arrived