bumps in the night mean a bandage on the head

We took the night train from Ha Noi to Da Nang and arrived around noon today. After being brought to the WRONG train station by a taxi arranged by our hotel, we were rushed by motorbike to the RIGHT train station, luggage and all. I thought it would be horrifying to ride on a motorbike in the middle of all the traffic we keep talking about, but it was actually A BLAST and wish that I had taken more rides! YIKES!! but totally fun--and probably seriously dangerous, but these people know what they are doing.

Anyway, so we board the train and find that we are roommates (our soft berth had room for 4) were 2 Aussies named Jason and Cait. They were the very very very best roommates we could have asked for. We drank warm beer together and while we were chatting, and while Cait was on her way to the water closet (as they call it here) we felt quite a thud and then the brakes squealed the train to a quick and jerky stop. Turns out the train actually hit a motorbike. We were all horrified but looking out the window revealed a non-smashed bike being pulled away from the train and a man with a white bandage on his head. Now, we don't know if the scenario is really that simple - that we just nicked the bike and everybody is ok - but, that's what we are choosing to believe. There are things that don't match that scenario, such as the swiftness of the placement of the bandage on the head, and the fact that we felt the bump all the way back in the 10th car...We just don't really want to think about those things. (Plus, if it had been serious, it seems that the train would have had to wait around much longer than the 15 minutes that we were stopped, right? Unless this is a common occurence.. Enough!)

Anyway, we are now in Hoi An, a much quainter town than Ha Noi.
Smaller, quieter.
We ate the best food ever this afternoon - Cao Lao (a dish special to this area because the water comes from a well here) and the most fantastic fried wontons ever. Seriously. Holy moly!

Time is running out - more later. And, Jase and Cait, if you are reading this, we stayed in Hoi An one extra day so find us at Vinh Hung 1 on Tran Phu road. We should drink some COLD beer together on Friday if possible!