In the heart of Hanoi, cafés line a working railway track, where tourists gather in anticipation of the passing train - a must-visit according to the guidebook.
The best time for photos is early afternoon, so the book says, but we arrived after dark. No matter, a train was due soon.
Ten minutes turned to half an hour and beyond. No train on the horizon, but plenty of people were milling around busy snapping photos for posterity.
We got chatting to a young waiter, well educated in multi-media, and with his excellent English he reminded us how lucky we were - that it was better to earn in an expensive country and afford to travel the world, than earn in a cheap one and never afford to leave it. It was the mic drop moment of the day.
When the train finally comes, cafe owners switch into overdrive, sometimes struggling to get the attention of well-lubricated tourists and clear the track in time.
The train passes at 12 mph. Slow enough I thought, but as it thunders by only inches away, the ancient stock creaking with metal fatigue, the ground vibrating under its sheer mass, the smell of diesel wafting in its wake - it is actually quite terrifying.
Hanoi’s Train Street has faced repeated closures since 2019 over safety concerns. Not surprising really, it would never pass health and safety in the UK. If you do visit, please follow café staff instructions and clear the track when asked.
