“Lonely Planet” Tough Trains: Vietnam: The Reunification Express (TV Episode 2016) – IMDb

Having grown up in the era when many of the place names were in all the news, it was interesting to follow along on this trip from the Chinese border, through Hanoi, and down to Hue. Not a lot of money has been spent on this rail system, and things we take for granted, not just in the west, but in Japan, as well, are glaringly absent.

No signals except signalmen with flags. No radios. Few grade crossing protections. Spotty on train service. No sleeping facilities despite 14 hour segments. Tracks through neighborhoods with ridiculously close clearances when trains come through.

The one notable thing I noticed was on the leg into Hue, the host wore a T-shirt with “Charlie Don’t Surf” on the front. I thought it was hilarious, but I suspect not too many natives saw the movie because they had lived through it. I wonder how many Western viewers caught it. I also wonder if it wasn’t somewhat insensitive.