'Joy Travel'- Not a Joy to travel with

1 minibus; a few (folding) seats free. I sat on one of these at an angle (the seat was on top of a backpack) and I kept having to move as the guide arranged the luggage and people.This wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for a rude German woman hitting me on the shoulder with her fan trying to boss me about!

"You move. You sit there," she instructed me.

"How about we wait and see what the tour guide has to say about where I need to sit?' I returned.

A Spanish family of four got on last. They had been waiting two hours for their pick-up and of course, there wasn't enough room. 

That's when the guide's story telling began and I am not referring to tales from Vietnamese history - that would have been appreciated.

• First story:

'Half way two people will get off.' (One more got on and was told to sit on the engine, the two Spanish boys had the choice of sharing or one sitting on the floor.)

• Next story:

'Half way there will be a bigger bus.' (There wasn't).

After a few hours seeing very little and getting steadily more uncomfortable, we arrived at a pagoda. I lost the group at one point. I was walking slowly in the heat, but didn't realize I was that slow! When I found the Joy Travel guide (an old Vietnamese lady had shown me the way to the bus as she realized I was at the wrong Gate), l approached him to ask where he'd gone. The guide blanked me before turning round and saying quite aggressively that I was getting off in Ninh Binh. No. I wasn't! 

gate 1

gate 2- they look pretty similar to me!

The driver then told me I was too! I did not want to be dumped in a town with no luggage and with a room booked in Hanoi, so I insisted, using using a smattering of Vietnamese. 

At the next stop (Ninh Binh) a few people were told to get off by the roadside with no sign of a hotel; fortunately I wasn't!. 

Lunch was also a disorganized affair, with some people being moved from tables downstairs to the buffet upstairs. Intrigued as to why I listened as people discussed their ticket price and it turns out I paid 7 $ more! In spite of that I wasn't whisked away to the buffet. While guides had a big spread including meat, our lunch was a sorry affair -one bowl of tofu between 6, 12 spring rolls,  rice and a bowl of morning glory (a spinach like vegetable).

After lunch, I spoke to the guide about the price and he just said :

"Speak to your hotel." 

We then went for a pleasant boat ride at Tam Coc- the landlocked Halong Bay.

I had a wander round the market and up the road before heading back to the bus (we had been given no time to meet up).

All but two made it back to the minibus at a similar time- sheer chance! We waited and waited for the missing couple and I don't know what happened to them but we set off without them!

It was now late (5pm- the time we were due back). People started to get anxious about arrival time. I asked the guide on behalf of another man if we could take the expressway back. This led to another good example of him saying what he thought we wanted to hear 

"Yes."
 

"So will you speak to the driver?"

No reply.

"I have a lesson booked,"  I explained. "'a motorbike lesson and I don't want to do it in the dark." ' ( never mind the fact the guy probably wouldn't wait for me.) 

"Will you ask the driver if he will take the expressway? Or are you ignoring me?"  

"Yes"
 

"Yes, you are ignoring me; or yes you will ask?!"
 

No reply.
 

I could think of a few things more to say but didn't share them with him!
 

I spoke to the hotel afterwards and they asked the owner of Joy Travel to come over with the guide. The owner had words on my behalf, so let's see if things improve...