Conquering the Sleeper Bus
February is fast approaching and in my new Asian life, February no longer just means Valentine’s Day and the shortest month of the year. Now, it means TET. Tet is one of the most important holidays here in Vietnam. It is the celebration of the Lunar New Year and is highly symbolic to how the rest of the year will be. Many of Saigon’s inhabitants venture off to the country to visit and stay with family…in other words, no school. It is the big break for English Teachers here, vacation days ranging anywhere from 10 days to 14 days. It leaves ample opportunity to travel to neighboring countries.
Traveling to neighboring countries seems to be synonymous with the overnight bus. So in honor of all of us backpackers and budget travelers who bypass the easy airplane rides and venture onto the overnight bus, I give you my list of the most necessary items to make your overnight Tet travels, or any overnight travelers for that matter, ones where you are left feeling well rested rather than borderline certifiable by the time you finally roll into your destination. Follow these tips and maybe you find yourself waking up on the right side of the bus.
#1. Ear Plugs
When you hear night bus, you may think a quiet relaxing ride with the best tunes from your “Sleep” playlist. Well, you’re wrong. This is Asia folks. Your bus may take off at 10 pm but that doesn’t mean a thing. The bus driver still needs to stay awake (hopefully) and that may be the blasting of the top Vietnamese hits. And if you are anywhere near a speaker or TV, you are in trouble. This dilemma is easily solved with a nice pair of ear plugs. You will be snoozing your 12 hours away in no time. Just make sure you have a friend to wake you up once you hit your destination.
#2. Eye Mask
Yes, yes, It’s a night bus. But have you seen the inside lights? You never know what type of bus you’ll be graced with and an eye mask won’t hurt. This is your night rest for the next coming day. Now one likes a grumpy traveler, ensure a well rest with an eye mask. Warning, you can’t blame a bad mood on sleepiness if you carry this on you.
#3. Neck Pillow
Some buses may provide you with a small pillow. Some buses may not. Skip the gamble and use your airplane neck pillow. Come on people, we all bought one for that airplane ride to Asia, no matter how silly we look using them.
#4. Your Own Sheet/Blanket
Usually the sleeper buses will give you a small blanket but in my cases, I really enjoy having my own thin blanket with me to cuddle up with. It takes up the same space as about a tee shirt in my bag and it works wonders on my conscious. i recommend a light jersey flat sheet that you can bring along anywhere. There is some comfort in knowing where your sheet comes from.
#5. Sleepy Pills
Since I was a babe I could fall asleep on any moving form of transportation. 20 minutes in a car and I was out. So for me there is no trouble in falling asleep on a sleeper bus. In fact, I love these bus rides. But if you aren’t from my unique breed, I highly recommend some ZZZZ pills. Whether it be your natural supplements or some Advil PM, there are a range of fixes. Of course, there is aways the natural route of some chamomile tea but some may need something more potent.
#6. Possible Poncho
While this may seem extreme, I have heard some horror stories about an AC leak that left a friend in a puddle from a continual drip of condensation. In this moment, you will wish you had something dry.
So the above 6 stand as the crucial items for an overnighter and will help you to wake up on the right side of the bus bed. From my experience, they have worked wonders and left me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated come the morning. Then again, I have been told to be a sleep freak of nature. Either way, I wish you all luck and happy busing!
