Hanoi Train Street - A popular selfie spot for your Instagram - To travel is to live! 

Tripoto
Photo of Hanoi Train Street - A popular selfie spot for your Instagram - To travel is to live!  1/4 by BULBUL on the wing

Hanoi train street is one place that will always have a special place in my heart. I had visited the lively city of Hanoi, last summer. And I wanted to visit the train street the very first day and click photos at the train street, which is also popular as the 'selfie street' in Hanoi.

After I landed in Hanoi, I checked into my hotel, ate some sandwiches, and understood the directions to the train street from the hotel staff. I then left for the street which gave me the very first impression of the city. The city is as lively with the traffic as it is with people. Yes, you need to watch while being on the road. For the fact, there are five million motorbikes among a population of about seven million. Anyway, soon after passing by 4 lanes, I crossed the road to go the other side.

Finally, I was there, at a meek strip with a railway track passing through its center. There are houses, barely 5 m away, running along the railway track. The street is usually flooded with tourists and photographers. It is a ritual for travelers to take back home a train street selfie when they visit Hanoi. To follow the ritual, I also began hunting for a corner to click some selfies and photos.

Photo of Hanoi Train Street - A popular selfie spot for your Instagram - To travel is to live!  2/4 by BULBUL on the wing

Voluntary responsibility is taken by the residents at the Hanoi Train Street

Satisfied with my photography, I went to a tiny cafe, located along the railway track, and ordered fresh lime juice to quench my thirst. Eagerly waiting for the coach, I started sipping the citrus. My drink was only half full when Vinh, the owner of the joint, came up and informed me about the train arriving in the next 10 minutes. Before I could even react, I saw Vinh enjoining the people in and around the joint to move closer to the street strip. This is one of the greatest examples of Voluntary responsibility that I have come across in my life. These people are so used to watching a train chugging by their balcony daily that they casually clear off the tracks for the train to pass through. Moreover, they ensure that all the tourists are at a safe distance from the railway track.

One of the most electrifying seconds of my life

As the train started approaching me and the sound of the locomotive engines and wheels turning on the rail track became clearer, I took a deep breath. The hair on my arms stood up straight...not due to fear but excitement. I was ready with my camera to capture as many shots as I could. A couple of minutes later, the runaway train thrillingly showed up. It took the train about a minute to pass by my sight but it seemed just momentary. The life of the residents went back to what it was as if nothing has happened. Whenever I watch the video I had recorded, I get goosebumps realizing that I was only inches away from the train. Some people wonder how Hanoi train street can be a place to live with the train whistle clanging noisily every single day. Still, many generations who have lived in this street do not want to leave. They have learned to harmoniously coexist with the whistling trains. Therefore, in the disturbance, residents of Hanoi train street find no disturbance at all.

Please join my mailing list (at the bottom of the page), and stay tuned for more stories. You can follow @bulbulonthewing on Facebook, , Instagram to get regular updates.

Photo of Hanoi Train Street - A popular selfie spot for your Instagram - To travel is to live!  3/4 by BULBUL on the wing
Photo of Hanoi Train Street - A popular selfie spot for your Instagram - To travel is to live!  4/4 by BULBUL on the wing