The Unique Number

Sapa, May 14th 2001

Not to mention about the seats that faces forward on one side and backwards on the other, I think the way the seats are numbered in this SP train is also unique. In my country, train seat's number is marked on the wall above each seat. Here in Vietnamese SP train, the seat number is marked on the back of the seat that is in front of it, like this.

This is the back of the seat. It's marked "24". So it means that the seat I'm sitting on is seat number 24, because I'm facing the number "24".

I made a mistake. I thought that the seat marked "24" even though it's on the backside means that that seat is seat number "24". I was ready to think that someone had taken my seat.

Sometimes this number is covered with the white cover sheet. If you don't pull up that sheet a little to make the number visible, you'll have people stopping by at your seat to pull up the white cover sheet.

P.S.
Do you see the passenger on the right in my first photo above? She's wearing a red helmet. Probably she rode on a motorcycle to get to the station. I'm impressed that even on the train she has not yet taken of her helmet. I'm impressed how Vietnamese people keep the rule of wearing on helmets.