Sapa and final entry for Vietnam 18th-20th June

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So after the hot as hell day in Hanoi we caught the overnight train to Sapa. Sapa is in the northwest of Vietnam and has spectacular mountain scenery with the terraced hillsides that you see in those amazing photographs and Maureen and I were looking forward to it. The night train was nice and clean but again, the tour operator who sorted most of our travel from way back in Nha Trang never quite dotted her I's or crossed her T's. She said that the bunks were larger than the main trains and that to save money it would be fine to top and tail with the kids in just 2 beds instead of 4. Bad mistake. It was cramped and Tane who bunked with me said that he did not sleep well. At least he slept. But was does not kill you only makes you stronger...right? I must admit that I did get pockets of sleep though. We shared the cabin with a nice lady from Byron bay but the other passenger, a guy from who gives a shit, looked like he was getting claustrophobic with all these people sharing 2 cubic meters of breathing space. Had to chuckle at that.

So anyways we arrived in Lao Cai which is the end point for rail and is pretty much on the border of Vietnam and China, at around 5.30am, and from there we catch a transfer to Sapa, about an hours drive away. From Lao Cai the drive is pretty much up up up up into the mountains and already the scenery begins to take your breath away. Our accommodation was booked in Hanoi and we chose the Sapa Summit Hotel based on recommendation from people we met back in Sihanouk ville Cambodia and also it fitted in our budget, the view out the window was supposed to be awesome and we also just took a punt on it. Let me go back a step and mention that the driver back in Lao Cai did not have our name on the arrivals list which set warning bells off and while we tried to explain this once we arrived at the hotel we once again came across those little issues that Vietnam tourist operators keep getting wrong, finer details such as getting the information correct and passing this onto the right people.
Because we arrived early, the room would not be available till around 11am so we stowed our luggage and decided to have breakfast at the hotel and then take a look around the township. After breakfast we went out into the hotel gardens which is on the edge of a cliff looking down the valley and above the clouds. Our pictures will not do justice but, even they look amazing. We then went out the front and strolled down the to the bottom of the hill where the main town was and booked a walking trek to Lao Chai and also Ta Van village along the river in the valley. The one we chose was a 2-3 hour walk which we organised at the tourist centre for the next day and we then strolled around the town feeling very relaxed. The weather was much cooler and pleasant without any hint of perspiration yet, always a bonus! We loved the place and the H'mong people and other ethnic tribes from that area were friendly and spoke English better than anyone we have met so far. Have some great shots on our cameras and my personal favourite is a shot of Tane standing in the middle of the busy street next to a rather well kept Hemp plant that caught my eye. Yes dope runs wild up here along with farming of the opium, rice, corn, stone fruit and what ever else they can grow in the fertile soil. They maximise every inch of soil here. Nothing is wasted
So after a walk around town we walked back up the hill (mental note- why did we pick the hotel at the top of the bloody steep hill) to find that our room although ready, was not yet cleaned. A minor glitch I'm sure. Anway after the room was cleaned we all had a shower which we all desperately needed and a nap to catch up on some lost sleep. Earlier I noticed that they were doing renovations but didn't really pay too much attention.....As has always been the case so far in Vietnam, things are never what they appear and the only thing that could ruin this mountain hideaway, that Shangrila must be like, is the sound of a drill from the room next store along with hammers and chisels and oh yes throwing there builders rubble off the balcony of the fifth and top floor, next to our room, 30meters below into a waste site with a loud thud. You are f@$%ing kidding me!!!
I wont talk any more about this other than to say we were not going to let this spoil Sapa for us. We went out for dinner that evening and then another stroll around the village before heading back to the hotel for a sleep and looking forward to the walk tomorrow at 9am.

Next day, rearing to go and starting with a hearty breakfast of eggs, bread rolls and coffee and then to meet our guide in reception. No one shows up, a minor glitch I'm sure, so we get the hotel reception to call them and were told that they were to be here in 10-15 mins time. 30 minutes later our guide shows up telling us she got a call 15 minutes ago to take us on a walking tour. We expressed our disappointment but new that it was not her fault and have come to expect no less so, off we trekked. As it turns out, our guide whose name was Haa, was the nicest most sincere person and works like a Trojan to support her family. She made the walk well worth it and her knowledge of the area was what made the difference. Her and Maureen hit it off straight away. She helped us out and we helped her out but unfortunately I have lost her details but if you ever get to Sapa and book a walk with the tourist centre, make sure to ask for the young lady called Haa to be your guide. After the walk it was back to the room for a clean up, some lunch and then try to have nap if the builders would let us. That night we went down to the village for the weekend markets. We brought some things, took some photos and caught up with Haa who was selling corn. We sat next to her and brought some corn which seemed to spur lots of others to buy some as well so we felt pretty good about that. Next it was a bit more walking around the market where I saw a stall holder smoking, what I can only imagine was ganja, from the biggest pipe I had ever seen!! Respec mon, respec. I an I an all dat stuff.
Bia Hoi was next and then dinner. Next day we organised to have two motor bikes to take us up further into the mountains to look at waterfalls and other spectacular views. The kids loved it and so did we. Life is pretty good when the wind is in you hair and your are riding through the countryside eye level with the clouds and looking down at some pretty awesome scenery. A nice way to wrap up the Vietnam leg.
Am now writing this from a computer in our room in Hanoi on our last night in Vietnam. Its 11pm and I am just running the journey thru my mind. We have visited floating villages and markets along the Mekong delta, snorkeled in crystal clear waters in Nha Trang, crossed a road in Saigon that had a gazillion motorbikes and cars coming our way, cyclo'ed around our favourite town Hoi An with its beautiful food and lanterns that light up the night, swam at China Beach, visited an emperor's citadel in Hue, strolled around the famous Hoan Kiem lake in steamy Hanoi, jumped off a junket into Halong Bay and walked amongst the clouds in Sapa. Every day was different and I wake up each day and feel truly alive,can anyone else honestly say that? When Mel and Paul and Maureen talk about their travelling adventures, I now get what it was that was so addictive. The experiences and different ways of living, the strange sights, sounds and smells. Some scoffed at us for doing this while others cheered us on and hoped us well and the one thing I have noticed and that everyone should notice is that other people are doing this as well, including families. Don't dream it, do it. Life is for living and we are living it.

See you in Thailand for our next entry

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Photos

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Black Hmong lady in Sapa next to a hmmmmm hemp plant.

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View from the Sapa Summit Hotel

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Terraced rice fiels. Sapa

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Red Zao lady with my favourite baby girl Mai. Sapa

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Motor Bike riding up to Silver Waterfall. Sapa

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Village life near Sapa

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Rice terracing Sapa

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At the Sapa weekend markets

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Our wonderful guide Miss Ha

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Tane rides a buffalo

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Bike tour up the mountains

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Biker boys

Comments

[Heather]

We've been enjoying your posts! I hear such amazing thins about Sapa, but have yet to make it there myself. When you talk about waking up and feeling truly alive, and each day being different... That is exactly what it's all about! I can't tell you how much I admire that you are taking your family on this adventure. Every parent should do the same, and allow their children to experience the world from a young age. Enjoy Thailand, it is just so incredible! Heather :) dirty-hippies.blogspot.com