Am I trekking in Endor? (words by Tim / photos by Hann)

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We met our guide Mi in the foyer of the hotel. Like most of the H’mong people we had met, she was very short and adorably cheeky. She piled us (there were only 3 of us trekking) into the back of an old clapped out jeep. We drove along crumbling roads on the sides of mountains. Waterfalls flowed onto the road in sections and recent landslides made the drive a little treacherous at times. The scenery was marvellous! Sapa and the surrounds really do make one feel like an ant on this great Earth. Half an hour later, we pulled up in the middle of nowhere. The jeep was surrounded by H’mong women and girls all pointing and laughing at us in the jeep. We followed Mi down a steep muddy embankment and onto a dirt track. All of the H’mong greeting party followed us! I was soon encircled by 5 of them asking me a series of questions about my family, age and relationships. Their English was limited, but we were able to communicate and have a joke. Occasionally, they would chat amongst themselves in their ancient dialect followed by giggling sounds of approval. All of them were less than 5ft tall, aged between 20 - 35yo and dressed in the same gorgeous traditional clothing and jewellery.

Now, I know this isn’t exactly politically correct to say so, but I felt like I was in ‘Return of the Jedi’ meeting Ewoks on the planet moon of Endor. The H’mong language has a striking resemblance to that of the Ewoks and their sense of humour is quite similar. Hann was also surrounded by a clan of newfound friends answering the same set of questions and having a great time. Mi pointed out the villages in the vast valley below and shared her intimate knowledge of the minority people in the region. Along the way, we learnt about the different customs and beliefs, visited a school, drank tea by the roadside and received plenty of assistance getting down steep muddy slopes by our H’mong friends. The humidity and terrain made it tough going at times. At one point, I misjudged a leap across a torrent of water at the top of a large waterfall. I now have a whopping great bruise on my leg and was lucky not to get swept away by the water. We were all laughing about it minutes later though. Bamboo forests led to small villages which led to steep paths up through rice terraces. Eventually, the H’mong 'Ewoks' chatter became intense and out came their hand stitched goods and jewellery for sale. They told us they had to go. The hard sell was on and we bought a few things. After the wheeling and dealing, some of them pulled out mobile phones from their bags and made calls before wishing us well and heading back down the mountain. I don’t remember George Lucas’ Ewoks using mobile phones?!

After a tough afternoon of trekking where Mi kept taking us on so called short cuts, we arrived in Ban Ho, a village of the Tay minority. Mi and some local women cooked up a feast. The next morning we visited hot springs and a waterfall before returning to Sapa. Hann and Mi really bonded on the trek and it was sad saying goodbye to her. Sapa is truly a magical place and a must for anyone travelling in Vietnam. We’re back in Hanoi tonight. Tomorrow we are off to Halong bay to do some kayaking through limestone caves, relax, eat lots of seafood and spend a night sleeping on the boat. The next night we’re staying on a ‘private island’ before returning to Hanoi for our last two nights. So, this may be the final blog. We’re both looking forward to catching up with family and friends. Love to you all. Tim and Hann xo

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