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Published: September 12th 2012
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The true size of Vietnam
Ummmmm. Australia is very small in comparison Well woke this morning and decided we would do the Lonely Planet walking tour on Hanoi but before then we needed to arrange our trip to Sa Pa. Sa Pa is a hillside village and is supposed to be beautiful. So off I go and look at how much it would cost us if we did it solo against if we took a tour. So back on the internet I go and after looking at the rail costs (as you can only get to Sa Pa by night train - then bus) and looking at the hotels that the tour operators were offering (not good reviews on Tripadviser - and as this is my bible now) Mike decided to go down to the hotel reception and ask them what they would offer.
I must have to much time on my hands as I was looking at all possibilities and to be honest I was doing my own head in due to the confusion and different possibilities. Anyway, Mike returns with a good deal from the hotel and they have also said that we can leave our big bags with them whilst we are in Halong Bay and Sapa so that
The tour guide having a break
This is the little cafe we thought we were going up someones stairs into their house, ha ha was it decided that the hotel tour would be the one (mind you did check out the hotel on Tripadviser - told you I was hooked!).
So set off on the walking tour with Mike having the map and the Lonely Planet Guide in hand - my tour guide for the day (will come back to how I would rate him on Tripadviser later!).
A good start was had as he found the lake we went to last night and took me across to the NGOC Son Temple via a little bridge which was dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao who defeated the mongels in the 13th century. On this little island is a bloody big turtle (250kg). After leaving the little bridge this is where the tour guide had his first hiccup i.e turn right instead of left (I thought I was the only one who did not know my right from my left!!!). So after a 1/4 mile we turn round and retrace our steps. By this time we were dying of thirst so stopped for a juice at a roof top cafe. I thought this was a good idea as he could see from above
Cafe from outside
Great passion fruit juice where we should be going - did Mike take the hint, NO.
So after a couple of drinks we set sail in the right direction this time - maybe that was because I wrote R on his right hand and L on his left, ha ha.
We then successfully followed the tour and found a brilliant little place which to be honest when we went through the door and up the rickty dark staircase we could not make out if we had gone into someone's house or we were on the right track for the cafe. Anyway we were right and got a couple of juices and a plate of chips (English to the core or what - saying that no we did not have tomotoe sauce it was chilli sauce).
We are not sure if they had seen westerner's in their cafe before as everyone brought us the menu and watched us whilst we looked at it and they all wrote the order down on a pad, ha ha.
Once we left the cafe I decided that the tour was boring. The tour guide has just shouted over my shoulder it was not his fault he hastens to add. Not sure I agree with this as he did not give me much information about where we were going apart from this street there are loads of blacksmiths!
So the the tour was cut short and we returned to the hotel.
We are off on our Halong Bay cruise for 3 days and 2 nights so I will be off line for a couple of days but will return with our adventures on the high seas of Halong Bay.
Now if I was reviewing Mike's performance on Trip Adviser this would be my review:
"Tour started off well but as the tour guide got lost his way the tour lasted longer than expected. The guide did not speak good English as he forgot to tell me what we were supposed to be looking at and seeing!!"
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