Sapa - Save the Best for Last

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After a surprisingly fast train ride, and windy/crowded mini-bus ride, deep into the mountains of northern Vietnam, I arrived in Sapa.

I found Brian and Greg (the 2 Canadians I went to Halong Bay with) in a restaurant having breakfast on my first day, and they invited me to share their room (2$ is much better than $6), and join them for a hike. Note to self - don't partake in a 28km hike after an hour long run, especially when both of which are extremely hilly! We treked down into a Red Xao and Black Hmong hill tribe village and further on to a cave. I ejoyed the journey more than the destination, as the cave was full of shouting and screaming kids, and kreosote from the kerosene lamps.

The scenery in Sapa is breath-taking for lack of a better word. I felt like I was in a National Geographic shoot. Massive mountains, carved with terrace upon terrace of rice paddies. There is very little natural forest left, which is a bit sad to see. It was also interesting to interact with the local hilltribe people, who wear their traditional clothing everyday. I be-friended a few of them, and they never failed to bring a smile to my face. Brian and Lung (a Black Hmong girl), were trying to arrange a marriage for me and her brother. She said he mostly only speaks their tribal language, but he speaks a bit of Vietnamese, so we could communicate that way. "Great! Because my Vietnamese consists of hello and goodbye"! She said she could probably swing 3 buffalo into the deal, so how could I refuse! Brian would even get 3 chickens for his match-making help. From then on, Lung referred to me as "sister-in-law", whenever she saw me on the street.

Well the first day kind of kicked the poop out of us for the next few days, with all of us heavy into the tiger balm and complaining of shin splints, so we did some shorter hikes in the days to follow, and rented scooters one day to go visit a trickling waterfall (dry-season), and a few more villages. If anyone is planning a trip to Vietnam DO NOT miss Sapa.

Now I'm back in Hanoi, which is starting to feel like "the Bangkok of Vietnam" for me, and tonight I begin my 2 day trip to Australia. Air time isn't whats going to take so long, its my poor planning and multiple layovers. Next words from the Land down under...

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Photos

A terraced landscape in Sapa
The trees are long gone and have been replaced with hectare upon hectare of carefully maintained rice paddy terraces.

A Black Hmong girl enjoying the scenery.
Its nice to see, that although these people are surrounded by this scenery every day, you always find them appreciating it.

A beer with a view
After a long day of, well, resting, we thought we deserved a beer! (Brian, myself and Greg).

The inlaws!
Here I am sitting with my future sister-in-law (Lung, right of me), and her cousin is on my left. That is if I accept the buffalo...