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The view of Hanoi station from the cabin After our last trip to Vietnam, Chris and I decided a return was on the cards. And not just a simple return trip to Vietnam, a huge trip that would ensure we would see everything in Vietnam we wanted to see. This is how I found myself on a rickety sleeper train heading up through the Vietnamese mountains to a small tour called Sapa, less than 2kms from the Chinese border. We had left Perth on Saturday night and by the time I set foot on the train on Sunday night, all I was hoping for was good nights sleep. Alas this wasn’t to be the case, although Chris slept perfectly, I found myself lying away through the jerky movements on the train to the sudden stops and what I am still convinced was the sound of the train crashing into something.l To get to the sleepy town of Sapa, one must catch an 8 hour sleeper train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, once there you must fight you’re way through the crush of taxi drivers and transfer guides to the one holding your name. From there, a one hour car ride follows. This is down through the windy mountains, and
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View from the hotel although its only 30kms it feels never ending. Im told the scenery was amazing but since I was still fighting the effects of the train, I slept most of the way.
Arriving at the gorgeous mountain resort that would be our home for the next night, we were asked if we wanted to lie down or get straight into a 7km trekking tour. Afraid to stop in case our bodies crashed, we grabbed a quick breakfast and headed out on the tour.
Todays first stop was the Cat Cat Village just outside of Sapa. The 7km trek, which again felt so much longer than it was, was walking down alot of steep stairs to a waterfall and the back up a steep path. It was beautiful and interesting to see the way in which people still live in the 21st century. When you consider Western society has become obsessed with the latest gadget, these tribes have to work in order to get fresh water. It puts alot in perspective, although it was still amusing to see the electric cables and TV’s in the tiny huts of the Cat Cat villagers.
Our second day consisted of a 5km
walk through 2 villages. Our guide once again picked us up and drove us to the village. Upon approach to the village, she turned to Chris and myself and said “they will try and sell you stuff, just say no”, with this in mind, we got out of the car to a rush of tribal ladies trying to sell us their wares. All tribes make their own clothing using natural fibres and dyes and there is no way to be gone in Sapa without them trying to sell you their goods. After saying a quick round of no’s, we were left with only one eager old lady who accomplied us all the way down to her village. Since neither of us were interested in what she was selling, Chris had the good idea to offer to pay her to take her photo which she eagerly accepted. Our walk had become in the rain and the slush but by the time we found our way at the bottom, the sun was beating down on us giving us the wonderful beetroot look.
After a short break, shower and dinner it was back to the train station for another sleeper train. Much
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Chris, his poncho and his cameras poncho more disorganised than Hanoi, Chris and myself found ourselves waiting with the”cattle class” rather than our fellow Victoria Express travellers. Luckily two girls who we had become friendly with on the train up spotted us and saved us. All aboard, we were on our way back to Hanoi to start the next leg of adventure.. Hue
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