Blogs from Sapa, Lao Cai, Northwest, Vietnam, Asia - page 48

We spent a couple of days on Khao San Rd in Bangkok, enjoying phad thai, banana pancakes, fruit shakes, Thai massage and all the other backpacker staples. We then up with my aunt Patti, who will be travelling with us for the next month. Hanoi The three of us flew to Vietnam and landed in Hanoi, the capital. We had heard that Hanoi is a really crazy place, but nothing can prepare you for the utter chaos you encounter. We took the local bus into the Old Quarter and were bombarded by the sights and sounds of the bustling city. Scooters are the main transportation method and they are everywhere AND they do not follow any of the rules of the road. Crossing the street is an adventure sport. It took us awhile to master the ... read more

The family had been up a long time by the time us 'scruffy western backpackers' awoke. We were all suprised and delighted to be hangover free, and decided that rice wine is actually great stuff. A leisurely pancake breakfast preceded another half days gentle strolling through the beautiful paddies. The weather was quite rainy, but rather than ruining the day it added some nice variety! The walking was far from hard, and I would recommend that anyone who is physically fit and wants to get some exercise while seeing this area should either go by themselves, or hire their own guide and describe the pace they want. The amount of food I've eaten these last few days has certainly exceeded what I've burnt off - and I was planning on losing a stone this week! Sapa ... read more

Trekking Many people have their own idea as to what a trek is, as opposed to a stroll. To my travel agent 2 hours at a slow pace was a day long trek. To me it was a brief stroll. Nonetheless our guide was very fun and informative, and although the path down to the Cat Cat H'Mong minority village was busy and very well trodden the surroundings were beautiful and the people very friendly. When they weren't trying to sell you things that is! H'Mong The H'Mong people are one of a number of minority groups within the area. They are Vietnamese citizens, but do not consider themselves Vietnamese (although most speak the language). They wear distinctly different clothing from the traditional vietnamese dress. All other local minorities are in the same category, and the ... read more

So the hard sleeper wasn't SO bad. We shared it with Sophie's friend Magnus and 3 other vietnamese men. They were very friendly and it always makes for a more interesting experience when you do as the romans do. One of the men rocked out to Magnus' discman most of the evening... pretty funny stuff. I woke up to find two young boys who had clearly just been watching me sleep through the barred window. They were excited now that this strange white creature was up and moving and so continued to watch and stare as I get up, pack... it would have been really creepy if they weren't only 8 or 9 years old. They didn't leave until their parents called them off the train. We followed and it was only 15 minutes into the ... read more

We had to spend 4 days in Hanoi to await our visa extensions - yes, that's how long it take and it costs USD20 each, and you have to go through your guesthouse - there is no option to arrange it directly with Immigration. So we thought we'd make the most of it and explore by foot, as is our wont. Hanoi is a lovely city with a beautiful lake and parks - some of them you need to pay an entrance fee to enter. We found sanctuary from the noisy streets in a little roof terrace restaurant whose staff we befriended over the few days we were there (Ning Bia). It was a great place to watch the daily life on the street in Hanoi - I was mesmerised one afternoon watching the motorbikes carrying ... read more