Hi All,
I arrived in Lao Cai early this morning which is right near the Chinese border. Then travelled up hill winding like crazy but a better road than in the NE.
Sapa is absolutely beautiful. It makes me a little homesick for Canungra and there looks like really good flying sites but again no landing padddocks. I’ve spent the day browsing the markets and taking photos of the area. Its all rice paddies that are terraced into the mountainside.
My hotel is great overlooking the mountaiside (hence the name Mountain View). The receptionist here speaks English really well which is so nice. Also they are reasonably priced and not trying to rip you off every which way like most Vietnamese people.
Sapa itself is full of ethnic minority people all in traditional dress which makes an array of colours and interesting people to look at. There are children everywhere and all in traditional garb. The only downside is the constant hasselling to buy something every which way you turn.
Well its 6am here and I’ve just gotten back from Sapa on the overnight train. The train actually isn’t too bad to sleep on but its a pain in the ass to get on to. I met two French girls that are living in Hanoi that I had dinner with. We then attempted to get onto the train only to be turned away by the ticket person. We thought we were a bit early so went back half an hour later only to be turned away again and vaguely pointed back down the steps and outside. At this point we notice that arbitrary people (not in uniform or with any sign attached) are stapling little pieces of paper into the tickets. Hmmm maybe we need one of these bits of paper. So we head to the first one only to find that’s not the company we booked through. Five people later, all found by vague pointing, one of them finally staples the magic piece of paper into the ticket and we’re away.
Unlike the rest of Vietnam the train actually leaves on time. But since it never arrives on time I guess this is ok.
Oh the day before the train I went trekking through some Vietnamese villages which were pretty spectacular. The rice paddies are all steeply terraced and water flows down gutter ways in between to water it all. It’s quite a good setup. I was guided through the villages by two Hmong ladies who tried their best to speak English and were quite enjoyable company. Mostly because having them kept all the other hawkers at bay and for a few hours I didn’t have to listen to “lady lady you buy you buy mine good”.
I then cheated and caught a motorbike back up to town which was just as well as I’d come further than I thought I had. It took about 15 minutes or so just to get back on the bike.
Still got my passport. The people at this hotel check about 15 times that you have collected it before you leave which for me is a good thing although now I don’t hand it in – just let them take the details.
(By kjsonholidays)
Sapa package 01
Fansipan Summit
Sapa adventure tour
Muong Hum market
Colorful Coc Ly
