Sapa

Had a great time in Sapa but wrecked after it. Went on the night train from Hanoi - takes about 10 hours. Before I left the manager in the hotel (http://www.risingdragonhotelcom/) I stayed at in Hanoi invited me to join him and the staff for dinner...it was very nice except the spring rolls - I didnt like the taste and when I asked what was in them they told me FROG!! Yuk! I have been telling people I am a vegetarian since!

The overnight train to Sapa takes about 10 hours but there was a problem with the power along the way which meant no airconditioning for 2 hours - it was like a sauna, I had my head stuck out the window and thats saying something as it was 35 deg outside.  Here's a picture of  my cabin on the train - 4 beds per cabin, I was sharing with a Vietnamise family (who had no English)! It was very hard to sleep.

Arrived in Sapa early morning, met up with the tour group and went trekking in the mountains. Trekking was not easy because we were walking in mud down steep hills, it was hot and clammy and v easy to slip - luckily there was a hunk from holland in the group and he helped me over the slippy bits!  Along the way we met this family...

They had lost their house in a landslide during heavy rain and were now living under a plastic sheet. In the picture one of the girls on my tour is giving the children sweets. The tour guide told us that the family  live a very simple day by day life and are happy with that. They have very little money and no big needs. They eat rice and whatever vegetables they can find growing in the mountains. When we left the mother noticed I was having problems with the slippery trek and she ran after me to give me a bamboo stick which was a great help - she wasnt looked for money, just being nice!

Their bedroom (to the left under the light blue plastic)

The kitchen..

2 of the kids followed us - they werent begging just curious about us!

Scenery in Sapa

                                          Lunctime...

The great explorer! Check out the bamboo stick and new hat

The next day I decided to take the easy way down the mountain....on the back of a honda 50! (BTW yer man is a proper motorbike taxii)

Great views on the way down...

Lunch....noodle soup with veg and egg on top, tasted good! Most of the food has been nice especially the banana pancakes for breakfast!

Rice fields

local house

Local kids - you can see the school in the backgorund (yellow building). The kids attend school from age 6 to 16.

My tour guide....the 2 finger salute is the vietnamise way for saying 'hello'!

Night train from Sapa was much better, shared a cabin with 3 Spaniards, they were cool.! Stopped off  in Hanoi for a couple of hours then got a flight to Hoi An, which is in central Vietnam. Its much calmer here than Hanoi (not as much beep beep!) and apparantly there's a really nice beach - its very hot though, 36deg!. Staying in really nice resort - 20euro a nigt! Plan is to chill out here for the next few days.