Overnight train up to a hill town called Sapa where the French used to come to escape the madness of Hanoi (as we have).
So much for sleeping on the overnight train - too noisy, too slow. Anyway we arrived at 5am in the dark, but as we drove along the very bumpy road, realised that we were going to a very special place. Rice terraces were cut into al the hills, and many of the local people were from tribes and dressed in traditional clothes. The town is on the hill side so most of the hotels look out over the valley. Unfortunately it was hazy most of the time, and very cold, but not raining.
Had our first and hopefully only batch of sickness, Frannie is ill that evening and CT and I are suffering from blocked noses.
Set off on our 2 day trek into the villages with our H'mong guide Mi. the first 2k were along the road but then we turned off and started to really experience the village life that has not changed in 1000's of years, since the chinese came from the north and cut out the terraces. A basic way of life - subsistence, simple, unadorned. Mi was able to tell us about life in the village, how the fields are farmed, what animals they keep, how many children families have. Really interesting and this has to be one on the best things we have done so far.
We walked about 10km (LM walked all the way) to a homestay, which was pretty much purpose built, but was run by a family. LM and the girls played with the children who were running around, and went exploring along the paddies and dirt tracks. Dinner was started with delicious garlic chips, and then an array of vietnamese dishes. The children are getting on well with chop sticks now and so managed to eat some of the rice! No 2 slept with Mi in one of the mattresses covered by very heavy blankets and surrounded by mossie nets.
Next day we walked another 4k and were invited to Mi's house where we met her husband and 2 children in their new house. The boys in the compound gave LM a spinning top - as kids would have played with in the streets 100 years ago in UK, we exchanged it for one of LM's cars!
Trip back to Sapa by an old army jeep. All in all a really great experience for us all. Kids did not complain or moan once, which means they must have taken everything in!
Back to Hanoi tomorrow on overnight train to see if we have managed to get the Chinese visa.
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