Sapa

I just got back from a trip to Sapa, in the mountains North West of Hanoi. Its got to be one of the highlights of the trip so far, its so beautiful and the people are wonderfully happy and friendly. The region around Sapa is populated by ethnic minority groups living in villages of approx 200 or so. They really live on the land, growing rice and they have chickens and buffalo. I took a two day trek and stayed overnight in one of the villages. In just a few hours walking, we passed through three different villages, all with different dialects and different (very colourful) costumes. My favourites are the Black Hmong people, they are very friendly and the young women are stunningly beautiful. On the first day it was raining so much that we were soaked, I had a streaming cold and the malaria pills had made me throw up, luckily one of the ladies on the trip had some flu and cold tablets so that helped to stop my nose streaming. However, there was a thunderstorm during the night and next day, the path was just a mudbath, we were slipping and sliding all over the place. The village people follow the tourists all the way along the trail trying to sell trinkets and embroidery, its very very difficult to say no to the small children. I now own seven brass bracelets, four cloth bracelets, two cushion covers, a skirt and a keyring. One little girl who must have been about three or four years old followed one of the men in our group for about an hour, saying in a sing song voice all the way "you buy from me, you buy this one..." They just run along the path beside you either in wellingtons or in plastic sandals, I was wearing my expensive trekking boots bought in New Zealand and they were helping me through the slippy bits. I felt like a I had a personal trainer, my helper wouldn't leave my side and she set some pace dragging me up that hillside, of course after that its very difficult to say no when she asks you to buy her cushion cover...

Today I am in the internet cafe opposite the tour office, waiting for it to open. I'm going on a trip to Halong Bay, staying overnight on the boat (junk).