Fiona in Vietnam Part 1

Rice harvest in Sa Pa

Our guides in Sa Pa

I'm back after nearly two weeks of travelling and apart from my flights booked and the first night in Hanoi, it happened "organically" and everything worked out perfectly. I feel as if I've been away longer and managed to not touch a computer, read three good books and meet lots of interesting people as well as try and see as much as Vietnam as I could. So for me to remember what I did I'm going to write a sort of diary.




Day 1 - Arrived at Hanoi and got shuttle bus into the city and found my backpackers in the old quarter. Spent the day wandering around and trying to organise what I would be doing over the next few days. I met a lovely Australian girl in my dorm and we went out for a delicious bun cha which was noodles, pork and lots of salad with mint and coriander. We then went for a walk around the lake and the whole of Hanoi seemed to be doing the same. It was a lovely atmosphere with families walking, chatting, dancing and eating the lime and mint icecreams! Yes the streets are full of motorbikes and it is crazy trying to cross the roads but I loved the buzz.

Day 2 - Left early on a mini-bus for a 1 day tour of Halong Bay. It took about 3 hours to get there but I chatted the whole way with a South African lady also travelling on her own. Halong Bay is VERY touristy but it was beautiful, as you'll see from the photos and we were very lucky with the weather and the diverse group on the tour. I was glad I had chosen to do only 1 day but it was well worth visiting. We got back before 9 pm and then I started to panic as I had to be on the overnight train to Sapa which left at 9.30. Our bus guide very kindly offered to take me by his motorbike and before I knew it I was off whizzing through the streets of Hanoi with no helmet, jumping red lights and having great fun!!


Day 3 - I slept like a log on the overnight train to Lao Cai and arrived about 6 am, being collected by minibus to Sapa for my 2 day trek. Sa Pa is a small town set high in the mountain range of Hoang Lien and is where many of the H'mong hill tribe people have settled for centuries. This was a place I had wanted to visit for ages and I would have stayed longer if I could have. Our women guides, dressed in traditional costumes, with babies strapped to their backs, were there to meet us and we set off on our trek which was wonderful! Three of us who walked quicker, formed our own group with our guides and the scenery and the rice terracing was just breathtaking. We arrived at their village for lunch and immediately were mobbed by ladies selling their beautiful embroidery crafts. I was such an easy target and of course I did buy from our lovely guides and yes no doubt they ripped me off but for all the time and effort they spend on their spinning, weaving, dying and embroidery, they are very welcome to my money. We continued our trek in the afternoon and finally reached our lovely homestay about 4 pm. It was much "posher" than my Laos homestay and had hot water, a sit down toilet as well as wifi! We had a lovely meal and rice wine and then it was early to bed sleeping on the floor with real quilts for the cool nights.

Day 4 - I was up early and able to soak in the amazing scenery with the high terraced mountains and river flowing through the valley. It was harvest time and everyone was busy with cutting and threshing and drying the rice. The textiles were my great interest though and they showed me how they grow and use the indigo plant to dye the hemp that they hand spin and weave on very narrow looms. The women, spin or embroider at every spare moment and it takes 3 months just to embroider  a sleeve but because of the recent tourist interest the young generation are keeping the traditions alive. More trekking in the morning and then after lunch I sadly had to go back to SaPa to await the bus and overnight train to Hanoi. I met a charming young German couple so the time passed quickly and of course I could more shopping!!

Selling postcards?!

Buffaloes on our path!

All ages helping!

One of my guides

Day 5- A very early arrival in Hanoi at 5 am but again a good night's sleep on the train. I had to decide the best way to get to Hoi An and chose the overnight bus as it was cheaper than the train. I spent a day wandering around Hanoi - eating, reading and visiting a few sites and then was ready for my pick-up at 5. 30 pm. Eventually got on the overnight bus at about 7 pm and slotted into my capsule where I would be spending the next 18 hours. These buses are fantastic - air con. toilet and wifi and again I slept really well and enjoyed looking at the countryside out the window - not like the old days of travelling!!
To be continued......

Our homestay in the mountains