We arrived in Lao Cai at an ungodly hour of the morning , we caught the night train from Hanoi on Livitran which was meant to be a luxury trip - it was not luxury - insert unsanitary and rugged instead! Anyway once in Lao Cai we sought for a driver not knowing that our lovely hotel had organised one for us already . The climb up the mountains to Sapa reminded me of land near Mena Creek except for the lovely rice terraces.
Sapa is a delightful village it looks like a typical French or Swiss area dotted with picturesque chalets and little castles. The welcome at the hotel was uplifting we were given complimentary early check in and headed up to their restaurant at the top of the hotel this overlooked the stunning valley. However the adventures really began when we ventured up the steep hill to the local markets when we were engulfed by a colourful group of Hmong women. We discovered that if you greet one they will follow you with their posse for the whole day, when we had our numerous coffees they waited outside the cafes. It is a real culture shock for us as in Australia it would be considered stalking but here it is a way of making a livelihood. There are so many minority tribes here just trying to eke out a living it is awe inspiring to see how happy people are with so little, it is humbling when I reflect on how much we "want want want". This being said I must confess thatI have bought a gorgeous handwoven blanket for my baby and still wish to buy four more. I assuage myself of my guilt knowing that this will feed these families for several months.
Anyway today was quite an adventure we had signed up for a leisurely coach tour to visit two minority tribes and a waterfall. Down the spiral staircase we come , eager for the relaxing road trip,( at this point I still assumed that the trekking shoes we had been advised to hire were only for when we cavorted in the crystal clear streams.) wrong - we were greeted by a gorgeous Black Mong woman who dressed in Flower Mong attire ( because she hates the indigo dye of her traditional garb tinting here skin the colour of a young smurfette). Ah - our lovely guide happily informed us we would be doing a gentle trek to the base of the Fansipan mountains to visit two villages just two little legs of journey one of 12km and the other of 3-4, I was horrified but couldn't let my friends down so wanly nodded.
At the 200 m point up a steep hill through the village I was already puffed. Anyway I soldiered on
up hill and and down picturesque dale beside rice paddies and fields of indigo and corn. We were followed by ten Mong women, who weren't allowed to sell to us on the trail but know that once we sat d own to eat we would be fair game, anyway it was lucky for me because the lady who adopted me was obviously part Sherpa and she had a grip like a steel vice which she applied to my weak wrist to stop me from plummeting to my death.
Anyway today was quite an adventure we had signed up for a leisurely coach tour to visit two minority tribes and a waterfall. Down the spiral staircase we come , eager for the relaxing road trip,( at this point I still assumed that the trekking shoes we had been advised to hire were only for when we cavorted in the crystal clear streams.) wrong - we were greeted by a gorgeous Black Mong woman who dressed in Flower Mong attire ( because she hates the indigo dye of her traditional garb tinting here skin the colour of a young smurfette). Ah - our lovely guide happily informed us we would be doing a gentle trek to the base of the Fansipan mountains to visit two villages just two little legs of journey one of 12km and the other of 3-4, I was horrified but couldn't let my friends down so wanly nodded.
At the 200 m point up a steep hill through the village I was already puffed. Anyway I soldiered on
up hill and and down picturesque dale beside rice paddies and fields of indigo and corn. We were followed by ten Mong women, who weren't allowed to sell to us on the trail but know that once we sat d own to eat we would be fair game, anyway it was lucky for me because the lady who adopted me was obviously part Sherpa and she had a grip like a steel vice which she applied to my weak wrist to stop me from plummeting to my death.
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