Day 39 - 01st August
So we arrived in Sapa just beyond six am. It was raining! Damn this wet season.
Our group was assembled: me (obviously) Sebastian and Jordy (Dutch guys), Dylan, Matt, George and Zach as well as Lauren (England), Ania and Katherina (Austrian), another Zach (USA) and Bulgaria (Dayana from Bulgaria). Our guide, Za took us from the hotel where we had a light breakfast until 8:30 am, carrying her baby and being assisted by 7 other guides.
The trek began rainless and the views were beautiful. I have never seen a place so magnificent with natural beauty. The rice and corn fields were a ripple of green, running down the hills towards the river. Everyone managed to fall over at times, some incidents looking more painful than others, but Lauren flew the flag for the English and managed to make the journey without a slip or trip.
The locals were friendly and welcomed us warmly, before children approached us with bracelets and rings, asking in doll like, repetitive tones, 'Buy one from me.' Actually they were more zombie like but we managed to resist the urge. Jordy pointed out by buying from children it was like supporting child labour. It's tough when faced with such a small child and a heartbreaking expression on their face. Perhaps I'm too soft.
We trekked for four hours before reaching our checkpoint. We were due to have lunch but prior to this, we were asked if we wanted to buy anything from our guide women. As usual, I paid out the most to my guide, who had been incredibly helpful. I brought two gifts for my sister, so Tel, you'd better appreciated it! As a 'free' gift, I received a hand made bracelet.
Lunch was nice, with sticky white rice, chicken, vegetables and spring rolls filling us up. We also laughed at me losing 400,000 Vietnamese Dong on the two items I'd brought and made a joke of it all afternoon. What a plonker!
Our accommodation for the evening was a homestay with our guide. An hour or so trekking in the on / off rain made it a more arduous task than it should have been. We arrived to iced Vietnamese Tea (although I think it should have been hot but the rain delayed us) and a naked toddler running around.
The place was nice with flat beds and mosquito nets. It was like a converted barn with the beds on the second floor overlooking the main room downstairs. A world away from what I'm used to in hostels or at home.
We all showered (it was bloody freezing, shrinking my . . . nipples to a shirt button size) and I observed the others playing drinking games before dinner was cooked by Za and her house sharers.
After dinner, we all decided to play Mafia (if you don't know what it is, research it, you lazy bugger). Basically, everyone is handed a card and those with spades are mafioso, the jack of hearts is a detective whilst the queen is a doctor. The rest of the red cards are the villagers. The aim of the game - get the Mafia before they kill everyone.
My intuition was right on some but Bulgaria and Sebastian were elusive and English Zach and Dylan were caught in my firing line. Sorry chaps. It turned out to be a great few rounds and really broke the ice. Everyone laughed and joked which is always good after spending only a few hours together as just randoms.
Za brought us Happy Water, which I can only liken to Fire Water or Saki. It wasn't too bad but Dylan, not a big drinker, mistook it for water and was greeted with a nasty surprise when he gulped out of the bottle, much to everyone's amusement.
Finally, we talked about our lifes before one by one we dropped like the mosquitos and flies around us.
Retiring to bed, the rain rattled on the roof and I laid with my thoughts. That was when I realised what I've seen in the last five weeks makes me think, Christ I love travelling!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hi, leave me a message. I would love to hear from you.