My Introductin to Indonesia

And what an introduction!!

First of all I went to Jakarta. Why?...I hear you asking did I go to Jakarta?

 I went to Jakarta to visit a friend (my ex boss actually) from when I worked in Viet Nam. We have always kept in contact and despite being very different people (tall, elegant and polished v short, tatty and a little rough round the edges), we have always got on very well. So I wanted to see Natalie and she happens to live in Jakarta.

I can't say I fell in love with the city but I had a great time and liked a lot of what I experienced. For those not in the know, it is a HUGE city, busy with lots of people and traffic. I made Ha Noi look like a quiet village in comparison. It is a grand city with wide streets and big buildings but not what I would call attractive, It is a  place to live, not really visit.... unless you are visiting friends who happen to live in a rather comfortable part of town......which I was fortunate to be doing!

From from the ridiculous to the sublime......we took a flight to Borneo to do a tip that Natalie has already done and had loved it so much, she was eager to repeat the experience....and with good reason.

We were greeted at the airport by our guide and whisked off to join our boat. We were going to spend the remainder of our time in Borneo on a tiny boat on the river in the jungle with the express intent of seeing wild and semi wild orangutans. As always happens, having the opportunity of seeing these wonderful creatures in their own, natural environment is as different as chalk and cheese to seeing them in a zoo.....no matter how good the zoo is. In one word, it was MAGICAL.

The Orangutans were all rescued and reintroduced into the jungle. Most were the victims of logging where  they were orphaned by some accident or intervention. Many of course never make it back into their natural habitat because of the damage (physical or emotional) that they received. The ones who we saw are the lucky ones.

Day One

We arrived on the boat around midday and set off immediately. Nats and I lived on the top deck while the crew inhabited the lower deck. We were so well looked after. The food was excellent. Although sadly the Indonesian food was not suiting me so I was unable to do justice to anything more than the fruit, I really appreciated the effort that the lady went to in very cramped and challenging conditions. We stopped at the first feeding station around 2.00. It was a long weekend (Easter) so the river was very busy with people doing the same as our good selves but in the end, it really was not a problem.
We set off early to get to the station allowing ample time to take the long walk through the forest. The whole expedition took in my two greatest loves in nature.....water and dense forests.....there is something deeply satisfying in being in or by both elements.

We arrived at the feeding station early and got a good place near to the feeding station. The guys and gals started to arrive a few minutes before the bananas offering us an impressive display of acrobatics as they swung effortlessly through the trees.  The first day, we saw a large male, a couple of his ladies and their youngsters. We were all there for about 30 minutes until all the banans had gone and then all went out own ways....us on the path back to the boats and our furry cousins swinging through the trees.

A cruise down the river in the afternoon and we began to see the proboscis monkeys. In the afternoon/early

evenings, they all come to the edge of the forest near to the river so we were able to watch them doing all the things that monkeys do in the wild setting.  They are seriously ugly with their bulbous noses but they do have a certain charm that is very engaging.

We decided to 'park' the boat away from the jetty where everyone else was and tied up to some sturdy greenery on the edge of the forest. We snuggled up in bed on deck going to sleep to the gentle noises of nature.

Day Two 
After breakfast, we set off for the second feeding station. What we missed out on in numbers, were made up for in stature. Only one orangutan appeared but what a handsome fellow he was. He gave us an amazing display of flexibility, swinging on tall thin trees that seemed totally unable to hold some weight and power.

He  came down at ground level on the edge of where we were all standing. People who had been enthusiastic in getting as close as possible to him while he was high in the tree suddenly retreated on mass as he headed for ground level. But he was not in the least bit interested in us and ambled leisurely towards the feeding platform where he enjoyed a feast of bananas and milk.

Afterwards, we took a long walk back to the boat and our guide pointed out many trees and plants that the local people still use as medicine including the bark of a tree that they peel and coil and use for keeping the mosquitos at bay. The Forest is so lovely......we were in the secondary forest, the areas that have been reclaimed and reforested. The Primary forest must be truly lovely. There are a peace and silence that are difficult to explain and impossible to replicate.

And so onto our third feeding station. And what a treat we have in store!

This was now Easter Sunday and the number of boats and people have increased with additional local day So we left the boat early and took a long walk around to the station. On route, our eagle eyed guide  spotted a mother and youngster in the trees. He called to the them and they came over towards where we were. The next piece needs a little explanation.....

The guides like our guy cannot feed the animals. The only people allowed to feed them are the people who work at the feeding stations themselves. They carry food with them to help to sort out any issues that might develop where they need to draw an orangutan away from people. It happened that one of these 'keepers' was following us on the same track. He saw mum and called her over offering her peanuts. Then much to my surprise and delight, he gave me peanuts to give to both mum and babe. We spent about 15/20 minutes engaging closely with these two and had the best time of the whole trip.

Eventually they both led us to the feeding station where we joined the rest of the visitors.
trippers. They did not have any bananas left to offer so the orangutans were given milk. This offered a whole bundle of interest both for the drinkers and watchers. One of the youngsters didn't seem to have any idea of how to manage the milk unlike his friend who made the best use of a splendid jutting lower lip and a large cupped hand to make the most of the milk....he didn't miss a drop!!! (this is a picture of the messy one!!). There is an adorable video of the other one in the attachment at the end of this blog.

After dinner, we were heading down the river and arrived at the right spot at the right time as a troop of proboscis monkeys were swimming across the river.....again, there is a short video of that on the attachment.

Then in hunt of the fireflies. When we eventually tracked a group down, they were clinging onto a large tree and making it look for all the world like a decorated Christmas tree. Dinner, a short night walk and we all climbed into bed.

Day Three
All too same, we are heading back to civilization. Thankfully the boat is quite slow and there was no rush but  all the same, it was just not long enough. I wanted more, much more but am also eternally grateful for this wonderful opportunity. These are a few more favourite images but if you want more, go to the attachment where you will find over 200 (edited down from nearly 500) photos with a few short videos.

   
Hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed taking them.

Pat
https://plus.google.com/photos/103791184164606873174/albums/5866564627103384945

Back in Viet Nam

After an absence of 14 months, I am finally back in Ha Noi. I have no idea why but I love this crazy, noisy city and its stern looking residents who are so easy with a smile and a helping hand when needed. I guess it took me all of about 3 hours to feel at home once more. It is only a visit but thankfully an elongated one for a total of 2 months.

My life when I lived and worked here was busy and pretty intense. Here as a visitor I am enjoying a more relaxed way of being something between a tourist and a visiting dignitary. I had many Vietnamese friends when I was here and have been catching up with all of them. Visiting my old haunts. I was astonished and delighted to find that when I visited the area in which I lived that I was recognized by a number of the local residents.

One elderly lady and her younger daughter live in a small house in an alley that I traversed every day to and from work. I walked by thinking A) they might not be there or B) they would not remember me. Far from it, I was greeted with such warmth, dragged into their room and regaled with a barrage of unintellible Vietnamese 99.9% of which I understood nothing of and it mattered not at all. We laughed and I looked at.she is totally adorable. We have never been able to 'talk' in the conventional sense but it really does not matter. I found the same with another older lady and her family who have a shop selling flowers and a young teenager who used to give me a ride on his motorbike sometimes when it was very hot and I was carrying shopping home from the market. The teenager has grown into a charming young man in the time I have been away.

their family photos that I have seen a dozen times before and basked in the warmth. I did get that the elderly lady is now 80 and looking just great. She goes out for a walk every day down the alley and back with the help of her daughter. Otherwise, she sits on her bed greeting passers by like some sort of Queen in waiting...

I spent the first few days in a hotel but since then the only 'problem' is deciding which offer to accept to stay at my friend's houses The welcome and warmth of heart is quite overwhelming at times and totally wonderful.

My stay here is going to be all too short...the longer I am here, the more that I know that to be the case. I simply must find a way of spending as much time as possible here for as long as I can.

So if you are reading this and are tempted to come.....do so. If you want information about travel etc, I can recommend www.hghue.com, a travel agent based in Hue but covering the whole country and Indochina. I own up to be a little biased as I have written their website and help with their marketing. And if you are planning a trip to Sapa in the north, visit www.sapatourguide. info. Again, I hold my hand up to being rather biased. Panh (pronounced Ban) is a local lady from the Black H'mong tribe and is a dear friend and I developed the site to share her wonderful skills and personality with anyone visiting the area. You will totally fall in love with her....... her English is impeccable and her sense of humor is quite wicked at times.

So yes I am biased. Which is why I spend time talking to whoever will listen about the wonders of this lovely country and supporting people I meet in any way I can to better themselves. So get your ticket, pack you case and come with an open heart and a big smile......and have a great time!!!

Pat

Ha Giang VietNam

When you go to Viet Nam for a visit...and please tell me that you WILL go and visit this beautiful country, don't miss a trip to Ha Giang Province. 

One of the many breathtaking scenes in Ha Giang

Ha Giang is in the north and hosts the most northerly point in Viet Nam before Viet Nam becomes China and it has the most breathtaking scenery. 


Quite rightly, everyone makes for Sa Pa and there is good reason. I love Sa Pa. And oh, bye the way, before you go, you might want to take a look at this website that I built for my friend Panh (pronounced Ban). Panh is from the Black Hu’mong tribe and speaks perfect English as well as a number of other languages. 


Go visit www.sapatourguide.info to learn more about Sa Pa and what Panh will do to make your stay extra special. 


So, let's get back to Ha Giang Province. 


Ha Giang is less commercial than Sa Pa. In fact the tourists who go there are, in the main on the back of a motorbike. There are tours arranged from Ha Noi or, of course, if you are really adventurous, you can always go on your own. But be warned, people in this area, in the main, do not speak any English and it is definitely not aimed at the tourist trade. 


Being rather a coward when it comes to driving a two wheeled vehicle but loving the excitement of riding pillion, I did it the easy way. I took a local bus from Ha Noi (always an adventure in itself!) and booked a tour guide for 3 days to drive me around the most beautiful part of the Province. 


Nam was my guide and was just wonderful. Nam is Vietnamese but lived in America for many years so speaks perfect English and Vietnamese. He has many years of experience with bikes and drives like a pro. He also rents out bikes and offers advice and support in getting the necessary visas. (in order to go to the north of the Province, you have to get a Visa). 


He booked me a hotel, collected me from the bus and basically looked after me for the days that we were together. 


You can see more pictures of the Province here Ha Giang Province.

Cambodia

Click here to see photos of Cambodia.

September had a blessed national holiday day so my American pal, Sarah and I planned a trip to Cambodia. Sarah is going back home in December so this was to be our last holiday together.

We flew from Ha Noi via Laos to Siem Reap in the north of Cambodia. Our hotel was basic but great value for money. A quick lunch and we were off exploring the town.

Siem Reap is the town nearest to Ankar Wat and its purpose is mainly to serve the visitors for Ankar Wat. The result is a highly commerical, restaurant riddled town where everyone speaks English and has the sole purpose of getting dollars from you. Its a nice town, well laid out and there not totally Eurpeanised yet.

Ankar Wat is a huge geographical area in which there are numerous ancient temples...some grand, some huge, others more localised temples and smaller. We bought a pass for the week that enabled us to go to any temple without extra costs. As with most people I guess, we headed straight for the largest and the main temple on the first evening. To get to the site, you need to take a Tut Tut which is a carriage pulled by a motorbike. I loved this mode of transport and have lingering and favoured memories of driving around the area enjoying the scenery. It took us a couple of days but we eventually managed to connect with a young guy we liked and we hired him for the rest of the week to drive us wherever we wanted to go. He was great and really looked after us. He made himself exclusively available to us until 6.00pm when he went to school to study management.

So back to the temples.........we both LOVED the ones that were more rugged, that had been taken over by the trees, These trees are called Elephant trees and you can see why when you look at the 'trunks'..they really do look like elephant trunks. Unsurprisingly, some of these sites have been used for shots for the Indiana Jones movies in the past......you do feel like you are in a film set sometimes. It really does pay to follow the advice in the guidebooks to go when most of the visitors are eating breakfast or lunch. The difference in the atmosphere is huge when there are not hordes of photo clicking. video making foreigners crawling over everything....OK, I know I am really one of them but I like to pretend that I am not!

The only downside of going in the quieter times is that you are open fodder for the many people who have something that you do not want to sell you for 'just a dollar'. That was the main downside of Siem Reap. From the minute you leave your hotel to the minute you get back, there will be someone snapping at your heels wanted you to buy something from them or simply to give them money....there are a lot of beggars. The temples are the worst but the town is much the same especially at night. It does get a little tiring at times. They are not aggressive but but very persistent.

It was interesting going to Cambodia from living and working in Vietnam. Both are countries ravaged by recent disasters that led to an unbelievable number of deaths. I have great admiration for the Vietnamese for how they have picked themselves up and are charging forward. They are very resilient and focused. Its probably totally unfair as I was only in Cambodia for one week but I just didn't feel that there. There seem to be quieter, more subservient people....more likely to be led rather be leaders as a general characteristic. I guess I was surprised to find the huge difference in character but that's like assuming that the English are like the French (ha ha) or the Americans and like the Mexicans just because of the proximity of their countries. It took me a few days to adjust but then I did begin to enjoy the differences in the people.

One of the highlights of the trip was that we went horse riding. I was totally amazed by the quality of the stables.....talk about 5 star treatment!!....it was owned and managed by a Cambodian who had lived in America for years and had obviously done very well for himself. We went for 4 hours through the countryside which basically meant that we were paddling (or rather the horses were paddling) through water for most of the time given the fact that we were at the end of the rainy season. It was great if not just a little long to be in the saddle. My horse did not have the best of walking gaits and we walked for most of the time. Out guide had only been riding for 3 months and had obviously had little experience of anything above a walk. We did one trot for about 2 minutes when he abruptly stopped saying that his belly hurt.....hmn......I would have loved to have a canter and my horse was desperate to do the same but I didn't push it as I really didn't have any faith in the ride leader and had the feeling that my horse would be off like a bullet given half the chance. But it was all great fun and we got to see some stuff that we had not seen to date. Unfortunately, photos are limited as I was rather busy keeping my would be galloping steed in check but trust me, it was all rather lovely. Wasn't sure about the herd of water buffalo that we had to ride through. These are big ugly and strong animals and they have an eerie habit of watching you as you move past. They were very edgy about the horses and there were a lot of them.......was glad to be the other side of that part of the ride.

The best bits of the holiday.....

Spending some quality time with Sarah. We chose to spend the 6 days in Siem Reap which gave us a lot of time to do stuff and time to just chill out and chat.

Some of the temples were just wonderful. I also loved the walk up the mountainside we did with our driver.

Driving around in the Tut Tut.

We made friends with some of the locals in town who were fun to be around for a little while.

The fresh air. I had had a cough for a while in Ha Noi and it went almost immediately when we got to Siem Reap. Within two days of being back, it re emerged....just one of the few downsides to life in Ha Noi.

Being active.. I love being outdoors and being active. I did not go anywhere near a computer or a phone for the whole week and it was such a treat. Although of course, I hasten to add that I am more than happy to get back to using the computer just as I am delighted to be back in Ha Noi despite the pollution.

So that was Cambodia. Would not dash back but delighted to have been. The only other area of Cambodia that I would like to visit is the coastline which is supposed to be lovely and, in parts, unspoilt and non touristy..........watch this space, maybe it will happen.

This blog is written with my own personal viewpoint and opinion and in no way reflects any views or beliefs of VSO.

July 2010: Holiday in and around Ha Noi

In no way does this Blog reflect any thoughts, opinions or ideas of VSO.

July 2010

Frank came over from the UK to join me in Viet Nam for a holiday and we had a blast. It was HOT and very steamy so our energy levels needed to be carefully utilised but despite that, we had a great time.

Frank arrived on the Friday night just in time for a group of my favourite people in the VSO world to descend on Ha Noi to gather together as it was the birthdays of two of their group. This was the group that arrived 2 months after me in March. Four of their group are based in Ha Noi and three in different placements around the country. Anyway, I (we) hosted a drinks get together at my new house (moved in just 3 weeks) then we all went out to dinner together. So for Frank, it was in at the deep end. After a lovely brunch the following day with the group, Frank and I headed to downtown Ha Noi.

After a couple of days in Ha Noi, we headed out for our first trip, two days in the Ninh Binh area visiting the extraudinary beauty spots and a rescue primate centre that had primates peculiar to Viet Nam....cute!!

A few days back in Ha Noi to rest up and explore then we were off to the valley of ........... for a couple of nights. We went primarily because it was supposed to be a place to cool off from the heat of Ha Noi and it turned out to be having a heat wave! Undaunted we pressed on. Day one, we went for a bike ride. Day two a walk and then we went for to visit a cave and went deep into the mountain. It was exhausting and wonderful. Later that day, we took a ride up into the mountains to an ethnic minority village and market. These are the Blue Humong tribes (and they all wear blue) and the Flower Humong tribe (they wear multi coloured clothing. The market was a treasure trove of colour!!

Back to Ha Noi! We sat one evening in the old quarter with a glass of locally brewed beer at a road junction watching the antics of Vietnamese people weaving their round each other with their various loads and passengers.....all of course, on motor bikes.

We loved the first two trips but we definitely saved the best 'til last......Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island.

We spent the first day on a rather grotty run down boat, visited the cave then went to Cat Ba Island. Cat Ba is the largest of the islands in the Bay and is mainly made up of mountains with gaps in between where the odd village or town collects. We went to the main town in the south side of the island, booked into the hotel and then went exploring. Cat Ba is something like a mixture of a mini Blackpool and Southsea. For the non English readers, a mixture of pure honest tackiness and cute old fashioned style.

We loved it. We had a drink on the seafront and got offered a massage....hmn......totally unsure, I was ready to say NO until the guy started and then I just relaxed and enjoyed the whole experience. Frank also got the same treatment....hmnnnnn.....

Dinner was less delicious unfortunately but never mind. It was raining heavily in the morning so we skipped the 2 hour trek into the mountains and settle for a walk and a long sit in at a lovely friendly cafe that served drinks and lunch. Back to the hotel to be collected to go to Monkey Island for a couple of hours. Apparently we had the use of a kayak in our deal so kayaking we went. It wasn't too successful at first due to having two skippers onboard with differing techniques but we finally got it together.

Back to the mainland and then back to our boat where we were staying for night 2. No old battered run down boat this time.....the pictures tell their own story. We have a great time and got back to Ha Noi the following evening well pleased with the whole thing.

And then all too soon, it was time for Frank to head back to the UK. It was a great holiday. We saw lots, had a lot of fun and met some wonderful people along the way.

August 2010

This Blog is based on my personal views only and in no way reflects any views or opinions of VSO.

I never quite know where to start with these blogs. There is always so much to say, too much really in many ways.

General overview:

I continue to love my life here in Viet Nam. I am so so lucky to work in an office with some wonderful people who have become my friends. I look forward to going to work on Monday mornings as much as I look forward to greeting the weekends on Friday afternoons. I also consider myself lucky to be in Ha Noi. Before I came here, when I would tell people where I was coming, previous visitors would smile with lighted eyes and report their own experiences and love of the city. It has to be said that is not a universal opinion..it seems that you love it or hate it but I guess that's the same anywhere in the world. People gasp in horror when I describe Egypt as definitely NOT my favourite destination and a place I am glad I went to visit but would not do a return even on a free holiday.

So what do I love about Viet Nam. The country is beautiful and varied in its terrain from the rice tiers of Sa Pa to the lowlands of the central plains. The people are very special. They make a hobby of cheating vistitors..... it is true. Their concept of service is not always the best, I have to admit. They put no value in the basic things like hand over mouth when sneezing or using toilets instead of road sides to have a pee. The guys especially can be somewhat uncouth....not the image of a sexy dreamboat. But they do (as they say) brush up well and the ones who take care of their appearance and clean up their behaviour can be very attractive.

But they have a wonderful sense of humour. They are friendly. I live in the middle of an old village in the north of Ha Noi that has a large ex pat population mixed in with the people who have lived here for generations. I have chosen to be in a street with less of the ex pats and more of the locals and it is just perfect. They don't perceive us as visitors from outer space (as happens in the more remote areas) but there are not too many of us that they tire of our presence.

I have a growing range of friends here outside of work. I go along to an English group on Sunday afternoons where young Viets get together to practice their English. I go along to help occasionally with pronunciations and vocabulary but mainly to have fun with everyone and to talk English to them in a relaxed way that they don't get from lessons and the internet.

Work I have mentioned. I love everyone at my office but a couple of people in particular are becoming good friends.

I do spent some time with some of the other volunteers but it is minimal. My best buddy over here is Sarah. She and I arrived on the same day and have remained friends ever since. We holiday together and get together as much as possible on weekends given the fact that she lives so far away in the central district. David works in the same office as me as so Kiran and Mike. And I currently share a house with two other VSO volunteers. Other than that, I rarely see other people. They do arrange a regular Friday night get together at a Bia Hoi (a local 'bar' with cheap beer and food) but I rarely go to that. Friday's I just want to chill out with a bit of TV and a good book usually.

My latest involvement is with a group of people called the Three Trees. Three ladies (2 Vietnamese and one NZ) came across a centre for disabled children and elders on the outer edge of the Ha Noi boundary. This was about 3 years ago. The place touched the hearts of these wonderful women and they started to collect funds and to take presents out to the centre. I got involved about 5 months ago when they were wanting to get someone to help who had some experience in Disability and could advice them as to what to do to maximise their input to the centre.

Needless to say, I got hooked. I went on a couple of visits then offered to go one afternoon a week to work alongside the staff to help and to get a better idea of what they need to make things better for the children. With the support of my project manager, that is what I now do. I go with two young Vietnamese people every week in a private car to the centre. It takes us 2 hours to get there and around 2.5 hours to get back (ughy traffic) so we get about 3 hours. The first hour, we do something with the more able, more mobile children and young people. I guess our overall aim here is FUN. We do dancing, exercises, arts and craft.....each week we try and do something slightly different. They are such fun to be with. Some are quite intelligent but have a physical disability, others have learning disabilities. The pictures posted are of this group. They can be quite a handful at times but the more they get to know us, the more they are calming down and just enjoying what we have to offer.

We then go down to the 'cot rooms'. These are the babies and the more disabled children and here, it is a whole different world. Everyone is at the centre because they were abandoned by their families. This can be through stigma (shame at having a non perfect child) or poverty (just simply not being able to cope) or a mixture of both. Whatever reason, the children end up here.

Some of the cot children do not respond at all. Some cry, some just lay inert. And then there are the ones who follow your every move and the ones who reach out. Some of the children recognise us now and associate us with toys and play and maybe getting out of their cots for a while. When I say 'cots' you can draw up an imagine of what that is. But strip your imagined cot of any frills or soft furnishings, these are metal frames with metal slats on the bottom.....no soft furnishings at all. The larger cots are the same format but large enough to hold 6 to 9 children lying down. Again, no soft furnishings. Some lie on a ratten mat but nothing more. The children live the majority of their little lives in these cots. They are fed while lying on their backs and have little to no stimulation. They wear old rags as diapers which get changed when necessary.

I am writing this very factually and as it is. I have been going there for the two months to work alongside the staff. Could more be done for the children in the current situation? Of course. there is always more that we can do. But I also understand the huge pressures that the staff are under. Some of the staff do offer attention to the children and will engage with them during feeding time. (and it is like 'feeding time' with up to 6 children being fed at the same time with the same spoon from the same bowl). But there are too few staff....two staff working with 16 profoundly handicapped babies and children. Resources are appalling. There are no toys for the children, no playground. Most of them never see the outside world at all.

I love my Thursday afternoon with the children. It takes me back to my roots, back to what I love so much to do and have denied myself for so long.......to work directly with children with disabilities. I love that I can contribute- however minutely- some love and attention to these mites who have drawn such a short straw in life. Maybe another time I will share some photos but not until I have permission to do so from the director of the center.

So that is about me up to date in general terms. I will post this and then will shortly post a follow up with LOTS of photos of a recent holiday in Viet Nam that I took with Frank.

Sa Pa April 2010

Pictures of Sa Pa, Viet Nam

Wow, where does the time go? Already two weeks since my trip to Sa Pa and I haven't even posted any piccies or comments yet.

Well, we had a 4 day holiday here at the same time as Easter but celebrating different stuff which I do not intend to elaborate on as I am not sure quite what they were about. No, we did not paint eggs or give out chocolate or share cuddly bunnies......just what precisely does all that have to do with Easter anyway??????..........

So. back to Sa Pa.

My friend Sarah came up from Hue on the Thursday night. We spent all of Friday doing not a great deal other than eating and chatting. We met some friends downtown for drinks and dinner and then headed out for the overnight train to Sa Pa.

Sa Pa was developed by the French when they governed the country as a mountain retreat for the summer months when it gets very hot in Ha Noi. It's a 9 hour journey to the nearest train station then an hour on a bus trundling up the mountain side to finally arrive in the town itself nestling into the mountainside. We were taken for breakfast during which we met out guide, a lovely local lady called Ban.

Breakfast over, we set off with Ban and our driver in a battered old jeep to the start of our trek. Driving through Sa Pa was great.......really got me looking forward to exploring more. One surprising factor was the number of women (and a few men) who were wearing their ethnic garmets. There are 52 ethnic minority groups living in Viet Nam and they appear to live remarkably harmoniously together. Anyway, they wear the most amazing outfits....the largest group in Sa Pa are the Black Humongs, so called because they wear black clothes.. I asked Ban about the traditional clothing and she said that some young people don't wear the outfits but if a girl wants to marry, then she has little choice as she will not find a husband if she goes outside tradition. They make and dye their own clothes from Hessian and cotton and natural dyes.

Anyway, back to the trek.

We spent about 3 hours walking. It was easy walking in general and we went to the more touristy village that is the nearest to Sa Pa town. It was all great fun. We saw a waterfall. Sarah was interviewed for Sa Pa television, we saw a goat game (I checked first that the goat did not get harmed.....it did get a few kicks but nothing more so I was OK with that) and we watched the drama of stopping a mini bus disappear over the edge of the mountainside. The problem here is the roads are very narrow and especially on a busy weekend like it was when we were there, there are just too many vehicles and not enough road.

After a great walk and a lot of laughs, we got back to the hotel for lunch. Actually I say hotel but it wasn't actually OUR hotel, it was simply the place where we left out bags and had breakfast and lunch. Out hotel was just down the road and was not ready for us yet. After a surprisingly good lunch, we went for a coffee and re connected with a group of French people who were in our carriage of the train.

Didn't mention the train journey did I! Well, it was Ok really. A four berth sleeper with mattresses that did a good job of mimicking the hardness of an average floor. But the toilet was working, western and surprisingly clean. We even had toilet paper left by the time we arrived which is unkown. Anyway, the French people were very nice. I was chatting to a Vietnamese man who had gone to France to study but then when the wars broke out, he could not get home so he just decided to stay. He taught English in France, is now retired and organises trips to his homeland....a charming man.

Anyway, when we went for a coffee while waiting for our room to be ready and the French group were just finishing a very long liquid lunch. Their English was astonishingly better than it had been on the train......interesting what alcohol does for language learning...maybe that's where i am going wrong with my Vietnamese.....I just need to drink more wine!!!

We finally got into our hotel in time for us to collapse in an exhausted heap for a couple of hours.

The next adventure was Sa Pa itself and especially the market which I loved. Everyone wants to sell you something but it was all fun. That led into dinner and an early night.

They say that in Sa Pa you can go through the 4 seasons in one day. We woke up to heavy clouds and mist. It did not look too good but it was not raining so it was OK. We had breakfast and by the time Ban arrived, the clouds and mist had cleared and it was just perfect. 10.oo and we set off for our longer trek....around 4 hours. Again, our driver took us to the starting point and would be waiting for us at the end point.

The countryside is just lovely...just like on the postcards. The walk was downhill all the way. I had not heard a thing but apparently there had been a heavy storm over night and it was very slippy underfoot. No problem for my walking boots that are nicely stored away back home but not so good for my trainers. So it was tricky though fun. We did have a couple of women along with us who insisted on grabbing hold of me. In truth, I wasn't sure whether they helped or hindered and, of course, at the end of the walk over lunch, it became clear that their 'help' was not altruistic......they though it would be a great idea for me to buy their goods. I did buy one thing as I did like it and thought it was well made but was not going to be badgered into getting stuff I did not want.

Lunch was pleasant enough then we walked through a few villages all giving us ample opportunities to be parted with our money although, I have to say, there was little nagging from most of the locals. One woman decided that a constant stream of 'you will buy from me' was a good tactic as she walked with me for about 15 minutes. How wrong she was. I simply smiled and replied 'no thank you' to each of her statements. Eventually she got the message and left me to my walk.

The last part of the walk was probably my favourite part of the whole trip into the countryside. By now it was easy walking and it was really lovely and there was no-one around other than Sarah, Ban and myself. We got to the cafe where our driver was waiting, drove back into Sa Pa and sadly parted company with Ban before having a shower, changing and going for dinner.

Just a little about Ban. She is of undetermined age. Neither of us got around to asking her. She got married young (whatever that means) and has a 6 year old and a 1 year old. Her husband works the land around 3 days a week and helps with the children while she earns the money as a guide. She does not read or write but speaks about the best English I had heard since being in Vietnam. She also speaks fluent Vietnamese. her own language, 2 other ethnic languages. Spanish, Japanese and French. Although her Spanish, Japanese and French are not good enough for her to be a guide. She has a charming sense of humour. We call each other on the phone and have a little chat about what we are doing and I have given her number to some people who are going to Sa Pa. I will certainly arrange to see her next time I go.

Six o clock, the bus took us back down the mountainside where we had time for a drink and a chill before boarding our train. The less said about that train the better. The only good thing was that the mattress was actually quite comfortable...and that is the ONLY good thing that I can say.

We got back to Ha Noi treated ourselves to a disgustingly expensive and indulgent breakfast (by Vietnam standards) and then arranged for a taxi to take Sarah to the airport to get her flight back to Hue.

So all in all, a great trip. My only comment was that it was not long enough. I would have loved an extra day to do more walking and more chance to explore Sa Pa without needing to dash to the next meal or to collapse in an exhausted heap.....next time!!!