21/05/2023 From Hanoi to Sa Pa
Such an upgrade for a sleeper bus
In the morning we took a “sleeper bus” to Sa Pa. In Sa Pa we were going to go trekking for two days while staying with a Vietnamese homestay during the night.
The bus was amazing! It was not even close compared to the one we took in Saigon, where we had three beds next to each other and two on top of each other. This one had two rows of large beds next two each other as well as above each other. You even had a curtain “for privacy” (whatever you might need that for on a six-hour-bus ride). It was very comfortable and we were happy!
Sa Pa
Let’s start hiking
We were told it would only be 20 degrees in Sa Pa and cloudy. Instead, it was over 30 degrees and sunny – just like everywhere else in Vietnam so far (apart from in Da Lat where it had been cooler and rainy every afternoon). Usually I don’t complain about sunny hot weather at all. But when you’ve been constantly sweating from just walking outside, I was quite excited for some “cooler” temperatures – especially on a hike.
Our hiking group for the next two days consisted of two other German couples, a French couple and two Canadian guys. We got along well with everyone. Furthermore, we were happy that we weren’t the oldest ones for once – thanks to the German couples.
In love with this nature
The hike, together with some local women from the Hmong ethnic group, was stunning. We walked along large rice terraces most of the time.
We passed water buffaloes, locals working in the rice fields and kids that walked home from school. I loved being back in nature and being active again.
Happy water, happy us
After 10 km of hiking we arrived at our Vietnamese homestay. Here we shared a family dinner with our hiking group. During dinner the Vietnamese owners gave us a lot of “happy water” (which is just a nice form of saying “very strong rice wine”).
22/05/2023 From Sa Pa to Ha Giang
A very local experience
The next day we hiked for another 10 km, where we got spoilt with beautiful views of the rice terraces again.
For lunch we stopped at our local guide’s home in the middle of the rice fields where we ate everything they grew in their backyard (as well as tofu and chicken). Again, it was a “family dinner”, where you had lots of different plates in the middle and everyone can pick what they like, put it in their little bowls and eat it with chopsticks.
The next big adventure
Once we arrived in the main town Sa Pa again, we took a much needed shower. Afterwards we took a bus to Ha Giang, where our next big adventure was already waiting for us.
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