Vietnam - Sapa (29 - 31 May)

A cold foggy spooky hilltop town. Caz had to wear all her clothes to keep warm in the evenings. Unlike everybody else we didn't join 'the tour' from Hanoi, and instead explored by ourselves bar joining a one day trek. We drove to the next town on a motorbike over a high pass through the mountains where there was thick fog and rain, but the weather was better on the other side so we could see far down the mountains. Stopped for a 3-in-1 coffee and a boiled egg or two at a shack at the bottom of the pass and the old woman tried to sell us a box of Choco-Pies. Hmm, just imagine...

Still, went on a group trek (OK, more of a ramble) down a valley and through some hilltribe villiages. The paths were really slippy cos of all the rain so most of the 15k walk was through thick mud. Amazingly Caz only fell in the mud once but we both had mud soaked trainers (up to the ankle) which took a lot of cleaning, and the farmyard smell is still there in Caz's left trainer, urgh!

The strangest sight was a hilltribe women lying flat in the mud unconscious (but beathing) apparently after drinking too much rice wine despite it only being lunchtime. The fellow villiages seemed to think that it was best to leave her lying there until she woke up but we weren't so sure!

Lots of hilltribe people in fancy dress, er I mean traditional clothing, that included long blue leg warmers and wellies, or something.