From Sa Pa… with Love.

I got onboard the Tulico Train to Lao Cai and shared the cabin with 2 travelers from Melbourne, Cosi and Shueray (if you ever get to read this, sorry I didn’t get the spelling to your name). Anyway, When I learned that I would be traveling with them up the mountains, I felt a certain sense of relief. thank god I won’t get lost in SaPa alone! hehe!

The train ride went well, but I think we all had difficulty sleeping – always waking up whenever the train stops at a station.

We got into Lao Cai around 530 AM, another hour of bus ride up the mountain and we finally arrive in Sa Pa where we parted ways at the Handspan Office. We will travel back to Hanoi in two days.

The ride up to Sa Pa, although visibility is low due to the clouds (and it wasn’t even sunrise yet), was spectacular. It started to get more cold… then one can see the silhouettes of the Rice Terraces, there were low-lying clouds… just Perfect! When we got out of the bus, it was even more cold. Apparently it rained the night before which explains the low temperature. And of course, here I go again with my booboos. I came to Sa Pa in Shorts. I only brought another extra shorts and really thin cotton shirts. I’m so smart. I was freezing to death.

While waiting for my room to be ready, I headed out to shop. The first jacket and scarf I saw, I bought. When I finally got into my room. I was really impressed. It was the best room I’ve had here in Vietnam. Later in the day, I get to find out in Sapa-tours.net that my Hotel was on the Top End of the hotel list.

No wonder I paid a lot for the SaPa leg of my trip. But I think It’s all worth it – lots of free coffee, excellent view outside my window, my own veranda – there’s even a swing, a big bath tub. Long story short – 4 star treatment for me in Sa Pa!

My guide for Sa Pa, Thanh met me at the hotel and we began our trek down to Cat-Cat village. Man, I got exhausted half-way. It was so steep – or maybe because I just smoke a lot. Even while walking down, I had to smoke. hehe! We finally reach the Village… the waterfalls was beautiful! I also got to see the Black H’mong traditional song and dances show, but something tells me those on stage are not really tribes people but performers from town. They don’t look H’mong at all. I don’t know, that’s just what I thought.

Thanh told me that after lunch we will be going to Ham Rong mountain to see SaPa from that vantage point.

I sorta backed out of it since I the walk back up from cat cat to Sapa was so too much for me to handle. So what Thanh did was to offer me a ride to Ta-Phin Village on his bike. I don’t know why I said Yes, but I did. After lunch at buffloBell, he picked me up and we headed on to the village 14KM away. Thanh was kind enough to even lend me his gloves.

I had no plans to ride a motorbike in Vietnam since I booked my tickets back in March, but there I was riding a bike in SaPa… sharp curves here, steep drops there. I was hanging on for dear life! Halfway through I got comfortable and I actually did enjoy the ride. I had so much fun, I want to do it again. But in Hanoi, I will not ride one that’s for sure. Only in Sa Pa. We stopped several times to take pictures.

After we got back from Ta-Phin, it was time to explore the other parts of the town. Apparently there’s a lake in Sa Pa. How did that get to be up the mountains?

I can’t wait for day 2 in Sa Pa to begin!

I love it here!