Sapa!

Hello Family, friends, and randoms

***this post comes with a preface letting you all know that there are no visual treats (pictures) to go along with the writing as it seems that all the internet cafes in Luang Prabang don't allow people to insert USB cables/USB ports don't work. Sorry about this...we will upload more pics as soon as we can! :)

Today I am pleased to present you with a wrap up of Vietnam and hopefully if my stomach and wallet allow me to stay at this internet cafe, an intro to Laos. Ready? OKAY! (god that's the dumbest thing I have said in a while)

So upon our spontaneity we decided to head up to Sapa, which we had heard was amazing and well worth the trek. Our train left at 9pm. We had a shared cabin with a very nice Vietnamese man and his plump little son (no, i don't care if you're offended) and exchanged about 25 smiles and 3 words then went to sleep, as did Natalie and I. Now your asking, "Chris, I thought you said these trains were bad?" Oh, they might have LG screens in every compartment playing propaganda videos but the track lines that these things run on are something else. Wow. You know in Star Wars when the millenium falcon is getting messed up by the Star Destroyer? That's what the train was like. I felt lucky to make the 8 hour trip. We arrived in SAPA, feeling car sick, sleep deprived but happy... It was one of those I am so tired everything is funny mornings, we ate breakfast among totally silent Europeans. Nat and I laughed non stop about her burned leg and other things that were going wrong (e.g., bugs on the floor, the fact I "forgot" to bring any clothes and Nat complaining about how heavy the backpack was). Oh yes, I forgot to mention the mob scene of 4 foot tall locals (no joke) who completely come on you like a you're a rock star.

Fast forward a few hours, and we are with our guide PiPi pronouced Pee as in "I peed in your pool". Natalie and I, being the lazy bums we are, elected for 13Km hike which I had imagined to be only on roads and paths. Yet again I am wrong. Very wrong. We hiked through the steepest terrain I had ever been on, an Army grade hummer could not have gotten up or down this. On we went down this amazing valley in the clouds, with tiny huts, rice paddies and corn fields. Pee err i mean Pipi and her guide friends who were all tiny offered to support us as we walked down. these women had the most amazing balance that I have ever seen, but in my head I am thinking "that's cute you want to help me, but i weigh over 60 pounds more than you and if I fall your coming down with me." Low and behold guess who falls forward directly into Pipi?... me. and you know who holds me up and pushes me back up with virtually no effort?... Pipi. One 4 foot tiny villager completely supported my falling body weight. I was impressed to say the least. Our day was followed by a picnic lunch and trekking through 2 villages (one being a Black Hmong village where our guide lived), then off to the hotel we went to sleep, and sleep some more.

The next day was a much easier hike as we moved along to see two more villages and went shopping in the local market. Our time in Sapa was amazing to say the least possibly the most scenic place/landscape we have ever been in the world.

the train ride back was much of the same, and due to my illness (mud butt) I need to get out of this internet cafe. We made it safely back to Hanoi and will have a great Luang Prabang post for you coming up shortly!

ALl our love

Chris and Nat