Friday 19th July we were up early again and down to the hotel breakfast bar which was again full of all sorts of delights. I ate as I had previously, also filling up my water container with pineapple and water to dilute the sweetness plus some ice to keep it cold during the day. Back upstairs we packed, checking the room for anything we might have missed, then headed down to the foyer to meet Ngoc before loading the car with our belongings.
It was a good morning to leave Sa Pa as it was blanketed in thick cloud and damp. We continued up the west side of the mountain, following the narrow twisting road, then down the eastern scarp towards Lao Cai which is the border town on the Hong River with a checkpoint into China. Ngoc stopped here for us to have a quick look around. There was an immigration and customs building and a bridge across the river dividing Vietnam from China. From Lao Cai we continued east along the base of the mountains which flank the border of Vietnam and China through the Ha Giang Province towards the city of the same name.
Along the way we drove through small holdings and farms growing tapioca for livestock and ethanol. I mentioned it was also good to eat so Ngoc stopped the car to pull a root out of the ground which was later boiled for us to try. He had previously plucked a cinnamon branch off so we could try that too. It has certainly been a food adventure.
Before reaching the town, we took a rough rural road into our bungalows. I must admit I was disappointed we were not the only guests here as we had been in the previous homestay. I really wasn’t in the best of moods and just wanted some quiet time. After unpacking a few things Vi-Lay and I took a plunge in the tepid water of the swimming pool. We had both wanted to cool off but the water was warm. I had a quick shower then went for a walk to clear my head, then walked about a kilometre in all, finding some small roads to follow. One took me past more guest houses and large fish ponds which I presume had catfish and later was told also Banana or Snakehead fish. There was a kind of fenced area which was open which I walked through following the road towards some new road construction and buildings, some of which looked empty while others had families living in them. Passing these I kept going till a young man started shouting at me. First I ignored him thinking it wasn’t me he was trying to call, then when I turned he waved his hands saying ‘No, No!’ – so it was me after all. I retraced my steps, waving back at him to let him know I understood. Ngoc later told me he had also gone that way but being dressed in army green he was saluted. This was a military compound, a restricted area, the houses were built with bunkers under them as it was an army outpost providing protection from a potential invasion from China.
Passing the bungalows where we were staying, I continued my walk and turned right down another small road. At the end of this road there was a man fixing his solar panel with his seven year old daughter. I know she was seven as she wanted to practice her English with the little she had learnt at school. I asked her name which was Mei, she offered me some of the plants she was playing with (weeds), then taking my hand she lead me towards her house where I met her mother who couldn’t speak English. The little girl then ran upstairs, I think to get something but I took this moment to shout Goodbye. It was just the right time to leave as it soon started sprinkling and just as I reached the bungalows it became heavier. I had another shower and before settling down for the night sent out a prayer request for the following day to be fine and sunny, no rain and no landslides as Ngoc had heard that tornadoes, lightening and strong winds were predicted.
It was an early night for us both; sleeping in till after 5:30am we started packing before breakfast which was provide by the owners. Vi-Lay ordered a coconut coffee which I sampled and decided I wanted one too, it was delicious. The owner brought out a plate of dragon fruit and mango as well as hot noodle soup with egg and beef for Ngoc and Vi-Lay and some yogurt for me. I also noticed our host was eating a local dessert from a banana leaf and asked if we could try it. I didn’t realise it was her breakfast! She offered to go to the market to buy some more. When she heard I wanted to try the smoked goose meat which Vi-Lay and Ngoc had eaten for dinner the night before, she cooked some up for us to take with us when we left. I felt so blessed.
We were soon on our way again towards the Dong Van Plateau, traversing our way up the winding side of the mountain range. These cone shaped mountains were very picturesque, some covered in vegetation grown by the tribal people, others with Chinese pine and other tall trees, and some were black shale and rocks where only elephant grass and weeds grew. Ngoc is the perfect tour guide, filling us in on the history as well as the people groups who live in this region. He told us some of the events both from pre-French rule, the liberation from colonial rule to communism and the changing of borders during these times. It was very interesting. We were also able to share things from our lives, Vi-Lay’s parent’s time in Laos and fleeing to Australia when she was only two, while I shared my knowledge of some of the plants here and in Australia. There was always something to talk about. There were also moments of contemplative silence or when we just nodded off as Ngoc’s driving rocked us to sleep as we swayed around the bends in the road.
Reaching an amazing photo vantage point overlooking the twisting, winding road that snaked its way over the plateau to the east of the range, we stopped for morning tea. This is where we ate the sticky rice banana desserts and the tapioca which Ngoc had ask the bungalow owner to cook for us. We continued up the twisting mountain road with its hairpin bends and steep cliff edges, some of which were crumbling into the valley below. We also passed quite a few excavators clearing the road of rocks and dirt from previous landslides. Praise the Lord we didn’t experience any landslides along the way; it was a glorious sunny day which was an answer to our prayers.
We passed through small towns, some very dusty from the mud that was brought in from recent landslides, most with sealed main roads and paved sidewalks, all with small shops lining the main road and locals sitting outside watching the passersby or going about their business.
Lunch was in the village of the last Hmong king’s residence. Here is where I ate the smoked goose meat which we had brought with us. Ngoc had ordered stir fried pumpkin shoots and forgotten to ask them to make it without garlic for me on my FODMAP diet. I didn’t mind but he was upset that he had forgotten and ordered a small serve without.
We strolled across the road and parking lot towards the Hmong king’s dwellings where there were two young boys playing on traditional flutes; the Khen and Sao Meo. It reminded us of the flutes of Pan, very harmonious and beautiful. From here we looked around the compound and buildings of the ancient king and his family. The descendants of the king now live around this protected area. It was interesting how the first king had gone to France to get their support to protect his kingdom. This was the reason France later became involved in Vietnam. After the Second World War the new king rejected the French, taking on communism from the Chinese, then when China invaded Vietnam they pillaged and looted the king’s residence which was the fall of his kingdom.
Returning to the car we continued along the mountain pass. It only started raining just as we were entering the city of Meo Vac (Valley of the Meo people) where we stayed the night in a small two star hotel. It was very comfortable, providing all the necessary amenities. With the help of Google translate, I asked about breakfast in the morning and was told there wasn’t one. Ngoc later told Vi-Lay we would have breakfast in a nearby café. When Vi-lay returned from her dinner, she walked into the wrong room as the door was open and she thought I’d left it open for her. Fortunately there was no one in the room at the time, so realising her error snuck out.
That evening there was a very loud Karaoke being sung downstairs, which fortunately finished around 9:30pm so another late night. We later heard from Ngoc that he had asked the owner to stop it early so as not to disturb us, saying that the longnose (Westerners) like to sleep early. We laughed, saying he knew us well and expressed our gratitude. Turns out it was the café owner who was singing loudly to attract customers for their late night entertainment.
Sunday in Meo Vac starts early, when all the tribal groups come into town to sell their goods. I was awake at 4am hearing noises on the street when stalls were being set up. By 5:30am both Vi-Lay and I were making our way through the vendors outside, blocking the hotel gateway. We jostled our way through the milling crowds as they manoeuvred their way through the narrow lanes formed by the vendors on both sides of the main street and down the centre. There were, to us, some very strange products and livestock including cats in small baskets, dogs and pigs on rope, there was also a cattle market area. Some different types of vegetables and fruits as well as household goods, knives of all shapes and sizes and of course, traditional dresses and skirts, which Vi-Lay had been admiring. She bought a lovely colourful Hmong style long skirt. The seller was very astute, pulling out the Vietnamese Dong in notes to show Vi-Lay how much it cost so that she knew the price. She also wanted to buy a short pleated traditional Hmong skirt but besides having a tiny elasticised waist, it weighed a tonne.
If we wandered apart I was very easily spotted in the crowd as I was head and shoulders above the others. Vi-Lay also stood out as different due to her short hair, as all the local women here have long hair, sometimes tied back or under a headdress. We saw Hmong, Tay and women from the Zdao Tribe all wearing their distinctive tribal dress – a very colourful marketplace.
We returned to the hotel before meeting Ngoc at 7am at the shop where the Karaoke had been playing the night before. We met the owner who provided breakfast and some fruit for me. She had adopted five orphaned Hmong children and helped other poor families through a charity organisation. She had just arrived back from the market where she had bought two cows for a family in the mountains. They then called her to say they were unable to come and pick them up, so could she organise a truck to take the cows to them. All these expenses would be provided by the charity which it seemed was being extorted due to their generosity.
Leaving the hotel wasn’t as easy as it sounds as the hawkers were selling their wares across the driveway. Praise the Lord there was another vehicle leaving at the same time which we could follow. We were soon out of the town heading back into the mountains, this time south along the Chinese border through Cao Bang Province to Ba Be Lake. Once again it was back to the very twisting, winding road with many hairpin bends weaving up the mountain on one side and down the other. It was a long day, stopping along the way for photos and toilet stops. We continued to pass rice, corn and vegetables growing in small lots up the hillsides. There were quite a few bridges across the rivers which wound their way through the mountains as well as more hydroelectric stations.
Stopping for lunch after 1pm, we had to search for something open as most places close at midday. Ngoc found a very simple, tin roofed place which served delicious homemade soup – bun (round shaped rice noodles similar to Pho) with pork meat balls. Vi-Lay and I needed to use the toilet again but there wasn’t one. We were shown out the back, over some rocks within the shelter where we could squat on a plank of wood. Very inconvenient but it had to do. On other occasions we have had to squat in the bushes beside the road which is what I needed to do when Ngoc stopped to give some tribal children his daughter’s old winter clothes. A young man passing on his motorbike did a double take when he realised it was a longnose squatting.
Taking a very narrow shortcut towards the Tay village situated within a national park, we drove beside a river which had carved a path beneath a limestone mountain forming a cave. For many years this had been the only route the villagers had to access the outside world for trade. Nowadays the narrow, one lane cement road gave them more freedom to come and go. The government had tried to remove this group from their land when it was made into a national park but they had refused to go, so instead they had turned their village into an eco-tourist destination, providing accommodation and boat tours around the lake. Crossing a suspension bridge brought us into the village beside the lake where we pulled up at our homestay. We were delighted to find we had been given two separate rooms which meant we wouldn’t be disturbing each other. What a blessing!
After unpacking, Ngoc drove us down to the lake as it was just about to start raining. It only rained a little while on the boat which belonged to the owner of the homestay. There wasn’t really much to see but it was much cooler on the lake as here in the valley it was once again hot and humid.
Coming back to shore, we decided to walk back along the road as the heat had gone out of the day after the rain. We had a bit of rest before dinner, which I decide to join as I hadn’t had much for lunch. I’m never really full after a light bowl of soup. Then off to my room to write up the day’s exploits.
I’m glad I decided to join them for dinner, although Ngoc only nibbled on a few things as he was having dinner with the family later. There was pork fried with a certain tree leaf, fried spring rolls which seem to be the local favourite, beans with a lots of garlic, chicken with onions and crunchy battered pumpkin. I ate all, except avoiding the garlic and onion, and just a little pumpkin. I was surprised how well I felt afterwards, I also slept well waking at 5:30am feeling refreshed and ready for the day.
After banana pancakes with my usual breakfast and Vi-Lay’s instant noodle soup with eggs, we continued on our journey praising the Lord for another beautiful sunny day. We had some more mountains to climb and a few very muddy boggy spots where the landslides had been cleared a few days before our arrival but generally it was clear sailing all the way through Bac Kan Provence. From around 10am Ngoc was scouring each small town for a coffee shop that sold coconut coffee. In the end I told him not to worry, we could try again the following day when we were in a bigger city. We stopped for lunch at That Khe, just before Lang Son, here we had buffalo meat, pork belly, kang kong greens, omelette and a strange sweet and sour soup with pineapple and a local fruit which was a little like tamarind.
Just before reaching the city, we diverted to see a very large cave where the locals hid during the war with the French in 1940’s and from the Chinese in the 1970’s. The entrance of the cave has since been made into a Buddhist temple. On entering, the incense was so strong I declined the offer to go further. Vi-Lay followed Ngoc through the temple then on into the cave beyond. It was raining a little but this didn’t stop me from exploring the grounds, looking into buildings and then following some stairs up the side of the sandstone mountain where I found one of the cave’s exit points, which was where Vi-Lay and Ngoc eventually emerged. By then I had returned to the gardens to wait for them.
It was a short drive back to the hotel which was very posh. We were taken to our room where we quickly changed into our bathers to take a leisurely dip in the pool. When we arrived at the pool we realised there were no towels provided, so asked one of the attendants who seemed to know a bit of English if there were towels. She misunderstood us and called for someone to bring some bathrobes which worked just as well.
While at the pool, we saw a little girl being taught breaststroke by her mother. Being a swimming teacher I couldn’t resist giving her a few tips like keeping her fingers together and her hands below the water. Her mother smiled and translated what she had seen me doing. I later saw her videoing my swimming style. I do hope I was a good example for them.
Back to our room we showered, washing the chlorine out of our hair, unpacked and shared our photos which seems to be a daily occurrence at the end of our day. Once again I joined Ngoc and Vi-Lay for dinner and wasn’t disappointed with their choice of food, snacking on the roasted duck and some bitter gourd, leaving them to eat the escargot with tofu and flower soup. I left early so that I could fill my empty water bottles as I don’t like using the unopened bottles supplied in our rooms. The less I use the new plastic water bottles the better. I looked around the foyer of the hotel where they usually have a 5 gallon bottle but couldn’t see one. I then saw a young waiter at what looked like a bar counter and asked if he could fill my bottles, which he was very pleased to do so. Later I messaged Ngoc to say I had filled my bottles as he had tried to convince me just to buy new bottled water. He messaged back that he already knew as he had spoken to the barman!
By the time I was back in our bedroom, Vi-Lay wasn’t far behind. The hotel staff had delivered the extra sheet I had ordered as I don’t like using the thick doona provided. We had opened the only window in the room as it stunk of cigarettes and turned the air conditioning to 21⁰ to try to freshen up the room. Later we turned the air conditioning up to 25⁰ which we have found is a comfortable temperature for sleeping.
It wasn’t such a restful night being woken at 11:30pm by some noisy neighbours; Vi-Lay was soon back to sleep while I was unable to sleep till after 1am. No time wasted as I prayed for a calm sunny day for our cruise on Ha Long Bay.
I was awake at 4:30am listening to the roosters waking up, then Vi-Lay wake at 5am and our new day had begun. We semi packed our bags before going down to breakfast at 6am but was told it’s 6:30am despite their cards advising otherwise, so we went back to our room and packed a bit more to fill in time. Breakfast was another huge buffet where both of us could sample a range of local food such as grass jelly, sticky rice pancakes and white dragon fruit. I also filled my keep cup with pineapple juice and ice, and refilled some of our water bottles. Ngoc asked us to be ready to leave at 7:30am, so after finishing our packing we headed straight to the foyer where he was waiting.
It wasn’t long before we took the super highway south east then south to Ha Long Bay. This was the number 1 highway linking North Vietnam to the south, with tolls all along the route. The speed limit ranged from 60km to 120km per hour on the four lane sections. We were now traveling along the flat lands although we couldn’t see much as it rained steadily all day with short moments when the clouds parted. Ngoc received a message from one of the places we had stayed a few days earlier that the road we had been traveling on had since had some terrible landslides and had we been there we would have been stranded.
The typhoon had passed through Ha Long Bay during the night just as we had prayed but the cruises were still not operating which meant a change of plans. Just before arriving in Ha Long we had been discussing what I might do after Vi-Lay returns to Australia. Ngoc had suggested I visit Trang An which is called the inland Ha Long Bay due to similar rock and cave formations over a lake. So when our cruise was cancelled, we suggested we go there for a night instead. It was another three hour drive south of Ha Long and south of Hanoi in the Ninh Binh Province, making it over 450km, our longest day of travel throughout the trip.
Ngoc was relieved we had suggested it as he felt a bit guilty that we had missed our cruise even though it was not his fault. It continued to rain the whole way, stopping only as we arrived at our chalets which was an answer to prayer as both Vi-Lay and I were looking forward to a walk. Ngoc booked us in and made sure we had everything before he took the opportunity to visit and stay the night with his parents who live 45mins away on the other side of the limestone mountains. We were all happy, especially as the room which we were taken to was down a little path out the back away from the reception/dining area.
After securing our luggage in the room, Vi-Lay and I said goodbye to Ngoc who promised to be back at 9am to take us to the boats for a couple of hours on the lake. We then took a brisk walk up the road towards the mountains, past many ponds full of lotus, some of which were in flower with beautiful full pink petals. Then back to the restaurant where Vi-Lay had her dinner and I had a banana smoothie before returning to the room to shower and wash a few clothes.
That night we both woke again at 11:30pm then Vi-Lay was quickly back to sleep, but I didn’t sleep till around 3:30am after Vi-Lay and I did another bathroom run. I slept in till 5:30am then packed before breakfast. I’m glad I bought the yogurt from the last place as here they only had condensed milk. They did provide some more bananas but I also needed to finish off those I’d brought with me. I made up a fresh bottle of passionfruit and ice to take with me too. Vi-Lay ordered fried noodles, after trying to ask whether they were egg or rice noodles, all lost in interpretation. At the same time she ordered me an omelette but when it arrived it was full of onion and other vegetables and really didn’t taste very good, so I ordered fried eggs instead. Finishing our meals, we returned to the room to enjoy the air conditioning while working on the blog and waiting for Ngoc to pick us up.
Dragging our luggage out to the reception from our room, I was thankful that the rain which had fallen most of the night had now stopped so our bags remained dry. Ngoc was waiting for us, loading our bags into the back of the car before driving us to the lakeside where tickets were bought for us to be paddled around the lake. We were ushered to a small boat with two other people from Holland. Vi-Lay and I sat at the front which was our preference, especially as the guy with us looked about seven foot tall. We were all asked to put on the life jackets; I didn’t want to as I knew with the heat and humidity it would be unbearable. The lady who was our rower tried to tell me to put it on, even the guy from the Netherlands said I should put it on but I know I don’t do well when I’m overheated, so at first just put it over my back but it was far too hot. Eventually I put it over my head to protect me from the sun. One of the other boat passengers tried to help translate just in case I had misunderstood. I explained I was a professional swimmer and quite used to surf and rough waters, whereas here it was so calm I’d be ok if I needed to swim. This seemed to satisfy everyone so off we went. It was nearly a two hour trip around the inlets and bays of the lake. Unfortunately due to the heavy rains the water level was too high to see the caves which were now submerged under water.
I wasn’t really that interested in the trip but knew Ngoc was disappointed we hadn’t been to Ha Long Bay so agreed to go. It was hot on the lake, stopping twice at temple sites which I didn’t go and see due to the strong smell of incense. Ngoc was waiting for us on our return to drive us back to Hanoi. We stopped for a few photos of the French and Spanish architecture as we left Trang An. Then stopped for lunch at a highway refuelling stop and within a short time we were back in the hustle and bustle of the big city. Ngoc dropped us outside the Golden Rooster Hotel and took off to rescue his son who wanted to return home from his auntie’s home which had been flooded overnight. Vi-Lay and I were warmly greeted by Emma who started to apologise that the twin room we had booked was no longer available, at this point both Vi-Lay and I jumped to the conclusion we didn’t have a place to stay. Emma went on to say she had given us an upgrade, for FREE! We were delighted to be shown up to the family suite which also had a balcony. Only for one night mind you as Vi-Lay left the following day and I was downgraded back to our previous ‘cosy’ room with the low ceiling.
We unpacked, then hit the streets looking for where I had had some fried beef noodles but after walking every corner we still couldn’t find it. We did chance upon the railway street where the train passes right in front of the cafe’s and shops. We were asked if we wanted a coffee but then were told we were unable to walk along the railway line or even to take a photo. It seems you CAN walk across the line IF you buy a coffee at this particular woman’s shop but not if you don’t. Vi-Lay ignored her and took a photo.
Back at the hotel we cooled off, I washed some cloths ready for the rest of my stay here in Hanoi. A new adventure is about to begin, solo.
Photos: 1. Lotus flower 2. A meal with Ngoc 3. River in the valley below 4. Traditional flutes; the Khen and Sao Meo 5. Zdao Tribal women 6. Hairpin bends 7. Hydroelectric dam 8. Clearing the landslides 9. Sunset at Long Son 10. The landslide we missed 11. Typhoon approaching 12. Map of our trip 13. Railway beside shops, Hanoi
Prayer & Praise Points:
I praise God for our safe road trip around Vietnam for all the wonderful weather and for His provision and guidance along the way.
Please pray for Vi-Lay’s safe return to Sydney and for myself as I continue my stay in Hanoi.
Pray that the Lord keeps me safe from harm and disease for the last days of July and that I will arrive home safely on 1 August.
Please continue to pray for Gayle’s ongoing health concerns, especially her eyes and for Elsie and Ross Winchester as they continue their cancer treatment. Please also pray for my good friend Anthony Higgs who is needing a shoulder operation. Believe with me for the Lord’s intervention and total healing for them all.
Continue to pray with me for world peace both in the Middle East, Ukraine and Russia, South Brazil, PNG and all countries dealing with major disasters, wars and the unbelievable hardships they cause. Pray for all those caught up in the suffering these events have caused. Pray that God’s peace may be known by all people especially for those who live in despair, that they will find hope in Christ Jesus.
Please keep my sisters, Tricia, Jen and Kat, in your prayers. Pray that they will come to know the love of Jesus.
What beautiful scenery and great food adventures you have had.