Myself and 3 other travellers were trying to get to Northern Vietnam - Sapa, but ended up in Lai Chau. This was the second leg of the journey that was considerably longer and scarier than the first half. We were kicked out around 9pm but to soften the blow the driver, who'd frequently stopped to toke on a suspicious smelling bong, gave us a 50,000 dong refund and helpfully said "No Sapa". Welcome to Vietnam.
My short time in Vietnam had introduced me to the beauty and diversity in landscapes, the friendliness of the locals (who were greatly amused at our attempts to order food and beer) and the unfortunate hostility towards tourists that seemed to breed mostly in those who worked in the tourist industry.
I finally got to Sapa after a good sleep in Lau Chau and similarly overcrowded bus the next morning. It wasn't how I imagined it but was still amazing. A take on a Vietnamese ski resort, with no skiing of course! The town is perched on a mountain top, blanketed in clouds morning and night, and has become a hub for literally hundreds of tribes ladies who are looking for someone to take home (on a homestay, nothing sinister!)
I only spent 2 days there, despite the ridiculous journey. After a little refreshing nap and shower Dan, the guy I'd been travelling with, and I explored the markets and a little of the surrounding area before falling victim to the incredible coldness and the tempting sight of a "Traditional English Pub". Curiosity won and we climbed the steps to a funny little room that was the spitting image of a country pub - but put to the test they had no English beers and no roast peanuts, we settled for a beer Hanoi and a sauce full of sunflower seeds. We stepped up our cultural experience in the evening, going for a traditional Sapa banquet featuring deer and lots of Chinese style spices, all washed down with a lethal "wine".
The second day was incredible, an early 7am start was necessary for the trip to the nearby Bac Ha market. The market is an undeniable tourist trap, but simultaneously is the one day a week when locals can get anything they need, from new cooking pans, to a toke on fresh tobacco, to updates for their i-pods or even a live buffalo!
I stood for a while watching the bidding on a buffalo and was amazed to find the selling price was incredible - in dong and dollars! We were left to our own devices for dinner and I was going to do what I normally do - follow the locals, but it turned out they were eating offal soup, apparently from all the undesirable parts of the horse! So I gave that a miss and went to seek something a little less stomach turning.
From here the day trip included some unexpected extras - a trip to a local village where the children instantly cried at the sight of 20 tourists tramping around their garden, and finally a quick stop at the Chinese border. Though I was shocked we were this close to China I was also at a bit of a loss - what do you do at a border if you are not crossing it!? I took a few snaps, declined having my flip flops shined and grabbed a tea before jumping back on the bus.
I was dropped off at Lao Cai on the way back and had three hours to fill before catching my first Vietnamese sleeper bus. I mainly spent time eating - a really light noodle soup with thin noodles and lots of mint, followed by an abundance of fresh fruit including my first taste of Asian satsumas! I got extra snacks for the bus, charged my ipod and set off.
It was neither comfortable or pleasant and the 12 hour journey was only punctuated with one toilet stop with urinals for men and women! I dozed a little and sometime after sunrise, while the traffic was still quiet the bus pulled up to Hanoi bus, the bus driver didn't stop shouting until we were all off. As the bus pulled away I shook the tiredness off and got ready to explore.
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