Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Paddling the Nam Song river, Laos
Today I went paddling down the Nam Song river to Vang Vieng in Laos. On the way we did some trekking through the jungle and explored two giant caves, one of them full of water so we had to swim through parts of it. The water was kinda cold too... It was a lot of fun, and the scenery in this area of Laos is stunning. Absolutely amazing. Might be paddling down to Vientiane tomorrow.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Trekking in SaPa, northern Vietnam
What to say... I could use all day to write about Sa Pa, but i wont. Sa Pa, at 1600m, is in the northern highland in Vietnam, and only a few mountains away from China and home to many of the ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Not unlike the Same people in Norway. Actually I saw some of the clothing was very similar. Sa Pa is about 500km from Hanoi and we got to Lao Cai after a good night sleep on the night train. From Lao Cai its about 40kilometers up to Sa Pa on not to good roads... It takes a while. Its a bit funny how people drive over here, let me try to explain: If there is a sharp turn, you will use the horn before the turn to warn people, if any, on the other side, but you dont slow down. Well, there might be a bunch of buffalos or goats around the corner, but their horn doesnt make sound.
Once in Sa Pa we got a cheap hostel for 4$ a night with a nice view from the balcony. Sa Pa is incredible beautiful!
The first day we explored the little town. The tribes comes to the market to sell stuff and of course try to get a good price from tourists. Most of it is handmade and for the first time in Vietnam I wasnt too bothered to be bothered, because a lot of what they are selling is very nice! There is a lot of kids running around and become your bestfriend before trying to sell you some. They are so cute, and a typical conversion goes like this:
Native: Whats yu name?
Me: Oyvind, what about you?
Native: Tju. How old a you?
Me: 25, what about you?
Native: Ohhh you very young. Im 8. You have many brother sisters?
Me: Hehe, im not very young, you are! I have Two sisters
Native: Ohhh very small family!
Me: Thats normal where I come from
Native: younger older sister?
Me: Two older sisters
...And so it continues...
Native: Maybe you buy from me? (showing some textiles)
Me: Hehe, how much
Native: 60.000
Me: 60.000 to expensive. 30.000.
Native: nooo.. I make myself. You see, handmade
Me: Its very beautiful
...
And some times you buy and sometimes you dont. But the kids are so cute you dont mind buying from them! In the start we would pay a lot, but as we got into how much stuff should cost we got a better bargain. Its a bit sad they are not going to school, but as I understood they had to help the family. Its a bit different over here.
We ended up buying a LOT in Sa Pa. There is a lot of handmade stuff, everything from textiles, jewelry to hand made items made from soft stone.
Later this day we rented a motorbike and went exploring up the valley to see a waterfall. While the waterfall wasnt too impressive, it was a nice ride. At the waterfall we sat down at a lady serving us grilled pork, local tea, rice in bamboo and some other stuff. Of course we bought a lot of stuff too, and mom can look forward to a very nice scarf and Sa Pa Chi (tea)
The second day we went trekking. We were looking forward to the two day trek and a night with homestay in one of the tribal villages. Our guide, a local from the H'Mong tribe, spoke very good english and told us a lot about the life in the villages and on the rise paddies. She had picked up her english on the street and from guiding tourists and I was impressed to learn she was only 17 years old! She spoke 10 languages; most of them various dialects (but appearently very different) in the different tribes.
The first day of our trek we walked about 3-4 hours. Along on the way we were accompanied with kids and elders going the same way. The kids were giving us flowers and was running around laughing. Of course we knew this was probably to sell us something later, but it was all fun. We also got to visit the family of our guide, and I bought a shirt her mom had made. She had used 3 months on it and I paid 100.000Dong (probably a lot), but only 6$. I later learned the shirt is made of marihuana! All the clothings over here is made of the stem of the marihuana plant, called hamp. They showed us how they make the hamp, and trust me, its a lot of work! We also got to see the local school were 200 kids would cramp together in the small classroom. School kids back home should see this and have a second thought about complaining!
When we arrived our village I went for a swim in the river. The ladies, sewing all the time, followed us down and tried to sell us stuff all the time. They dont take no for an answer!
The evening was spent with Kirsty from England and Preeti from Canada in our 4 person group. We had a very nice meal and got to taste rice wine. Its nasty!! First time Ive eaten rice basically sitting in the rice paddies where it comes from! When I got to bed I felt a bite in my back and took my hand there and felt this chrunch... shit what was that? I got on the headlight and a beedle was crawling around... argh! It must have been on my tshirt. I didnt sleep well this night.. the matrass was thin, and it felt like a lot of bugs where crawling all over me - but of course when I turned on the light there was none.
The next day we only had a short trek of 2 hours. We walked again through some amazing scenery. We walked through rice paddies, bamboo forest, mariuhana fields and passed a lot of buffalos, not alway too eager to let you pass. We were picked up by a car in the end to return to Sa Pa. I have to say, this is the best thing I have done in entire Vietnam! The rest of the day we got some souvenirs and 5pm we got a ride back Lao Cai to get on the night train back to Hanoi 8.10pm.
I love Sa Pa!
(PS! I learned the snake I wrote about in the Hue letter is very dangerous. Its a bamboo viper and a bite will kill you within minutes... After I learned this I had a good look when walking through bamboo forest!!)
 |
| Train station in Hanoi |
 |
| Overnight train to northern Vietnam from Hanoi |
Once in Sa Pa we got a cheap hostel for 4$ a night with a nice view from the balcony. Sa Pa is incredible beautiful!
 |
| View from the hillside in SaPa |
 |
| View from the hillside in SaPa |
 |
| View from the hillside in SaPa |
The first day we explored the little town. The tribes comes to the market to sell stuff and of course try to get a good price from tourists. Most of it is handmade and for the first time in Vietnam I wasnt too bothered to be bothered, because a lot of what they are selling is very nice! There is a lot of kids running around and become your bestfriend before trying to sell you some. They are so cute, and a typical conversion goes like this:
Native: Whats yu name?
Me: Oyvind, what about you?
Native: Tju. How old a you?
Me: 25, what about you?
Native: Ohhh you very young. Im 8. You have many brother sisters?
Me: Hehe, im not very young, you are! I have Two sisters
Native: Ohhh very small family!
Me: Thats normal where I come from
Native: younger older sister?
Me: Two older sisters
...And so it continues...
Native: Maybe you buy from me? (showing some textiles)
Me: Hehe, how much
Native: 60.000
Me: 60.000 to expensive. 30.000.
Native: nooo.. I make myself. You see, handmade
Me: Its very beautiful
...
 |
| Couldn't go anywhere without having these ladies hanging around, trying to sell stuff all the time |
 |
| This little girl charmed herself to Tone and of course managed to sell some self made textiles |
And some times you buy and sometimes you dont. But the kids are so cute you dont mind buying from them! In the start we would pay a lot, but as we got into how much stuff should cost we got a better bargain. Its a bit sad they are not going to school, but as I understood they had to help the family. Its a bit different over here.
We ended up buying a LOT in Sa Pa. There is a lot of handmade stuff, everything from textiles, jewelry to hand made items made from soft stone.
Later this day we rented a motorbike and went exploring up the valley to see a waterfall. While the waterfall wasnt too impressive, it was a nice ride. At the waterfall we sat down at a lady serving us grilled pork, local tea, rice in bamboo and some other stuff. Of course we bought a lot of stuff too, and mom can look forward to a very nice scarf and Sa Pa Chi (tea)
 |
| Driving around on the dirt roads around SaPa |
 |
| Drinking tea |
The second day we went trekking. We were looking forward to the two day trek and a night with homestay in one of the tribal villages. Our guide, a local from the H'Mong tribe, spoke very good english and told us a lot about the life in the villages and on the rise paddies. She had picked up her english on the street and from guiding tourists and I was impressed to learn she was only 17 years old! She spoke 10 languages; most of them various dialects (but appearently very different) in the different tribes.
The first day of our trek we walked about 3-4 hours. Along on the way we were accompanied with kids and elders going the same way. The kids were giving us flowers and was running around laughing. Of course we knew this was probably to sell us something later, but it was all fun. We also got to visit the family of our guide, and I bought a shirt her mom had made. She had used 3 months on it and I paid 100.000Dong (probably a lot), but only 6$. I later learned the shirt is made of marihuana! All the clothings over here is made of the stem of the marihuana plant, called hamp. They showed us how they make the hamp, and trust me, its a lot of work! We also got to see the local school were 200 kids would cramp together in the small classroom. School kids back home should see this and have a second thought about complaining!
When we arrived our village I went for a swim in the river. The ladies, sewing all the time, followed us down and tried to sell us stuff all the time. They dont take no for an answer!
The evening was spent with Kirsty from England and Preeti from Canada in our 4 person group. We had a very nice meal and got to taste rice wine. Its nasty!! First time Ive eaten rice basically sitting in the rice paddies where it comes from! When I got to bed I felt a bite in my back and took my hand there and felt this chrunch... shit what was that? I got on the headlight and a beedle was crawling around... argh! It must have been on my tshirt. I didnt sleep well this night.. the matrass was thin, and it felt like a lot of bugs where crawling all over me - but of course when I turned on the light there was none.
 |
| Local school |
 |
| Mom of my guide from which I bought this shirt for 6$ (3 months of work) |
The next day we only had a short trek of 2 hours. We walked again through some amazing scenery. We walked through rice paddies, bamboo forest, mariuhana fields and passed a lot of buffalos, not alway too eager to let you pass. We were picked up by a car in the end to return to Sa Pa. I have to say, this is the best thing I have done in entire Vietnam! The rest of the day we got some souvenirs and 5pm we got a ride back Lao Cai to get on the night train back to Hanoi 8.10pm.
 |
| Rice pads |
 |
| Cheers! rice wine, taste like shit (even after a few beers!!) |
I love Sa Pa!
(PS! I learned the snake I wrote about in the Hue letter is very dangerous. Its a bamboo viper and a bite will kill you within minutes... After I learned this I had a good look when walking through bamboo forest!!)
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