What do we want? MORE SLEEP! When do we want it? NOW! So we did! This morning our rest stop continued. With a serious amount of trekking and cycling under our belts, we really needed the break. There was however a challenge to do at 6am...the task was purely attendance the sight I'm told was spectacular. I did get up but couldn't find my camera - I'd put it next to my pillow and my shoes below on the floor so I could get out quickly and quietly in case Cynthia wanted to sleep in....I didn't achieve either and reached the main road at 6:25 as it was all being packed up.
The sight was the procession of Monks collecting Alms from the community. It occurs at sunrise everyday. Monks have 250 rules to live by (females have more, Buddhists in general only have a handfull). Monks are not allowed to kill including for food, so the community provide food. They also can't earn money, so all they have must be donated. In return to the community they reside over weddings, births and funerals. It should be noted each of these can take a week or more.
I had breakfast today at a French style bakery then went down and packed. We headed off for some wandering through the streets. It was nice just to wander - no rushing to get somewhere, no need to do anything in particular. Some of the group had gone off to the waterfalls where at one location they got to swim with elephants. I'm saving that for when I go back. Today I just had to listen to my body and take a go slow. I picked up a nice buff to help hold the torrent of my head leaking when I hike out of my eyes. We had an ice coffee and started the wander back. I picked up some strapping tape for my ankle ready for what lies ahead - Mt Fansipan in Vietnam. I'm getting really nervous about it without knowing what to expect.
Frank, Cynthia, Kyle and I induldge in some pork/coconut buns from a street vendor and then Frank and I continue on while Cynthia and Kyle stop for some soup from another stall. It's the next set of stalls that I finally find a top for my friend Paul. Asia doesn't do european size clothing and Paul is super tall. I finally find a XXL top for him and I'm delighted I had a couple of options so got the catch phrase of the peddlers in the region "Same Same But Different" which is usually followed with "You buy from me!" which is more of a statement than question.
We get back to the hotel with about an hour to spare and so sit in the comfy couches under the cooling fans while we wait for our transport to the airport. It's sad to bid farewell to our local guides yet again. Immigration is interesting at the airport and we have our first experience of Vietnamese businessmen who don't do lining up. They were however well amused with my cat hanging out a pocket in my backpack and I was amused by their massive bong! They were taking it as carry on luggage. WOW it's lax here!
We fly out of Luang Praban not long before sunset and as it darkens outside we arrive in Hanoi. As we step outside and head to our bus, Sam who has been in the region before tells us that the constant horn honking is just their way of saying to the other drivers "I'm here, I'm here" in order to avoid accidents. Tom our guide is very funny and very knowlegable. He tells us about the Red River surrounding Hanoi and the road we are driving on is the Dyke protecting the city from the river. We look across and we are at about the 2nd-3rd level of most buildings inside the dyke. Tom tells us the itinerary for the night and the morning and tells us in 1hour and 59 minute and 59 seconds maybe we will get on the train (or in other words just under 2 hours). We all laugh and he continues our education.
We stop briefly at a restaurant for dinner where they play a traditional song on traditional instruments, then they play the theme from the Godfather which seems really surreal! Finally they play click go the shears! What the?? It was fabulous and funny at the same time. The lights go out a couple of times during dinner (keep in mind we're in a pretty flash place on the second floor in a private dining room) and this becomes a theme for every dinner we have in Vietnam.
From dinner we get back on the bus, drive to the train station and after a hike along the platforms and across tracks, we board our sleeper train that will take us from Hanoi to Lao Cai. It takes 9 hours, the train does approximately 35-45km/hr and is quite comfy. We're due to arrive around 5:30am hopefully all caught up on sleep!
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