Andre and Wendy: Pu Luong to Ha Noi

Have now taken 2 packages of something that someone that has lived here recommended for upset tummies and I actually feel pretty OK.

Crawl out from under the mosquito net that somehow didn't keep the 2 inch bug from landing beside my pillow last night, sorry Andre for waking you up to save me.

Off to breakfast, repeat of yesterday, I manage most of the pancake but pass on the fruit. We have a 3 hour hike this morning so I better eat something.

Back to the room to brush our teeth under the shower nozzle, still not exactly sure where to spit when there is no sink and just a nozzle hanging off the wall, but we managed. I don't think of myself as a 5* girl, but I will be happy not to deal with bugs at night, a soft bed, and a sink when we go back to Hanoi tonight.

Pack up all our wet clothes, nothing dried from our swim in our clothes yesterday afternoon. It is going to be an expensive laundry back in Hanoi.

We get off a little earlier than planned, on the road around 8 and start hiking around 815, no sun yet, we are so happy, it is going to be another scorcher.

Another amazing hike today. We were really off the beaten track. A couple of rickety bamboo bridges again, but Toan knows by now how much I hate these and helps me over the worst part, Andre is much more interested in taking pictures than helping me.

Again amazing rice terraces, I don't know how to even describe the colors of green. I kept telling Andre I keep missing how mountainous it is because I'm always looking at the fields of rice.

One highlight of the day was we came across 5 men building a new wagon wheel to take water to the rice fields. It will take these men 2 days to complete. One much older man was on the hill beside them giving instructions, all this knowledge to pass on.

Today dogs were also on alert, lots of warnings as we walked by. Many chickens of all sizes, a couple of pigs, lots of single cows in sheds in backyards, and many many women out working the fields or gathering greens.

After 2 hours walking the sun comes out, another 30 minutes in the sun was all we could do, so hot. We have come out of the rural trails and are now in a small town, perfect time for our driver to pick us up.

We are on our way back to Hanoi now. It is about a 4 hour drive. I think Toan may have slept more than I did, I seemed to understand rice wine at some point in our conversation today.

We stop for lunch it is noodles for Andre and I. This stop you use the bathroom in the house. For the second time sink drains onto the floor, weird that they don't at least put the sink on the same wall as the drain.

We are short on money, couldn't get ATM to work for us in Tam Coc. We tell Toan that we know a bank that works for us by our hotel but they seem worried about parking. They actually stop twice for us to try to get money, but neither worked out. I told them parking should be OK right outside our hotel and Andre could walk to the ATM.

This is the first time we have seen a car accident, between a truck and a car, the car did not look too good. With all the road kms we have done this trip and the way people pass each other here it is amazing this is the first accident we have come across.

Arrive at the hotel, I give Andre all our USD and CDN just in case ATM didn't work so he could exchange it somewhere hopefully. Relieved when he came back, ATM worked, and other button is functioning well.

Toan is paid up, had a great 3 days with him. Every guide we have been with has taught us a little more and given us some amazing experiences.

We are at the same hotel as last week, We are given the exact same room as we had last time. The window to the hall room. But I'm not complaining, a comfy soft bed, no bugs, and a sink.

Off to drop off laundry, we are trying one of the travel agent laundry services for the first time.

Supper time, wander around looking for somewhere to eat, I hate this part, tried one spot but we needed a reservation? Then found a little restaurant that was really good, sticky rice with vegetables for me, and Banh Mi for Andre, I think Andre knew he would end up with half of mine. Took some pictures of St. Joseph church, so pretty at night. On the way home stopped for one of those ice cream sandwiches like we had in Singapore, you choose if you want your ice cream between slices of bread or wafers, pretty sure we will be stopping by here another night again, yummy. It is conveniently located at the very top of the lake, which we are pretty much guaranteed to go by at least once a day.

Call it a night, another hot day tomorrow, will need to check out which museum has the best air conditioning.

Todays Pictures:

Yesterdays wet clothes are still wet this morning