BacHa3
Rain, rain, rain and lots of mud ….. welcome to Vietnam. In fairness looking at the news on tv it is a lot better here than the likes of Hanoi etc. At least we don’t need boats to get along the highstreet and I haven’t seen anyone fishing from their roofs. But give it time ….plenty more forecast. So the moral of the story is avoid the dry season !.
Saturday did get out and about in the hills for a nice trek. But managed to get completely lost and at that point the skies opened and the clouds closed in so all the landmarks disappeared. So for 3 hours spent scrambling amongst the paddyfields, trails often fading out at someones house, slipping and sliding up and down hills often deep in mud as the trials became one big mudslide. And it was amazing as everytime ended up flat on my back there would be a roar of laughter from kids somewhere. Very hard going and as the afternoon drew to a close did start to think would have to spend a night away from the comforts of my hotel. But eventually found the main trail and got back to a nice hot bath – one of the luxuries of my hotel and certainly nice to have here.
Next day was market day but non stop rain meant it was another wet muddy affair and by the time the tour buses arrived from Sapa the tourist out numbered the locals, who were probably sensibly at home. But nice and the people in their Sunday best so no shortage of colour. It did eventually stop raining and I thought it would be nice to go for a wander in the hills and catch people out and about.. But once off the main trails it again turned to thick mud and impossible to maintain grip so had another slippery journey back to BacHa.
Since then it has rained continously so little chance to move on as road conditions must be horrendous and elsewhere probably in worse shape. Would like to cross the mountains to N.E Vietnam but the roads there are meant to be very bad on a good day and at the moment one can only wonder. But option B of the train to Hanoi doesn’t look hopeful given its under water, water supplies contaminated and food a problem. Not sure what option C is !.
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petefurlepa