Sapa

The town of Sa Pa is the centre of things in the mountains We caught the night train to Loa Cai leaving at 9pm and arriving at 6am the following day. The trains look nothing like the brochure.
Breakfast in Loa Cai and then off to the market town of Bac Ha another 75km. This is the local market selling horses, buffalo, pigs, chickens, ducks and dogs! Also lots of embroidered tourist stuff. The women of the hill tribes wear amazing brightly coloured dresses and scarves. Mobile phones also a big seller.





Bussed back almost to Lao Cai and then up into the hills proper to Sa Pa. This was a French hill station at about 1500m. Lots of hotels perched on the ridge. The clouds had rolled back so got a good view.



Next day we met our guide, a tiny Black Mhong woman. Walked (they call it trekking) out of Sa Pa and basically wended our way to the valley floor. Some people only had sandshoes and found the going slippery. It was pretty dry really but would be treacherous in the wet, all clay. The Mhong women (1 guide and 6 hangers-on) scampered up and down the tracks in their little plastic sandals even walking right through some boggy parts while assisting a tourist. The reason for their presence and concern became apparent at the rest stop when the contents of their wicker packs appeared for sale. Those most needful of assistance on the trail found it difficult to resist buying an item or two...or three.


The track overlooked the valley, all the lower parts covered in rice terraces. Unfortunately the harvest was already in so no glorious yellow fields, just a few water buffalo squidging about.



Crossed a single lane handrail-less concrete bridge high above the valley floor. Luckily no oncoming traffic and then down a hydroelectric track to recross the swiftly flowing mountain river to the lunch stop.



Interesting lunch time watching 3 local boys with crow bars levering up rocks slightly to disturb the small fish that were then supposed to dart into a conveniently placed fish trap. Obviously one or other party didn't understand the rules because we never saw a fish being retrieved from the trap. It did however involve almost complete immersion and the loss of a jandal. Also spent lunchtime fending off small entrepreneurial girls selling local wares. Despite their prettiness (the wares I mean) there are only so many bookmarks, ditty bags and keyrings one needs.



Onwards to drop off the half-day trekkers to the bus then over the fields to our homestay. Relaxed with a beer or two overlooking the valley and chatted amongst ourselves, then off to explore the village. Much work going on concreting the village paths using a mix of huge stones and cement. None of that graded builders mix here or vibrating or screeding or floating, just slap it down, rake it out and let gravity do the rest. Surface texture is left to the local dogs and ducks.

Walked down towards the local school and we were met by some of the kids wending their way homeward. With one "can I take your photo?" this group were all lined up...



Up early and breakfasted in time for the next day's tough trekking, 2 hours strolling before lunch. Stopped at a spectacular rock face waterfally thing then across the river for an uphill climb to lunch.




After lunch we visited our guide's house. A little different from our homestay. They lived (4 generations) in a small house with an earth floor. Considering that there is water everywhere in paddies and drains around the house, the floor is perpetually damp. There is no ground covering, not even lino like the Mongolians use. The cooking is done on an open firepit and the smoke fills the room and escapes out under the eaves. There is no chimney, no smoke hole or anything and the house is blackened inside. The furniture is basic, stools about 200mm high, no benches. Each generation has it's own sleeping area but it is more like a cupboard than a bedroom. The 8-month old baby did have a plastic walker and there was power to charge the cellphone but no lighting. Since there was only a door, no windows the house was smoke-blackened, it was pretty hard doing the fine embroidery work for which the area is renowned.



The men here only have 3 things to achieve in life, buy a buffalo (or motorbike), marry and build a house, after that it's up to the women folk. The men have embraced this principle wholeheartedly. So our guide earned most of family income by guiding, and her mother carried the baby around all day while we were trekking because our guide was breast-feeding the baby. In between times they are cooking and embroidering like mad when not working the fields.



In their society, the youngest son inherits the house as soon as he is a man because he is expected to take care of the parents. But the youngest may not want to and so, in our guides case, they were waiting for the 16 year-old son to make up his mind either way before our guide and her husband could settle on their plans. And so there was not much being done on the house in the interim.
Back to the hotel for an early dinner and then bussed back to the train station in Lao Cai. Although only 75km, it takes 3 hours because of the steep roads and criminally negligent drivers. Saw the results of two accidents on the way, a motorcycle vs motorcycle (blood on the road) and a rolled truck. Luckily we were able to squeeze through.



Sleeper train back to Hanoi. Even smaller compartment so 4 sets of luggage between the bottom bunks. Also cooler weather so we all slept in right to Hanoi. Within 5 minutes they had turned off the train power so our final exit was in pre-dawn darkness. The two French Canadian women in our compartment had slept in pyjamas so we left them struggling into something more appropriate and one of them extricating herself from the top bunk.

Took our time and walked back about a km to our new hotel.

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Hanoi:Vietnam

Hanoi.

Our hotel, impressively called The Impressive, was our first port of call after our daredevil ride in from the airport. All the way hundreds and hundreds of scooters that were weaving in and out and between the traffic kept us enthralled.



We were situated in the Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem lake. This has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi.




At the beginning of the 20th century the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then had merchants and households which specialised in a particular trade. There were silk traders, jewellery merchants etc and they are still there. We roamed the streets around the old quarter and many streets have shop after shop all plying the same stuff.....Christmas decoration street, lighting street, bedroom furniture street, toy street and coffin street are only a few.




Everyone and everything is being transported by bike and scooter.







We did a city tour which took in The Tran Quoc pagoda which was built in the sixth century. A bodhi tree is in the gardens and it is said to have been taken from a cutting of the original tree, under which Buddha sat and achieved enlightenment.





It is a very beautiful and tranquil place even though there were lots of tourists there were many people inside praying and putting down offerings.



We ate out at lots of roadside vendors and pavement noodle houses..... As long as its hot was our motto. The food was quick and there were plenty of veges.



We found a great cheap fast food.... Vietnamese ....of course.... Where we returned many times. This was a family owned joint, like most, even down to the little puddly tat that would come and visit from upstairs.

Loved the hustle and bustle and the constant noise. The jumping out of the way of the never ending stream of scooters seemed the norm after a week. To cross the road it was GO! AND KEEP MOVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED.... The riders seemed to be able to judge correctly ..... thank some god ....and we arrived safely on the other side.

Next stop north to Sapa.


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Beijing to Hong Kong

Ulaan Baatar to Beijing by train taking just over 24 hours would make the final leg of the trans Mongolian Railway.

This train cuts across Mongolia and the Gobi desert, then enters China.

Scenery as we left Mongolia changed as we cut across the edge of the Gobi. It got flatter and less and less vegetation was evident.

The whole train is lifted into the air and the bogeys substituted for the different gauge when crossing border with China.You stay in the car while it is being done and the whole train carriage by carriage is lifted up a couple of metres as the work force is very efficiently doing the work. There were huge work moral posters everywhere telling them how happy they would be working safely together.

The scenery changed once again as we traveled through China.

We travelled through some heavily populated and polluted towns living on the edge of the railway line. Passing by workers knee deep shovelling coal out of railway wagons, power station cooling towers with rubbish everywhere. There were many farmers out in their fields harvesting corn which was spread over every flat surface making a yellow carpet as we passed by.

Next were the bigger towns and cities and we were seeing the first high rise apartments.

Beijing was good. Our hotel was right near one of the historic hutongs (an enclosed courtyard owned by one family).
In fact our hotel was designed on the havelli concept, it had 7 rooms all opening off the open courtyard. The only common area was the courtyard itself where the breakfast stuff was set out. A good idea and very pleasant... until it snowed. It didn't matter how long you cooked the toast, by the time it reached the plate it was cold. Just add solid butter and freezing jam for an appetising breakfast treat. We quickly retreated to the air-conditioned comfort of our room. This is the "breakfast table" with the toast-making facilities in the background.

We visited Tiananmen Square. It didn't seem so big, partly because of a huge colour screen across the middle glorifying the achievements of the PRC.

It was to be the Communist Party conference in a few days so a begillion police.

Mao's mausoleum was closed while they gave him a touch-up. Beijing has lots of parks so the 5km walk from our hotel to the square was a lovely stroll.

It rained on our first day so we bought cheap (and unfortunately small) folding umbrellas. It was a bit of a slog back through the rain. The next day we were prepared, rain jackets and waterproof trousers + umbrella. And then all that picturesque snow!

Near our guesthouse there was a great street for eating! This was our favourite dessert on a stick..... Fruit covered with sticky toffee!

The Beijing HK train was quite good, wider beds than the Ulaan Baatar to Beijing leg. As though the beds weren't hard enough, they added a horsehair underlay just to make sure. At least the train food was cheap and good.

A quick whizz through customs and into the MTR to Tsuen Wan. There have been a bunch of new MTR lines added even since 2005 when we were last here, you can now MTR to Tuen Mun (where Castle Peak Monastery is) and Yuen Long, there is a new station right beside the Skyline Plaza where we lived (but no longer a hovercraft to Central), you can MTR to Sai Kung peninsula (for a quick barbeque perhaps).

We went to Temple Street market, Mong Kok market,
Ian bought yet another laser level (3 is a good number). This one has perpendicular lines in three planes plus a spot pointing down. To be used for setting out the deck remodeling when we get back. And I bought 2 more bags that I really needed!
We caught the ferry to Lamma Island .

View from the walk on Lamma Island

Lamma Island was great, so laid back after the mainland, nice walk over the hills and then a slap-up feed at one of the seafood restaurants. They have live-in aquaculture in the bay. Really just a whole bunch of plastic drums tied together and then a shanty built on top.
Also went up the mid-levels escalator system on the island and then walked down the 700 steps back to the MTR!
Got our visas for Vietnam and Cambodia and bit the bullet and booked our ticket back to NZ for mid January. We couldn't get our visa to Laos as Ian has no room in his passport cos some countries just stamp in the middle of a page!......
Flying Vietnam Air to Hanoi.... It's goodbye for sure to any winter clothes that are still in our packs!

Ulan Baatar

"If Mongolia’s yin is its pristine countryside, then Ulaanbaatar (UB) conforms nicely to its yang. An enormous city of pulsating commerce, heavy traffic, sinful nightlife and bohemian counter-culture, the Mongolian capital stirs as much shock as it does excitement." Quote from The lonely Planet

We are off to UB, 12 hours on the bus.The bus will be following the Great Tea Road and will pass through some remote places. The Great Tea Road connected China with European Russia and had been around for nearly 400 years before being replaced by the Trans-Siberian railway in the early 1900’s. The tea was transported with camel caravans that would take about 6 months to travel the entire trip from North China to Moscow and western Russia.

The bus travels south from downtown Ulan-Ude, crosses the Selenga River and picks up highway A-165 which goes to the border town of Kyakhta.




With no toilet on board and little or no foot room we stopped often for toilet and more important for the Mongolians, a cigarette break. Everywhere brown earth, little or no vegetation at this time of the year.







We got to the frontier about 10:30 and then went through all the form filling to leave Russia.......all off the bus..... then all back on the bus .......we cross into Mongolia.....more form filling ......all off the bus. We ended up spending about 2 ½ hours departing Russia and entering Mongolia, but I’ve heard that the same process can take as much as 10 hours on the Trans-Siberian which passes through another checkpoint about 20 miles away.

We continue and pass through the city of Darkhan and then pull into a gas station just south of Khongor. Everyone gets off the bus and stands in line at the outhouse near the gas station. It is a wooden structure with a huge slit, (large enough for a child to fall down), in the floor and a deep, deep hole.
Then on we go through Bayongol, passing more Gers, herds, and stupas on the steppe.

Around 6pm we gradually descend and a dusty Ulaanbaatar becomes visible in the distance. The small 2 lane road we are on is the main road into UB from the north. It takes us more than an hour to get into the city as the roads are just clogged with traffic. We arrive at the stop and in the dark we retrieve our luggage and try to negotiate a price to our guesthouse with the many taxi drivers scrambling for the business.
Ian has been here before so knows the drill. We walk out to the road and put our hand up and a passing motorist quickly pulls in. All cars are unofficial taxis here, they want the cash and about 8kms later we were at the OASIS guesthouse and what a haven it is!



One of the first things we saw was a huge photo on the wall of when Ian rode into the Gobi with a group of fellow bikers last time he was here!
We are spending a week here. Along with sight seeing we have to get our visas for China, which we have heard are not easy as you now have to have a letter of invitation.
A quote from Lonely Planet tells it like it is " UB is a cauldron of concrete and dirt. New buildings are thrown up on any available patch of ground, while Humvees battle Landcruisers and yellow taxis for right of way on pot-holed boulevards. On the high street, tourists and new-moneyed Mongols look for bargains in European fashion shops and Mongolian cashmere boutiques.
Between these chaotic scenes are islands of serenity – quiet monastery courtyards, public squares and the odd beer patio. " it is a attack on the senses....noise, dust, smell, and its getting mighty cold here now!



While in Sukhbaatar Square we saw many groups of visiting school kids. They were so well behaved and that just as well as the classes were at least 40! But it doesn't matter where in the world you are PINK is the colour of choice.


In the background are the statues of Genghis Khan and two of his generals. The kids were getting a history lesson of the greatest Mongolian of them all.

Ulan Bator was the site of demonstrations that led to Mongolia's transition to democracy and market economy in 1990. Demonstrations in Sükhbaatar Square were held accompanied by the forming of Mongolia's first opposition parties. On March 7 1990, ten dissidents assembled in Sükhbaatar Square and went on a hunger strike. Thousands of supporters joined them. More came on March 8, and the crowd grew more unruly; seventy people were injured and one killed. On March 9 the communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party government resigned. The provisional government announced Mongolia's first free elections, which were held in July 1990.

So Mongolia has only had 13 years of being out of communist rule. It is so much in the early stages and it obvious everywhere, there is so much building, most of which has begun but is not yet finished.

There has been a huge surge of people to the city and this is the changing face of Mongolia.


Here was lunch being delivered by taxi and a high ranking official picking up the pizzas. He is about to cross the road to the government building.

The ever-expanding ger suburbs still surround the city, offering a glimpse back to before Soviet urban planning.



Spent a day in the National Park about an hour from UB.visited the famous Turtle Rock.



And saw the huge statue of the Mongolian Warrior facing China with a very fierce expression and sword at the ready.



While Ian was climbing to the top (up by the mane), I found this little community of animals living in the edge of the steps. I think they are Gerboas? Or something like that.... Take a look at this .....

My Project from Marg Meyle on Vimeo.

On our way we saw on the side of the road a woman with some birds and what looked like a dog. The German guy that was with us wanted to look so we stopped. They were vultures and eagles and the "dog" was actually a wolf that they had killed and had badly stuffed!






And sitting on its back was a little falcon. I felt very upset as these gorgeous birds were tethered and when one wouldn't stay on the German guys arm she disciplined it by yanking the cord harshly. We were pleased to get back in the car and move on.
Our last stop for the day was an incredible climb in the mountains to a very old monastery.











A beautiful ending to a great time in UB.



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