i met Lakshmi in the train and we ended up traveled together then (i lost her email address also. i lost my small note pad in Hanoi later). She is an American Indian on a two months assignment for an NGO in Hanoi. She speaks a bit of Vietnamese and she is really too good in bargaining. Learnt a bit of her haggling technique then. :) i am glad to have someone i could talk in 'normal' to travel with. Most Vietnamese i met don't speak fluent English so the topics of conversation is limited.
We did a trekking to Cat Cat Village. It was scenic but the return way was a up hill and quite tiring. We met two Vietnamese students at the village. They approached us to ask for donation for disabled people in Vietnam. At this stage of my trip, i kind of know that, 8 out of 10 times when people approached you, they must have some kind of 'agenda'. :)i made a small donation. i remember Laskshmi said, the merely two months in Vietnam was making her to lose confident to people. Everyone here kind of up to something when they approached you and would always want to charge you as high as possible because you are a 'rich' tourist.
The tribe people selling sourvenir were very persistant and they would follow us all the way just to sell us something. Most of the time are things they we really no need. Lakshmi bought from one old lady and she ended up been surrounded by many other. All asked her to buy something.
Again, i met Janjaque at the trek. So we decided to have dinner together. Meeting some old same faces and some new friends in the trip have became the 'ritual' of my journey.
Train cabin, reclining seat.
Most tourists get a sleeper instead.
The tribe people and the hill.
Cat Cat Village, 3km south of Sapa. It is a steep and very beautiful hike down. Well, the hike back up was quite a difficult task.
The tribe people were trying to sell some kind of handmade belt to Lakshmi.
Sunset from the balcony of our guest house.
MONEY MATTER:
1.)Accommodation: 40000 D
2.)Food: 78000 D
3.)Others: 90000 D
4.)Sights: Cat-Cat Village Entrance - 5000D
2 comments:
I wonder whether Lakshmi recovered her sense of trusting people?
i lost her email and she didn't email me as well.
Too bad.
Post a Comment