The mountains

After Lao Cai, it was uphill, uphill and uphill. i usually don't like riding close to steep drops, but our drivers were, like always, careful drivers, so I never felt uncomfortable on that account.

[Rice terraces in the mountains] [Rice terraces]

Our destination was the old French summer place called Sa Pa. It was noticable cooler there, than lower down. And yet our trip was done during the beginning of April, when it hasn't become really hot yet. I can understand why the tourist season between the rains and the hot summer is short indeed.

[Me and children] With Sa Pa as a base we made day trips out among the villages populated by different minorities.

I'm not used to intensive agriculture at these altitudes and slopes, so for me it was a different experience.


The paper factory at Bai Bang

[Wood loading at Bai Bang] After staying two days at Sa Pa, it was time for a long trip back the way we came to Phu Tho, where there's a paper mill at Bai Bang. Beeing built with Swedish money, it's of course a given thing to visit for a group of Swedes.

Felt funny seeing something I've always considered typically Swedish so far away.

The mill has never operated to capacity, but I guess the intention was well meaned.

All during our stay, we had two guides, one Swedish and one Vietnamese. The Vietnamese, Mr Soi, lived here and had come to meet Swedes because of the paper mill, as it at times had lots of Swedish consultants.

[ Arrival, to the mountains | Northern village, the Chinese border | Mountains in the north, Bai Bang | Next: Ha Noi | Da Nang and Saigon ]
Last modified 1996 Sep 09 by Urban Fredriksson