Author: chris

Transporting a fridge in Hanoi old quarter…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bamboo pipe near Sa Pa

I stayed at the farmhouse of Ngi and Cuon in the village of Thang Phu, near Sa Pa

Ngi smoking tobacco in his bamboo water pipe. This is in his cornfield – I helped him till for corn planting. You can see how steep the hillside is.

Ngi and I met Duong, my guide, on the way back from the the corn field, and the three of us went back on the motorbike. The most I saw was five on on one motorbike – a very modest load.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These fishermen, Sang and his father and uncle, showed me the river at Hoi An on their boat.

Motorbikes is the theme of Hanoi. They are used to transport whatever you need to move…

Its common for a family of four – mum and dad and two kids to pile onto the Honda 50.  Thats the most I’ve seen on one bike so far.  Pigs for market, fridges and concrete formwork all get carted around on motorbikes.  Road rules are almost non existent except that on some busier roads there’s a tendency to keep to the right. But either side of the road seems quite ok.

I have some photos but at this internet cafe at Sa Pa I haven’t managed to upload them, so it will have to wait till another day.  I can’t check my email either.  Such is life near the China border in the north of Vietnam.

I’m trekking to a hill tribe (red Zao) village today where I’ll stay overnight.  I’ve arranged three homestays in the villages here before returning to Sa Pa. The mountain sides are layered with rice terraced rice paddies but now they get some of their income from selling crafts to tourists like me.

Back in a few days.