5 Nov driven in minibus up into hills through paddy fields, villages and forest. Lunch (excellent) on the way in Piorn Con village where we picked up a very important person - the cook. Drove a bit more then started walking with our (small) packs - all up-hill for miles 2-3 hours amazing scenery, through villages until we reached Hang Kia which is in the region inhabited by the Mung people. We stayed the night here where everything is very basic. Large room with mud floor, beds made up of timber but with nice warm soft multicoloured blankets.We had climbed 100 metres so the night was cold but I was warm enough under these blankets. However dogs barked and fought, buffalo wandered around with their big dangly bells ringing and various other noises kept all of us awake for much of the night, but it didn't matter. The villagers here dressed in traditional clothes and seemed happy in their very basic existance. They smiled at us and the children peered through a small window, interacting happily with us trekers and laughing a lot. The evening meal, prepared by our own cook, was again very enjoyable, rice, meat, cabbage, fruit being some of the recognisable things.
6 Nov The next day we set off for a seven hour hike. This was virtually all downhill, often steep, through jungle. We were on a well established path probably used over centuries by the locals but the recently ended rainy season had washed away many sections of the path. The scenery was stunning. we passed a very few travellers, all locals either carrying local produce on a pole accross their shoulders with panniers or bales hanging down each side or collecting herbs or wild bamboo or hearding a buffalo. A wonderful day. Had lunch at Can Pho and eventually arrived at Xam Van, a 'white thai' village where we spent the night in a more sophisticated building. It is constructed of vertical timber poles supporting sawn timber floors and anything made of wood they can lay their hands on for walls. All living accomodation is on the first floor where the see-through floors are dried plant leaves laid across the timbers. Again in one large room, we had our evening meal sitting on cusions around a very low table followed by vietnamese tea which I liked very much although it is served in very small cups. It was less cold here being a lower altitude so we had mosquito nets around our wooden beds which were very hard so I aquired several extra blankets for under as well as over and was very snug. (White and Black Thais are identified by the predomonant colour of their clothes not skin colour). David said black thais are for formal occasions but he's australian.
7 Nov.The dawn chorus here this morning was deafening. Started by the cockerals, I think every other animal joined in - pigs, ducks, dogs, geese, chickens, bufallo, ducks, cats, cows and caged birds. The dogs are all young and in good condition, this is because they are considered a delicacy so are eaten when nice and tender don't tell Megan.
This morning we had a very pleasant trek, mostly level through villages and rice fields. All of the houses in this area are constructed similarly to the one we stayed in. Many have very tidy veg gardens, all neat rows with various things establishing themselves before winter. We stopped outside a kindergarden school because the children started calling and waving then some sitting on a swing started to sing 'Frere Jack' to us then all of the others rushed back into the school building and emerged with tiny chairs which they placed in a row facing us either side of the swing and they all sat and joined the singing. There must have been 20 of them all in a row singing to us. A memorable event.
Another lunch - stuffed tomato, cucumber, chicken leg, cabbage and other mysterious greens, pork and kentucky fried pieces of fish. Delicious.
Back in the minibus to our hotel in Hanoi where re-united with our main packs. Out to watch a 'water puppet show' tonight????
Bestest to all,
John
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