Jan 27 20:00.

Writing this in advance of my trip to Sa Pa or Sapa in the North.

Not sure when I will have good connectivity for long enough so this advance posting.

Sapa is a ethic area North of Hanoi, in the mountains and not too far from China. Not so easy to reach but supposed to be spectacular. Home of many of the Vietnamese ethic minorities in their native dress. In a dozen years these may be gone but travelers I have met on the road, backpackers mostly, say it is a must see for now.

One flys to Hanoi (I will do that tomorrow my time) then one takes a train – it goes all night so I have booked a sleeper – and arrives in the am. Then the hotel booked for me in Sapa (another of the Victoria chain hotels ) will send a driver to take me up the mountain. Only 30 km up the mountain but takes about 90 minutes. Steep road.

Not much to report on today as I wandered, pleasently, around the city. A much cooler day. For now have seen enough of HCMC and am ready to move to another area. After Sapa for one or two nights I go back to Hanoi and start the bike riding again.

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