Berry's SEAJ trip Day 18: Start of Sapa trek (6/23/15)

Woke up and got my bag ready for the trek into the mountains of Sapa. The group for this 2 day trek is our guide (Cu – pronounced Q), 3 Swiss-German ladies (Lina, Rahel, and Fabienne), and me. We get in the shuttle which takes us to the trail head. We are joined with some local village ladies who are “helping us” on the trek. We walk through some villages, rice fields, etc. and our guide keeps stopping to talk to us in the sun instead of the shade which kills me.

Our group to the left. the valley in front of us. So much beauty. 

Berry was just loving these rice fields. Started drizzly but soon became sunny and hot. 

Berry with his close up on the fields. Lucky lil bear!

He even found some pretty flowers to cozy up to. This is his day for sure!

Our group had to traverse the muddy embankments of the rice terraces.

Berry wanted to go make a friend with the buffalo in the back but he didnt want to get out of the water so Berry had to move on.

Berry and more of his terraces. Views like this is why Berry loves life.

Valley we hiked along. Such beautiful scenery.

Berry insisted we get a picture together since the area was so photogenic. My pasty ass detracts from this picture but he insisted. 

View from one of the stops on our hike. Amazing!

Farmer working the terrace. Magnificent contrast!

Other than that, the group is pretty cool. Cu is friendly and speaks good English, though he doesn't seem to have a good sense of timing for this walk. The girls are all very friendly and fun/easy to talk to. We stop for lunch and before we eat the locals are all over the girls as they are buying stuff. One tries to talk to me saying that she helped us and therefore I have to buy something from her. I am having none of it (I had to literally tell her no at least 10 times before she listened) and she goes to the girls after scoffing at me. They buy a bunch of stuff and then we eat lunch.

Small waterfall at our lunch stop. Berry wanted to really get in there but I wasnt sure we had that much time. 

That is the kid's pet owl. Yeah, pet owl. Some people have hedgehogs or dogs or cats, this kid had an owl! BAMF of the year!

After lunch, the locals come back and target one of the girls, asking her to buy stuff. She says she already did, lady responds not from her. She keeps on asking (Lina's friends had to step in and tell the lady to leave, she didn't) and gets her kid to start asking as well. So infuriating that they don't take no for an answer. I felt so sorry for Lina as she has a big heart and it was crushing her that she couldn't help (cant help everyone) and the lady was not listening. Eventually we left that area to get away from the vultures. We then head towards the homestead which took most of the afternoon and early evening to get to. Once there, we hike a little farther and swim in a river to cool off and shower somewhat which was quite refreshing. Get to the home-stay and it was great.

Berry challenges you to find a more amazing picture. The only down side of this is the power line tower in the background Otherwise, freakin pristine!

Crossing a dam at one of the low points and being able to look up a valley is also spectacular. 

Huge waterfall in the distance.

Berry wanted to take a picture with the tour guide in the swimming hole near the home stay of the night. The ladies were posing in the background.

Berry was enjoying the view from the homestay of the surrounding area as we were remote as remote can get.

Berry checking out another view from the grounds. Of course terrace rice fields also in the picture.

Sunset with many terraces down below and mountains rising all around us. 

First we got an appetizer of garlic fries which were amazing. Then dinner which we got to sit around and talk with the owner who used to be the mayor of this village. After a few rice wines and a beer, we turn in kinda early (9/930pm) as we had a long grueling day of 18km with elevation changes. Slept well.