Ab in den Norden

After four days, we had enough of the island and spontaneously booked a flight to Hanoi. The former capital surprised us with a lively and green old town. During the day, the streets were full of colorful street stalls and lively activity, but at night it was dead quiet: starting from 10 PM, we could only get something to eat and the bars closed at midnight. But since our feet were sizzling anyway, we were looking forward to our bed in the musty hotel room.

In a travel agency, we booked a sleeping bus to Sapa for the next morning. The alarm clock rang before dawn and we set off to the mountains with wrinkled clothes. The bus was a real highlight: for normal-sized people (excluding Niels), it was possible to stretch their legs.

After 6 hours of travel, we reached the mountain village and were thrilled by the fresh air and the breathtaking view. A bit away from the city, we rented a homestay. It didn't quite meet our expectations, but in the end, it was okay for two nights. As soon as we got out of the taxi, we were surrounded by numerous, really small women who offered us their handmade goods. Of course, we couldn't say no...:)

We spent the afternoon with our first explorations (I (Isa) almost saw the murder of two chickens, which I was spared thanks to Niels, and also witnessed a real village fight and heard the deathly scream of a pig), while Nana and Steffen climbed the mountain.

The next day, the four of us went on a hike through the rice fields of Sapa, where we really enjoyed a dreamlike view. And yes, it was a bit exhausting too!