What a difference a day makes. I left Cat Ba Island at 9AM yesterday and after a series of 5 buses, a ferry and a taxi I got to the destination in Hanoi where I was to pick up my bus ticket onward to Sapa. By the time I got to Hanoi I was pretty disgusted with the arrangements made by my travel agent/hotel receptionist in Cat Ba so I prepared myself for the worst as I journeyed onward. Well, the bus ride to Sapa was so-so, fairly comfortable, not crowded and on schedule. The bus was arranged with 2 reclining side by side seats which were about 5 feet long. Another 12 inches certainly would have made for a far more relaxing ride.
What was most impressive about the trip was the change in climate from Ha Noi which is flat and hot to Sapa which was quite chilly and mountainous. Looking across the valleys around this village brings to mind the opening scene of "The Sound of Music" with all the steeples replaced by pagodas. It is delightful here now that the sun is fully operational, however I may have to visit the market tonight to buy something warmer than a windbreaker.
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