Vietnam: Motorcycle Diaries, Day 4 (48 km)

This morning Erin and I awoke to the sound of heavy rain pattering on the roof of our guesthouse...driving Gaston is hard enough as it is, much less with the hazards that rain can wreak on twisting mountain roads! Apart from safety reasons, we were also worried that the rain would ruin the scenery of one of the highlights of our trip, a drive through Tram Ton Pass, Vietnam's highest and undisputedly most beautiful mountain pass. Fortunately, the clouds were in our favor, as the rain turned into a slight mist just as we were finishing our breakfast and preparing to don purple ponchos.

We only had 48 km to cover this morning, so we took our time to enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery, envigorating fresh air, and peaceful aura of Tram Ton Pass. It was, without a doubt, as breathtaking as we have heard and read, and we were happy to experience it with no agenda or bad weather. We even took the time to set up a camera on the side of the road and figure out the self-timer so we could get a group photo: Erin, Gaston, and me!

We arrived in Sapa just in time for a lunch of Pho before checking into the Queen Hotel. We are way up on the 5th floor, prime location for admiring the enchanting scenery of the mountains and valleys surrounding us. After dropping our bags into the room and changing into some clean clothes (you can imagine how filthy we are at this point, wearing the same grungy things everyday!), we took a walk around the market in Sapa, where hundreds of hilltribe women and girls walked the streets selling silver bracelets and bangles, as well as blankets and scarves.

After our walk through the market, we decided it was time to give Erin some driving practice on the motorbike. After a popped wheelie that almost threw me off the back of Gaston, I patted her on the back and told her where to find me. As she set off on Sapa's roads, grinding the gears shamelessly, I walked down to the lake in the center of town for a perch on a bench. Within minutes, I was approached by two adorable little girls, no older than three years old, trying to sell their woven bracelets. Of course, I could not resist, handing over my money with a warm smile.

Erin made it back from her joyride unharmed, and after a hot shower, we went out for dinner. All I wanted was a sandwich, as my body could not take another bowl of soup or rice! After dinner, we played a few games of darts before watching a movie in our hotel lobby. The best part of our room at the Queen Hotel? The fireplace! I spent about thirty minutes getting the thing started, but if I do say so myself, it was the biggest, baddest fire in Sapa tonight!

Tomorrow we have another long day on the back, as we head halfway back to Hanoi.