Day 2 was a 12km hike. We had 3 villages to track to namely to
- Ylinhho,
- Lao Chai ( Not Lao Cai the border town where our train stopped ) and
- Ta Van.
Thankfully it was downhill, literally, most of the way. At the end of the trail our van will be waiting for us. However, the morning that greeted us was a wet one. Unperturbed and a plastic raincoat in hand we were ready for the day. The start of the walk was already spectacular with heavy mist nesting over the valley.
Our guide for the day was Tanh, a sweet looking 11yr old girl. Her English was not as good as Bow from the previous day and her marketing prowess was still 'evolving'. Nevertheless, I was quite sure that she will be fluent in English given a couple of years. After all, the girl was barely out from primary school.
At the jump-off point, a couple from China shared sweets with the locals which quickly attracted a lot of children. Not too sure it was good for the children's oral health but was certain that their intention was good. Made a mental note that I should also interact more with the locals to maximise travel experience.
The rain has made our valley walk more mystical with light fog hesitantly revealing the beauty below. Neat terraces of rice fields bore testament that the people took great pride in their work. I could sense a high degree of work discipline as there were hardly any farm equipment or machinery lying about carelessly. Could see a 'love-shaped' field or was it my imagination on overdrive?
You be the judge.
Certain stretches of the walk were steep especially on slopes that were recently cleared. Our shoes were clearly ill equipped for the terrain. Even young surf boarding looking dudes were slipping and sliding down the slope. Thankfully the Hmongs were ever in attendant. We weren't shy to ask for help. The person helping me was an old lady but her supporting grip was strong and much appreciated down the hill.
I noticed the Hmongs were quite hardworking. Their hands seem ever to be weaving something or fashioning things out of the ordinary. Even when there was a 'traffic jam' along the route, they continue to work until the path before them has cleared.
Just before Lao Chai village, the valley opens up for all see. A cross section typically includes mountain, paddy fields, river, paddy fields and mountain. I could never get tired of the view. More so when you take time to observe the way the Hmongs interact with their land. There was a simple balance, the land yielding what was needed and the people took only what they need. Over development was just not in their vocabulary.
At Lao Chai, we made another token purchase and said our goodbyes. We gave them some gifts which we brought from home and the younger ones exchanged Facebook address. Wow! Our lunch was a simple fare, designed to reflect the lifestyle here. We had plain stir-fried chicken (no sauce) & cabbage and a fried egg each. Chicken meat was served on for special occasion. Therefore a typical meal here would comprised mainly vegetables. Unaccustomed, we asked for soy sauce but the nearest substitute they have was chillies, salt and a squeeze of lime.
The last leg of the journey was to Ta Van. This was a village of the Zay people, which were closely related to the Chinese. Their headgear was red and some tourist stop here for the homestay. The people here were as friendly but be forewarned that they were also keen to sell you their handicrafts. Again we enjoyed amazing views.
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