I was off again on my fourth charity trek, with Discover Adventure, to the Northern villages in Vietnam to raise monies for some children’s charities...
Day 1 I met my fellow trekkers for the first time at Heathrow and after an uneventful flight on Malaysia Airlines arrived at Hanoi via Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian stewardesses’ on the plane were beautiful and delighted to help. We arrive at Hanoi in torrential rain and were met by our local guide, Tuan, who escorted us to our hotel in Hanoi.
The monsoon type rain did not deter the 3 million motorcyclists of Hanoi. You couldn’t tell how many were on the bike as quite often either the rider or the pillion were wearing a big, brightly coloured plastic poncho which engulfed all occupants on the bike. It could have been one, two or even a whole family including the shopping. Families seem to live on the street in Hanoi, perhaps because it is so hot. They cook and eat as a family, either squatting or using little plastic chairs. Bikes are parked on the pavement and as you walk you weave between them and the families. They are not fazed by it at all. The staple food in Vietnam is Pho noodle soup. They eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are many Pho shops in Hanoi. You can also have Pho Bo which is noodles with beef.
There do not seem to be any traffic signs or rules in Vietnam, it is a free for all and it seems to work. They weave, flow and skim each other but there is no aggression. It is a test of nerves crossing the road across the flow of traffic. All you do is step into the road and keep going, the traffic flows around you and you move forward steadily and slowly. If you stop you can cause complete chaos and a major foul up! It is the same whether it is a side street or a major junction - not for the faint hearted.
We arrived at the hotel in the old quarter, checked in, showered and were off to enjoy a meal in a local Vietnamese restaurant. All very delicious. We were given a briefing by our leader George. We were up at 6.00 am for breakfast at 7.00, to depart at 8.00. Breakfast in the hotel was a choice of western style or Vietnamese with noodles, vegetables or eggs. 
Day 2 We loaded our bags onto the coach for the 4 hour drive to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve – stretching from Mai Chau in the northwest to Cuc Phuong National Park in the southeast. We were to trek through this beautiful region of limestone, forests, paddy fields and sugar cane and terraces. We were to stay in local homesteads, stilt houses built mainly of bamboo, staying in the villages of the Thai and Muong people, thus providing them an income. Whilst we were trekking our main trek bags were to be carried in an old ex-army jeep and 9 seater bus, also carrying some local ladies who went ahead to get the sleeping mats and mosquito nets ready for us and also prepare our evening meal. The scenery is very lush and very wet, it is also very humid.
After about 4 hours we stop on the edge of the national park near a little village and trek for half an hour to a local homestead – a typical stilt house, made of wood and bamboo with a thatched type roof - lunch is spread out on a tablecloth on the floor, chicken, beef, tofu, morning glory (like spinach) and rice with slices of apple/pear (tasted like both) for dessert. None of the village stilt houses have furniture; the Vietnamese are able to squat for amazing long periods and do everything on the floor. They do have electricity fed by dangerous looking overhead cables and their one luxury is a TV. They seem to be more up to date with the UK football league than any of us.
Our leaders are George, who travelled with us from the UK, a good bloke to know as he is a skilful and enthusiastic climber with limitless knowledge and a part of the mountain rescue team in the Lake District, no less, Tuan our Vietnamese guide and we also have Viet, a local chap who will be guiding us along the route. It was difficult to be enthusiastic to start trekking after a lunch like that, but off we went. The path was undulating going through several small villages, passing many stilt houses, paddy fields and terraces. The mud was very sticky and many of the group slipped or fell over, two were bitten by leeches so we had to keep checking each others legs to make sure they hadn’t got a hold. We arrived at the village of Ban Muoi in good light, the locals and children are pleased to see us.
During the trek it seems that we must be one of the first westerners to be seen in these areas as they find us quite a novelty. The children shout out hello and bye bye, they are confused as to what word to use. The adults wave too and hold their children up to see us. Some shout sin chow – hello. The sleeping arrangements are the girls in one house and the men in another. The ladies have laid out sleeping mates for us on the bamboo floors of the stilt houses, they are very creaky and have large gaps, we hope they will cope with the westerners’ weight as the Vietnamese people are very slight. We are lucky as tonight there is an outside shower which many take advantage of. It is luke warm but it is so hot and humid it refreshes us. To serve dinner we have to move the sleeping mats so they can lay out the tablecloth – dinner is pumpkin soup, rice, chicken, fish, small pork kebabs, morning glory and beef. I would like to add here that all cooking is done on the first floor of the house, on open bamboo floors with a big stone slab underneath.
Our first night of sleeping out in the homesteads under our mosquito nets was very spasmodic, the locals keep chatting, the animals are very noisy and there is torrential rain all night. We are up at 6.00 am (The Vietnamese get up when it is light and go to bed when it is dark). Breakfast consist of bread (baguette type – the French influence from the last century), jam and omelette. You can have green tea or very strong coffee with condensed milk (another French influence).
Day 3 It has stopped raining but the tracks are treacherous with slippery mud. As our route was to trek steeply over the mountain with steep drops, our leader made the wise decision that it would be too risky, so a change of plan, we will trek the route in reverse. We will trek out of the village following the villages to the local market. They are carrying bamboo baskets with piglets, ducks, chickens and puppies – all with the intention of selling to make some money. When we arrive at the market again we are the centre of attention and have great fun wandering round taking photos and showing them the display on the camera screen. They always want to see themselves. There is no packaged food, it is all fresh, from fruit and veg to fish and meat stalls including every part of the pig – not a place to be vegetarian.
Once we have finished at the market, we climb into our bus and are taken to start our trekking. We disgorge from the bus and trek for a while to be invited into a homestead where we sit and eat our packed lunch of cold pork, chicken, cucumber, raw veg – a bit like turnip, boiled egg, bread and a triangle of cream cheese. There is also a carton of soya milk but we give that to the villagers. We carry on trekking through the valley through several homesteads, some of it on the Hoi Chi Minh trail. The Trail was originally not a single route, but rather a complex maze of truck routes, paths for foot and bicycle traffic, and river transportation systems. It was a complex maze of paths running through North and South Vietnam in some local kingdoms also.
All the hamlets and villages have a variety of animals, from water buffalo, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, dogs and cats, the majority of which get eaten. The scenery is so beautiful but unfortunately the torrential rains starts in the afternoon so it is difficult to see. We arrive in Ban Hang soaking wet, it is too hot and humid to wear waterproofs. The rain has stopped so we can enjoy the village. Another outside shower is on offer but within 5 minutes you are hot again. It is the usual format for sleeping and the evening meal is potato soup, chicken, rice, bamboo shoots, spring rolls, pieces of fish and pork with veg. Tuan our Vietnamese guide sits with us after dinner to give us a brief but interesting history lesson on the Vietnamese war and also the French and Russian influences in Vietnam. During the evening a huge green grasshopper lands on Vanessa, luckily she is not easily frightened and we mange to get some photos of it too.
Another fitful night, the animals never appear to sleep and the cock seems to start crowing at midnight!
Day 4 Awake at 6.00am, pack up, breakfast (normal menu) at 7.00am to be away by 8.00am. Trek through village and have to cross two rivers. We have sandals in our backpacks so we have dry boots for the rest of the say. The local are herding their cows down there and we walk with them for a while. We now trek up through lush vegetation and pass through several small hamlets, everybody waves, some houses have electric and some even have satellite dishes. How can somewhere so remote have such up to date equipment?
Bamboo seems to be the mainstay of everything in these mountain villages, from house building, making baskets, fencing, making water courses and of course they eat the young shoots. We eat our packed lunch at the top after a long climb out of the river valley. Obviously the word had gone out that there are some strange people walking through and the children come out to see us. Some of them have come from school and are carrying slates to write on. A couple arrive by motorbike, it seems most families, even in the remote villages own a motorbike, this is making communication between them all much easier. They are very adept at riding on the wet slippery mud and stones.
Another afternoon of monsoon type rain I can only think it must be like the jungle. Too humid for waterproofs and arrive at homestead in Ban Kho Muong soaking wet again. There is no electric as too wet and we have missed all the beautiful scenery as it is far too misty. Quick wipe down and dryish clothes, it has stopped raining so Jane and I have a wander through the village. They have a machine which de-husks the rice, Tuan tells us the villagers work on a co-operative type system, making sure they help each other to plant, harvest etc. Dinner served on trestle tables and benches, luxury not to sit on the floor. We are also lucky enough to be able to buy local beer at 20,000 Vietnamese dong per can (25,000 to the £). There are midges and mosquitoes everywhere we light mosquito coils to try to deter them, the Deet insect spray is not enough. In bed by 8.00 pm – hoping for a better nights sleep but cock still crowing, geese still gabbling, ducks still quacking and a cat screeches and rushes through our room.
Day 5 Up at day break – still pouring with rain. Usual breakfast and off to visit the local primary school with gifts of pens, pencils and a few clothes donated by my little grandson. Dear little children working at wooden desks, they have two teachers, one male and one female.
Climb out of village in heavy rain which makes going hard as the bright orange mud is so slippery, several fall over, a couple of twisted wrists but nothing too serious. Three are bitten by leeches (including me). We trek along the valley edge high above the river and into a village to stop at a homestead for noodles, omelette and veg lunch. Finish off with water melon – all delicious. Waterproofs on this time and rain all afternoon, children are still there shouting and waving at us. We know we are in a more developed area as some of the homesteads are little shops selling bottles of drinks, packets of noodles and further on some have TVs and electric rice cookers to sell.
Arrive at homestead soaking wet again; we are so used to this by now. A pack of wet wipes, dryish clothes and almost back to normal. Not a good hair day tough!! Another comfortable dinner with tables and benches.
Day 6 We wake to monsoon type rain, it has been at it all night, some of the group are so fed up they ask if they can be bussed rather than walk. The hardy six of us including the leader wouldn’t dream of it, we are determined to finish it to the end. We do get the bus along to the next village but off we go from there, little did we know what was in store. I am not feeling too good today, something in my stomach doesn’t want to be there but I push it to the back of my mind. It is our last day trekking and we will be walking out of the National Park to meet up with the big coach which will take us back to Hanoi.
The monsoon rain has cause several land slips but nothing too serious; the rivers that we can see are raging torrents. 
The first one we come to has come over the bridge and a couple of locals try to walk across. It is over knee height and the currents look very strong. It is about 30/40 metres wide. We wait half an hour to see if it abates at all but no. George, our leader, takes the decision that we will cross. If we don’t cross now it will only get worse and there is no way round. We get a lesson on river crossing from George – stand with you feet apart facing up river in case a dead sheep, cow or large tree comes down, plant your trekking pole out in front and form a triangle. Move slowly sideways, making sure your feet are planted firmly and you keep a watch ahead. The current is stronger than the locals belie but we all get across safely. Even the group who opted to be bussed have to get out and cross the river. It is scary but we now feel exhilarated by what we have achieved.
We are not aware of what we have to encounter about 45 mins further on. We think it is just a few hours walk to get to the coach to take us back to Hanoi. We come across another river, but much angrier and much deeper. A few locals struggle across but it is nearly up to their waists. Most of the locals stand and watch, it is still raining heavily. We are invited into a home, the lady does have a table and a bench and there are a few inches of water on the floor. She still has electric and puts the TV on for us, the weather forecast is on, we can’t understand it but the symbols look menacing. George decides we have to have a go or we will be stuck for a day or several days with nowhere to stay. The old jeep and the old small bus tie a rope between them, the bus goes across first, it is so deep, we stand willing it on. The rope snaps so the bus backs to give some slack so that it can be tied on again. The rope is taut and we go across a few at a time holding on. The local boys have decided to help and stagger themselves across the river to hold onto us too. George assesses that I am one of the stronger ones and should be one of the last to cross (he’s got that wrong)! I am very anxious as the river surges past and tumbles over a steep dam. The locals were delighted to help, without a thought for themselves. Also the leaders are strong and in turn it makes us feel strong. We all make it and feel we have achieved the world. I don’t think the locals have seen such entertainment for months. I expect they are still talking about it now.
Only 1 km to go to meet the coach. We all pile in and in a few minutes stop outside a local restaurant where we meet our ladies who have cooked us lunch. Unfortunately my stomach isn’t ready for it. We say a sad goodbye to Viet our guide and our ladies who have cooked and looked after us all week. We travel on the Hoi Chi Minh Highway back to Hanoi, a 4 hour journey takes 6 as all the roads are flooded and the rivers have burst their banks. Our coach driver is terrific and manages to find a way through to our hotel. There is talk of the airport being shut but we can worry about that another day. All we are looking forward to us a good hot shower to rid ourselves of the smell of river flood water.
Day 7 Good nights sleep in the hotel ready for a day in Hanoi being a real tourist. Shopping for souvenirs (good fun bargaining) in the morning and then a guided tour by Tuan in the afternoon to the Hoi Chi Minh mausoleum, the presidential residence, Hoi preferred to live in the small house at the back. It’s all beautifully maintained with many bonsai trees in big pots. We also visit the Temple of Literature founded in the 14th Century by Confucius. All beautifully maintained with a pagoda type building and showing the four holy animals of Vietnam – turtle, unicorn, dragon and phoenix. The names of the doctors are written on tablets held on the backs of the stone turtles. We visit the One Pillar Buddhist Temple and in the early evening are entertained at the theatre by the Water Puppets. It is very skilful and evolved from the farmers in the rural flooded communities to keep themselves amused.
Our final dinner is in a beautiful restaurant in the French Quarter with wonderful food. Lots of fun, George makes a few awards, i.e. to the one who fell over the most, the one with the most leech bites etc. I think George deserves an award after all the difficult decisions he had to make concerning our safety etc. After dinner several go to the Funky Monkey Bar for a nightcap but have to endure monsoon type rain again to get back to the hotel. Soaked to the skin again!!
Day 8 They say that it has been unseasonably wet, haven’t seen this much rain in October early November for many years. It seems tragically 19 locals have lost their lives to the floods.
Luckily by Sunday the roads are back to normal and we have an uneventful flight back to Heathrow via Kuala Lumpur. Some of the group stay on to go out to Halong Bay for a few days on a junk.
It was wonderful to enjoy the beautiful scenery and experience the culture of Vietnam. To see the hill tribes living up in the mountains and being able to stay with them in their homesteads is an absolute honour. I feel very privileged to have been able to do this. Thanks to all who supported me and raised money for my charity.