Wait for a short while and get picked up by Sai to start our hour trip to Sapa through amazing rice paddies.

Sapa has a ski village feel. People in black hmong local outfits all around toen. They dont mind photo taking but clearly used to tourists. Love the bit cooler though still warm weather.
Have breakfast - really ski like feel.
Go to the room and the bamboo sapa hotel and meet Sai. With our hiking shoes on we take a short drive and start out hike with 3 local ladies. They show us how they make their clothes with hemp. They dry the plant, strip the bark in thin raffia type strips, use ash from the rice leaves to bleach the strips and this is what they use to make a very thin but strong thread. This then gets used to make the clothing.
Traditional wear -
They make the most beautiful varing hartjies.
Explain how rice gets grown. First seedlings are planted. Seedlings from china - then sure of good quality. Then replanted by hand in paddies that will always stay in family when they are about 20cm high. Once the rice turns yellow dried for a day and then rice uitgeslaan. Goeie rys bly maar minder goeie ryskorrels waai weg. Kernels dried for another day. Rys moet gestoor word sonder dat katte daarby kom of dat dit weer ontkiem.
Warer buffalo ploeg die lande. Almal help mekaar - hou balke by heuwel af.
Almal besig met iets tasbaar produktief.
Tannies help ons by moeiliker dele. Na 4 ure se stap (omtrent 10km) stop vir lunch - toe ons daar aankoop - ambushed om goed te koop.
Bangh, tingh, shong, sha.
Lunch nie te great maar mooi plekkie.

Terug hotel toe en toe begin die shopping marathon. Probably most north face shops per sq meter in the world!
I first scout the shops for thick jackets and then come across Marga with an entourage of girls following her. We then stumble across the local handicraft market! Totally overwhelmed and actually have to stand back and take a few deep breaths. I buy small bags and pillow cases and marga buys a beautiful throw and bags.

Quick shower, buy 2 jackets on the way and then off to dinner. Free garlic bread and beer in italian place. After dinner we walk up the street - disco music. We buy chocolates before a 45 min foot and shoulder massage.