Dirt Dirt and More Dirt Not much else to say today other than the road not much traveled, may not be traveled for a good reason. It's not constructed yet. Arriving in Sapa, Elena and I were glad to be off the road for a few days. The bumps and dirt roads had worn our patience thin. 2 nights in Sapa would prove to be a good respice for us. And with our very comfortable accomodations for $5/night at the Lotus Guesthouse, we were happy to have hot water and and...

The Long and Winding Road Day 2 held in store an accension into the mountains. The terraine became rougher and the tourists non-existant. This is exactly what we bargined for. The road conditions were getting worse and after a loud noise and a bump, our driver pulled to the side of the road. At that moment you could look at the glass half full or half empty. We had an unexpected stop. Our driver calmly got out of the car, walked once around looking at the car,...

Off the Beaten Path Planning my trip to Sapa, I talked to so many other travelers trying to get as many tips and as much information as possible. At my hotel, I ran into a lovely Italian woman, also traveling alone. We found ourselves both searching for resources to plan a 5 day trip to Sapa and decided to join forces. The more we chatted the more clear it became that Elena and I would travel together. We didn't want to do the package tour but instead wanted...

Let's Eat.You'd never believe it but the most popular question I'm getting on email is "what kind of food are you eating?" Meals are always an adventure here. And one I've found to be wonderfully different than back home.First off, I eat breakfast every day. No bagel on the run here. I mean a full meal. Although on occasion I have had a Western style breakfast of eggs and toast w/ jelly and butter, I much prefer the Pho (pronounced Foe)....

The Jetty StarAs the sun set over the Lake in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, the beams glistened off the water and the red footbridge deepened it's tone. Quite a sight at such a magical hour of the day. I sit with my head tilted back on the park bench and let my mind wander. It seemed as though with a blink of an eye the night sky bled through the dusk.With the cool breeze blowing th clouds across the darkened sky, I tried to recognize any of the constellations I ...