Sapa is one of those places you want to visit but know will be flooded with tourists. When we arrived in the early hours everywhere was in darkness and the streets bereft of noise and motorbikes. By the time we left our room to go up to the roof area for breakfast chaos had returned. Bikes, cars and minibuses honked their way along the narrow streets. Women from the surrounding hill tribes were already hard at work trying to persuade the visitors to part with their dollars and Vietnamese dong in return for embroidered bags, wall hangings, scarves, hats or anything else they were carrying. From our aerial vantage point we could see the tourists trying to politely walk away from the persistent traders who frequently walked alongside them up the street. One of the things we noticed straight away in Sapa was the proliferation of shops selling outdoor clothing, North face, Columbia and other similar brands. The prices indicating a high likelihood that they were copies rather than surplus or reduced price stock, but who can miss a bargain. A message to the girls back home indicated they wanted four jackets for themselves and partners so we began the task of sourcing the desired colours and styles. After trying a few outlets and sending pictures home for confirmation we became the proud owners of four new down jackets. So much for our decision not to post anything else home. It looks like we have to make another exception! During our ventures to locate the jackets we discovered a great walk over the hill into the next valley. Of course hills usually produce views and this route was no exception. Despite the mist which hung over the valley we were still able to see the rice terraces which carved their way up the hills. Dotted between were small groups of bamboo huts, and occasionally geese , ducks, water buffalo and goats. We left the town four days later, heading for Hanoi. Another chance to ride on the sleeper bus we had used to get here. The views from the bus were stunning and we were thankful we had a careful driver. As there were some spare seats on the bus we also had spaces where we could put our day bags, making the whole experience more comfortable. Five hours later we were faced with Hanoi traffic and the task of locating our hotel in the mid afternoon heat.