Today we had set aside for doing another walk, but the last few days had been so hectic and we were still so tired from the day before that we decided to have a slow day before our night train back to Hanoi that evening at 8.

We lay in for as long as possible before checkout and then met at the breakfast table. Lydia and I had no hot water, but our laundry from the previous week had been done by the hotel so we had clean clothes at least.

A long breakfast where we planned out our next few days and looked up some places to stay on Phu Quoc island right at the end of our trip - all looking forward to this lots as it looks idyllic.

Around midday we headed up to the market square in Sapa, where I had to be restrained from buying all the gadgets that they were selling rather unexpectedly on the stalls. Pens that turned into knives that turned into spades and all that kind of thing that I always want to buy but know I will never ever use.

We saw Tom on the walk back down (I think you spell it 'Tom', she was illiterate so couldn't tell me) and she tried to get us to go off with her again for another walk, but soon got the picture that we just weren't up for it this time. I'd recommend anyone going to Sapa asks for her on the street if they want a good day and a genuine experience, she was fab.

We stopped in at the shisha bar from the night before and shared a pipe before just lounging around reading our books and drinking litres and litres of water as time trickled away before our train journey.

We got a bus around half 5 from outside the hostel, then we sat in the bus outside a swanky panky hotel waiting for the 5* guests to finish faffing for ages before heading back across to Lao Cai. This time the sky was clear and we could appreciate the truly beautiful scenery out of the window - it was stunning.

Lao Cai is no place to hang around, and has nothing there apart from a train station so when we arrived, we camped out in a restaurant for an hour or so until the train arrived and we could move into our bedroom in there.

It was a bit of a confusion finding our carriage, but eventually we got our heads around the ticket and settled down for another night of swinging around from side to side , lights on, lights off, screeching breaks and chug chug chug chug chug.