Friday 8 September – Bac Ha
I’m awake. It’s 5.30am.
I feel alright, although I am certainly aware that I may have had one or two too many rice wines last night.
That’s okay, been here before.
No need to get up just yet, so the sleep thing will continue.
But it doesn’t happen, as five minutes later, my body sends me a sign that all is not well with my stomach.
The toilet is utilised, and while it’s not a truly terrible experience, it also wasn’t that great.
Back to bed, and apart from just essentially laying there, nothing else is achieved.
Time ticks on.
The 6.15am alarm is stopped from doing its thing.
And still I lay.
A few minutes before my 7.00am appointment downstairs, my phone makes a noise.
Understandably, and certainly not surprisingly, it’s Mike, wondering where I am.
“On my way”, is the response.
Appointment kept, and Dung the guide, whose name, rather embarrassingly, I kept forgetting yesterday, and Duc, are already there.
We’re quickly on our way, and while it’s not raining at the moment, the greyness of the clouds are instilling no confidence at all that we’re not going to see some at some point.
Out of Bac Ha, and as we climb we begin to get glimpses of camera worthy scenery down below, which helps, but only slightly, to take my mind off the way that I’m feeling.
We reach a point that screams out to be photographed, so we pull over to do just that.
It’s scenic as ever, and the low cloud that begins to roll in just adds to the whole vista.
That cloud, however, then completely swallows our view, and I can’t help but think timing is everything.
The cloud adding to it, before overwhelming it.
Back on the bikes and we move on.
That ordinary feeling I have, has now been added to with associated stomach cramps.
It’s not a constant, but they come along every minute or two, and last for about 30 seconds.
The pain and discomfort is concerning, but it’s the thought of where this all might end up is what I am most worried about.
We soon reach Lung Phin market, and it’s absolutely nothing like yesterday’s market, with people everywhere.
It’s just so colourful and so vibrant, and the amount, and range, of stuff on offer is staggering.
Food, spices, clothing, tools, animals; there is just so much there.
We stumble across the animal section, which seems to be mainly pigs and dogs, and while I generally don’t have too many issues dealing with the usual market sights in relation to animals, this one does make me stop and think.
The dogs are tied up, which is fine, and I do honestly believe they are of the pet variety, but the pigs are either in cages or large woven bags.
It’s the ‘bag scene’ that I’m struggling a little with, although to be fair, the pigs actually appear very content and relaxed.
They do seem to like their bags.
But that changes when they’re occasionally pulled out for inspection by a potential buyer, and the content and relaxed pig becomes anything but.
Kicking out and squealing loudly, you would be forgiven for thinking his time had arrived, had you not been able to see what was actually happening.
But, once the ‘inspection’ is complete, and said inspected pig is returned to the bag, peace is restored, and pig is once again happy.
Back to the bag.
Back through the market, this time via the fresh meat section, of which I am not sure I have ever seen so much meat in one place, and we find a ‘restaurant’ over the road doing phở bò.
Mike’s keen for breakfast, while I’m not too sure about that option. But, with the thinking, or perhaps more just hope, that it might make me better, or at worst, not make me go further south, I decide to chance it.
While it’s good, it unfortunately doesn’t really improve my situation, and the stomach cramps and ordinary feeling continue as before.
Breakfast done, we head back into the market to try and find Dung and Duc, stopping along the way to check out, and be pressured to buy, a huge array of traditional ethnic minority clothing.
Their persistence, and keenness, surprised me a little, as I just can’t see it as a tourist souvenir type thing.
Dung and Duc found, and then back to where the bikes had been left, and we’re quickly on our way.
Again, and just like yesterday, there’s plenty to look at, and we stop several times to try and get the camera to do the impossible.
Through a couple of small towns, and then a bit after 10.00am we reach Si Ma Cai, which seems bigger than any other town we’ve been through, since we left Bac Ha.
My issue isn’t getting any better, and I’m really struggling. My usual plan of attack in these situations is to ride it out, in the hope and belief that my body will get it sorted without intervention.
More often that not my belief is wrong, and my hope nothing more than that, and I succumb several days later by visiting a doctor or a pharmacy.
Well, decision is made to not do what I normally do, and now that we’ve reached a reasonable sized town, I keep a lookout for a pharmacy.
We pull over for a quick break, and as luck would have it, there’s a pharmacy just a few doors away.
I explain my problem to Dung, and seeing as a real life translator is better than an electronic one, he comes with me to deal with the language barrier.
The female pharmacist is very helpful, but the remedy offered, which seems to be some sort of probiotic, doesn’t really fill me with confidence that it will work.
A quick Google reveals that it’s unlikely it will do me any harm, and at 80 000 Dong for the five or six vials of the watery looking liquid, I decide to trust the pharmacist more than myself.
First one administered, and then we’re back on the bikes.
But not for long, as Dung is keen for us to check out a temple.
Being the type of temple person I am, I’m less keen, but in the interests of not being rude or unappreciative, I suck it up and go take a look.
Up several steps, and with that earlier cloud a thing of the past, the sun is doing its thing.
The combination of the heat, the temple, and the way I feel, all combine to make the whole thing more painful than it ordinarily would be, and as soon as we reach the top, I find some shade and sit on a step.
Temple seen, it’s back down those steps, and back on the bike.
Out of town, and the scenery returns to the same old, same old, but as always, stunning views.
But I’m not really concentrating, and it’s now more just survival mode. The cramps are still happening, and I’m now becoming aware of aching muscles, which certainly ain’t from any strenuous activity.
We pull over for another break, this time at an area that looks out over towards some very large mountains.
Dung explains that we’re actually looking at China, which surprises me, as I had no idea we were this far North.
My phone then confirms that we must be close, as my Australian telecommunications provider sends me a text saying, ‘Welcome to China’.
We move on, and then begin heading up a mountain, before pulling over again near a local’s house. They’re outside, and while we take a short break, Dung chats with them.
While there’s no tea involved this time, they’re just so friendly and giving, and have absolutely no issue with being interrupted, essentially, in their backyard.
On we go, higher up the mountain, and as we do, the drop in temperature is noticeable. It’s certainly cooler than it’s been at any other time of the day, but I can’t help but think that maybe my body’s over sensitivity at the moment, is also contributing.
Higher up, a short wait for a couple of excavators to do their thing on, and beside, the road, including one with a jackhammer attachment on it, that I could almost touch, as we went past.
How many stop / go people, witches hats, reduced speed limit signs, would have been involved back home, instead of the single guy in pants and shirt keeping watch on safety, while looking at his phone???
Again, just another thing I love about this place.
Waiting patiently.
Higher up, to the point that we’re now at the same level of the clouds drifting into the valley below.
It’s cold, I feel ordinary, but this scenery; just wow!
We stop. Because we have to. I mean really, how could you not?
The size of the mountains, the rice terraces below, the small village, the scale of everything, and those clouds rolling in to impact, but not in a bad way, at least right now, the whole lot in front of me.
That word ‘stunning’, again, and most definitely not for the last time.
On we go, reluctantly, before then beginning to move down the mountain, and as we do, the temperature returns to more what you’d expect it to be.
We reach a very small town, and with the sun now out, it’s actually quite warm.
I’m not complaining.
We take a break near a small local convenience store, and while Dung and Duc get a drink, I find a spot to sit by the side of the road and just watch the world go by.
School is out for lunch, and there’s heaps of kids about, all in the process of making their way home.
As they walk past, a number of them notice these two strange western tourists in their town, and the looks on their faces, as well as their reactions, can’t help but make me smile.
The surprised and amazed looks, along with the excited ‘hellos’, I never tire of, and I always love these little interactions.
Back on the move towards Bac Ha, the road going from good to not so good, and as we come around a sweeping bend, we pull over. Not so much for a break, but more for the view in front of us.
No deep valley filled with rice terraces below, and massive mountains on the other side, but just a simple scene of some low terraces with a rice field or two, a local’s house, and a local harvesting her rice.
Grand and panoramic, you probably wouldn’t describe it as, but picturesque and quintessential Vietnamese countryside?
Absolutely!
Mike too, is clearly of the same belief, and we spend a few minutes trying to capture the scene.
Again, that timing thing, as the local woman harvesting the rice, in her traditional clothing, then picks up a bundle and walks towards us and the road.
Yep, all about timing, and judging by the sounds coming from Mike’s camera, he too was rather impressed with what he was seeing.
Back on the bikes, and that earlier sun has been replaced with rather grey looking clouds. And sure enough, they begin to do their thing.
Duc pulls over; Dung and Mike are somewhere up ahead; and fortunately, Duc has a waterproof option for both of us.
I’m quickly suited up in a fairly large, and quite heavy duty, khaki jacket, while Duc is in a poncho.
Much appreciative of his forethought and preparedness, we continue on in the rain, which is now rather heavy.
We eventually get back to Bac Ha, and while the rain is still falling, albeit lighter now, my jacket has done an excellent job as we pull up outside the Ngan Nga.
Mike and Dung are nowhere to be seen, which surprises me, as I assumed they were a long way ahead of us.
As jackets and ponchos are removed, a couple of familiar faces pull up behind us, and they too are surprised that they’re ‘second’.
Seems the older Duc knows a bit more about the local roads…..
Mike mentions lunch at Binh’s again, for all four of us, but I’m done. I’m exhausted, and now just have an overwhelming desire for sleep.
Hugely apologetic, I leave them to it, and head upstairs.
It had been a great couple of days, and while it would have been nice to have a proper ‘goodbye’, it’s just not an option right now.
Duc had been an incredibly safe driver, and Dung had been an exceptional guide, and I would wholeheartedly recommend him if you’re in the Bac Ha area.
Into my room, and I can’t get to the bed quick enough. The sleep thing, quite surprisingly for me, but perhaps not so much under these circumstances, comes quickly.
An hour and a half later, and while I’m still not great, I’m a lot better than I was. Although the toilet experience at the end of my nap would perhaps suggest otherwise…..
Out about 3.00pm, after a quick phone call from my cousin who, having no idea I was in Vietnam, hung up very quickly from his ‘work’ phone, and while I have no huge desire for food, I feel like I sort of need something.
I head up towards my convenience store, and with a baker just a couple of doors down, I’ve found my preferred option when things aren’t all rosy.
A bánh mì, but a bánh mì minus any other ingredient.
I walk over to the counter, and a young boy, probably eight or nine, lets out a very loud, and rather prolonged, squeal, when he sees me.
It’s not a squeal of terror, but it’s loud enough to get the attention of pretty much everyone within a 50 metre radius.
While I’m initially surprised by his reaction, I’m soon laughing due to how long he persevered with it.
His older sister, who had been asleep on the floor, is now well and truly awake, and the look on her face, as she made her way towards the counter to serve me, just added to the whole humourous little encounter.
As too did the look she gave her brother, which just made me laugh more.
Naked bánh mì purchased (5000 Dong), and I head back to sit out the front of the hotel to eat it.
It goes down alright, and the hotel cook, who is perhaps wondering why I’m eating a plain bread roll, hands me a couple of bananas to go with it.
It was a nice gesture, but one that he didn’t need to do, but I appreciated his concern, nonetheless.
Any issue I thought I had earlier with him, is now very much a thing of the past.
Mike turns up a few minutes later, carrying a bag of raw meat.
It’s horse, apparently, and it took him a while to find it. So long in fact, that he asked Binh, the restaurant owner, for help.
As is the way in Vietnam, a phone call was made, and within a few minutes, a small bag of meat appeared.
I love the way this country works.
Horse meat acquisition discussion completed, the contemplation begins on what next to do prior to dinner.
Feeling okay, but still not great, the realisation hits that I have not yet tried beer as a cure, so the obvious decision is made.
But for a change of scenery, and perhaps as a thank you for the horse help, we head off around the corner to Binh’s.
Binh, as usual, has a smile on his face when he sees us, and while I’d like to think that that’s because it’s us, I suspect it’s rare that he doesn’t have a smile on his face, regardless of who walks in.
Two beers ordered, and seat taken, but we have a slight problem; Binh is low on beer.
I receive the last Saigon beer, and Mike, always the trouper, takes the hit and ends up with the unfortunately named Vinager beer.
Binh then sets about solving his beer issue by giving his daughter some money, and sending her on an errand.
She returns a few minutes later, plastic bag in hand, and the already cold beers are deposited in Binh’s fridge.
Again, I love the way this country works.
We sit, chat, enjoy the beer, and watch as the world goes about its thing.
A discussion comes up about a possible road trip, after the Sunday market, to another area that Mike is keen on seeing, and my interest is piqued.
But being shocking with the geographical positioning of places up here, apart from knowing that they’re all in the far North, and with a penchant for doing very little to no research on where I might be headed, I leave Mike to nut out the details, and to tell me exactly when I’ll be required to be ready, and where.
Several beers (15 000 Dong), but only the one Vinager one, had, and we head back to the Ngan Nga.
Around the corner and up the narrow road, and we find a guy cooking, amongst other things, coiled up sausages on a barbeque.
It stands out, as it looks more like an Australian scene than a Vietnamese one.
Mike too is interested, so we head over for a closer look.
The guy wielding the cooking implements is happy to see us, offering us a sample, and as we partake, another guy standing there starts talking to Mike.
Initially I thought the second guy was part of the barbeque set up, but no, he’s a tour guide, and it turns out they know each other.
After what I’ve seen over the last few days, I think Mike knows the majority of people in Bac Ha….
The sausage is good, and so good in fact, that Mike actually buys some.
That annoys me, as I’m the one who should have bought it, but, to be fair, I was too busy trying to connect all these people to see how they all fitted together, which, as it turned out, none of them really do.
I really need to stop concentrating on how and why, and instead just accept, and do.
Back to the hotel, now a little late, and once Mike’s shared the sausage with some of the staff, dinner is about to be served.
The shower will have to wait, and we’re quickly upstairs to our usual dinner room.
Tonight it’s goat, an assortment of greens, rice, and of course, the horse.
There’s also rice wine, which slowly but surely, becomes more rice wine.
It’s all good, as it always is, but it’s the interaction with these incredibly generous people who just make the whole thing.
Dinner done a bit after 8.00pm, so I head back downstairs to visit my beer place up the road.
It’s funny, and while I had noticed it earlier, I hadn’t stopped to give it much thought. And that is the number of tourists that I’m now seeing in Bac Ha.
When we arrived Wednesday, if I saw one, then it was only one or two. Yesterday, the same.
But today, and more specifically tonight, there are far more around.
It makes sense, and Mike had mentioned it in the past, but as the weekend approaches, the tourists flock to Bac Ha for the Sunday market.
It certainly doesn’t bother me, but I think I kind of liked being the anomaly the last few days, rather than just another in the crowd.
Anyway, I’ll get over it.
Up to my beer girl, knowing smile received, and then back to the hotel for that delayed, and much needed, shower.
Onto the bed for the usual Trip Advisor stuff, along with a few notes, through the haze that is rice wine, and then by 10.00pm, I’ve had enough.
Was a tough day, but it’s finished up okay. Still not brilliant, but the medicinal rice wine seems to have helped, along with the beer, which never fails to improve things.
First of two markets in the next two days, which goes with the two markets of the last two days.
Lucky I like markets….
But tomorrow’s will be a little different, with it being the rather specific ‘buffalo market’ of Bac Ha.
And with my love and admiration of all things buffalo, I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.
I just hope, health wise, I find things are heading in the right direction when I wake up.
Cheers,
Scott
seriouslynot 