We shared a sleeping wagon with two other people. The train was comfortable enough (generally better then the Chinese trains) but airconditioning is still a western luxury. Even in shorts and a t-shirt it was too warm (over 35 Celcius). Therefore it took quite a while before we could finally sleep and the train arrived in Sapa at 0530 in the morning. Sapa is located in the mountains in the north of Vietnam. This small city is perfectly situated in a valley surrounded by waterfalls and traditional villages and markets. During a couple of days with did a lot of hiking and visited some of the villages, markets and waterfalls. This is where you can experience the old and traditional ways of living in Vietnam. Sapa itself is more modern with an old historic centre and has a variety of markets, shops, bars and restaurants.

On the second evening we experienced a tropical thunderstorm which made it rain for several hours and caused a power black-out during that period. Luckily enough we were dining in a small restaurant with some friends we've met (they were from our hometown). We were in a dry place and electricity was switched with candle light. Of course paying by creditcard was no option at that moment :) That's why you always need to bring some cash. After an exhausting three days we took the train back to Hanoi and flew to Hue.