Sapa

At last, mountains and cold weather!!

Sapa is all about the rice terraces, forested slopes and 'minority villages' that dot the valley floors. The mist rolls up and down the valley sides obscuring the stunning views from our balcony every 5 minutes.

It's damp, foggy and a bit like the lakes (which is probably why Tom loves it so much!) except for one thing. The mobs of minority villagers that wait to ambush foreigners outside the doors of every hotel and cafe.

They follow you for miles, 3 or 4 to each tourist. Pester power is king. If you answer a question it is logged and used against you when they accost you the next morning. The lady in this photo is Red Dao.

What tourism has done to this place is incredible. And just over the border in China, where we were just a few months ago there were no westerners and no hassle.