Up in the hills of North-West Vietnam where it permanently rains and is always green, with fresh air and waterfalls everywhere you look.... there is also a lot of mud. There was also a lesson learned. When preparing clothing to go hiking, it is worth copying the tour guide. That means choosing wellington boots and a large umbrella over hiking boots, rain coats etc. Lesson learned.
During the trip we chatted with the various tour guides, spent the night in a village (that had WiFi and computer thanks to a pilot project from various companies and foreign governments), met millions more Australians (it is their school holidays) and checked out schools and toilets (interesting for me, as related to work. Less interesting for the others in the group!)
It is also a region where children only go to school for 5 years maximum, so they can work in the tourism industry making and selling jewelery and clothing along side their grandmothers. It was very depressing to see grandmothers who have worked their entire lives in the fields, brought up countless children and grandchildren and lived through Wars against France, China, the USA etc only to be almost begging you to buy their handicrafts. It is a real shame, especially as the Women are not that poor, but still feel they need to get as much cash as they can anyway they can to provide for their families.
The area also houses a local branch of 'baguette et chocolat' which is a wonderful French cafe that trains street children to work there and provide jobs for them. Their chocolate mousses are to die for.... They need to open in China!
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