Discover the slowness of travel and a simpler time
N 22°25'12.3'' E 103°54'50.1''
Date:
12.07.2016 until 14.07.2016
Day: 381 – 384
Country:
Vietnam
Location:
Sa Pa
Latitude N:
22°25’12.3”
Longitude E:
103°54’50.1”
Daily kilometers:
25 km
Total kilometers:
17,432 km
As the crow flies:
10 km
Maximum speed:
50.4 km/h
Travel time:
01:00 hrs.
Soil condition:
Asphalt / gravel
Maximum height:
1.600 m
Total altitude meters:
44.838 m
Altitude meters for the day:
375 m
Sunrise:
05:27 a.m. – 05:28 a.m.
Sunset:
6:52 pm – 6:49 pm
Temperature day max:
25°C
Temperature day min:
18°C
(Photos of the diary entry can be found at the end of the text).
As our days in beautiful Sa Pa are numbered, we want to visit a few more highlights in the region before continuing our journey and get on our bikes. Without the heavy load, we have the feeling of sitting on a wild horse. The first few meters are hard to control and we have to be careful not to get thrown off or take an involuntary mud bath in one of the rice fields due to the unusually rapid acceleration. Once we’ve got used to the ease of cycling without luggage and have our stallion under control, it’s pure pleasure to whizz up the steep mountain passes with him. We enjoy the fabulous landscape, the variety of fresh greenery in the rainy season, the pure exploding life of nature. In China, there were hardly any valleys without power plants whose dirty, toxic clouds of smoke contaminated almost every stretch of land and covered every plant like a gray filter. Many of the rivers were also contaminated by industrial wastewater and soon every resident was using them as a natural outlet for their daily waste. A nightmare come true. Nevertheless, we really liked this country, whose border is only a few kilometers away from Sa Pa, and because we spent most of the year travelling in winter in this middle country, it has certainly become greener and more lively. It’s amazing what a variety Mother Earth offers us. You cross a line drawn by humans and suddenly everything is different. Here in northern Vietnam, the population, mainly the ethnic hill tribes, is dressed in their colorful traditional costumes. People are more open, even nicer than in China. They seem to have more joie de vivre. Their mentality is also completely different, in no way comparable to the neighboring country. The vibration in the air is noticeably finer, more pleasant and somehow warmer despite all the monsoon rain. Only a few inhabitants constantly spit on the street like the Chinese or talk so loudly that foreigners might think they are about to get into each other’s hair. Things are decidedly calmer and more relaxed. After nine months in China and the first few weeks in Vietnam, the difference between the two countries has been confirmed. I’m certainly not saying that it’s worse in China, no, it’s just different. If you have discovered the slowness of travel and are traveling on horseback, camel, on foot or by bike, such differences between national borders are massively noticeable and are part of the charm of travel. Fortunately, the equality between peoples that the powerful governments of our planet are striving for is still a long way off. We still differ in our culture, religion, language, food and much more. It is to be hoped that we humans will preserve our differences and diversity for a long time to come and value them as a great treasure and not see them as a reason for quarrels and wars in order to promote the inevitable equality between peoples.
After 12 km we reach the Silver Waterfall, which is covered in thick rain clouds when we arrive. We climb up the steps that have been specially laid out for visitors as the wall of clouds opens up for a moment and gives us a breathtaking view of the long valley with its rice terraces. Even on the return journey, the clouds remain dense at times and allow the sun’s rays to penetrate. “A dream!” I shout to Tanja and understand why six million tourists a year will soon be visiting the country. This situation is completely new to us, as on our cycle tour from Germany to here we were mostly on the road in countries where you don’t necessarily spend your annual vacation. On the one hand, we love the solitude and the adventure that comes with it, but on the other hand, we are delighted to have finally arrived in South East Asia. 50 degrees below zero, as in the Mongolian winter, or 52 degrees in the shade, as in the Australian outback, do not exist here. So we won’t freeze to death or die of thirst. The accommodation will certainly be nicer and the food possibly better than in Siberia or Kazakhstan. We will see what lies ahead and look forward to a time and countries that will make it easier for us to move forward, at least in the coming year…
If you would like to find out more about our adventures, you can find our books under this link.
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