Son asking if we are ready to move on..

These young boys were sitting along the road with three bottles of eels that they had caught.

While in Vietnam I planned a trip to go trekking in Sapa. I had been hiking before, but this was like no other experience I have ever had in my life. It was simply breath-taking. My tour guide was Son. She was a small but cheerful woman filled with all kinds of knowledge. I was lucky to have her as my guide. While hiking, trekking up hillsides, and tip toeing through rice terraces we had a lot of meaningful conversations.

Son has a family with five children and husband. Her kids attend school and her husband goes to the hospital twice a week for his kidneys. She has been doing these hiking tours for the last five years. While doing these tours her wages have changed since she started but not by much. Son gets paid 7 dollars per trekking tour. These tours can rage from a day to 3 days, and I’m sure longer if planned ahead.  When Son first started doing tours she didn’t get paid and she couldn’t speak any English. She learned to speak English from all the people she has met by doing the tours and practicing conversation. She still can not read or write.

Haha.. Can we make it across??

Why yes we can!

Son has never left Sapa. She has lived and stayed there her whole life.  Can you imagine never leaving your home town?  She said she loves her job no matter how much she gets paid. Each person that did this tour paid through a hotel or agency. The cost was anywhere between 50-75 per person. Son gets $7.00 per tour she does no matter what the group size is. These tours aren’t exactly what I would call a walk in the park. I am young and able to do this and it was difficult for me. We trekked 26 kilo or 16 miles in the matter of 2 days. Most of the time Son was way ahead of us and hopping and skipping over the hillsides. She was such a strong woman physically and mentally.

Son took good care of everyone in her group with an honest heart. She had no secret intentions to get us to buy things. She warned us not to buy things from the kids selling bags and bracelets along the way because they weren’t in school, and they should be. Instead they were out trying to make money for their family off of all the tourist that were passing through the mountains.

We stayed overnight at a homestay that consisted of a family style dinner with rice wine…a little too much. I really think the group I was with was something special. I have been traveling and working abroad since last September and I have never felt so accepted and welcomed by such a variety of people in my journey alone. Being the only American with a mild twang … well you know how that goes .. haha. We had people from Israel, Australia, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Belgium and France. Everyone was so open and we shared a lot of stories  along with personal experiences. So thanks to everyone who made me feel so welcome and happy. Our homestay was cozy and we each had our own mattress on the floor.

Son bought us ice cream once we were close to our homestay. We were grateful.

Over lunch the next day a couple of boys asked me if I was staying longer and I said no I had to be back for my flight. Son quickly spoke up and said “If she was staying I would invite her to stay with me.!” She then proceeded to tell me that if I did a “real” local homestay things would be different. We wouldn’t have wi-fi. I would sleep downstairs and the family would sleep upstairs. Theres a bathroom and shower but they both were outside of the house. If you want warm water you must heat it over the open fire. If I ever go back to Sapa or if you ever to Sapa. I would recommend just getting the over night bus or train and then planning a local stay once you get there. The money will go directly to them and it will be a great experience with the locals. Her name is Sung Sapa on Facebook or get ahold of me and I can get in contact with her.  I couldn’t recommend the trip any more. It was my favorite thing that I have done during my travels and I wish I could have stayed longer.

It was clear that Son has overcome a lot. I’m sure that there is more to her story that I haven’t heard. Regardless she  has left a huge impact on me already.