Day 8: Unavoidable Overeating

This route was exceptionally enjoyable and scenic. It featured winding paths along high mountain slopes, vast valleys, rivers, bridges, dams, and rose plantations, interspersed with desolate concrete stretches requiring steep climbs. The route passed through villages inhabited by the colorful Thai and H‘mong ethnic groups. And, at day's end, I was awestruck by the incredibly beautiful rice terraces adorning mountain sides, rolling hills, and riverbanks. I made numerous stops, overwhelmed by the beauty and regretting the need to move on. A deep yearning gripped me; I wanted to join the hard-working Vietnamese in the fields and live in a small hillside hut, waking with the sun and writing books. Resignedly, I moved on, absorbing new sights unfolding at every turn.

Mu Cang's guest house was the highlight of the day – a simple, affordable, two-story wooden paradise with a fish pond, cozy guest rooms, and an open terrace for solitary relaxation or engaging conversations with fellow travelers. The homestay owner invited me for dinner with his family. We sat on the floor around a steaming Lau (a pot on a gas burner for cooking soup with added meat, noodles, and vegetables). The meal also included fried spring rolls, roasted duck, and 'happy water' – a mild Vietnamese rice vodka. During dinner, the homestay owner’s eight-year-old daughter, initially shy, eventually warmed up to me, timidly tugging at my beard and inquiring in perfect English about snow. I showed her photos of Lithuanian winter and skiing trips in the Alps, introducing her to a world she had yet to explore.

The evening's communal cooking and dining were delightful, but it was hard to avoid overeating. Tired from the day’s journey, I ate quickly and in excess. The gentle rice vodka flowed freely, and suddenly, all I craved was the comfort of my bed. Eager to rise early, I planned to visit a nearby bamboo forest, its beauty heralded in Google images, just 5 km from the guesthouse.

• From - To: Phong Lan Hotel – Mu Cang Homestay

• Distance: 113 km, 3:08h

• Routes: DT106 – DT109 – QL32

• Accommodation: Mu Cang Homestay, Deluxe Room with a fan 8 Eur per night, no breakfast