The highest point in Indo China and therefore Vietnam is Mt Fansipan at 10326 ft. It is set in the Hoag Lion Son mountain range in NW Vietnam. It is possible to trek to the top. (It is also possible to take a cable car.) When I was planning our trip to Vietnam back in the UK the prospect of hiking to the top of Fansipan became a primary focus.
From Hanoi we travel to the mountain town of Sa Pa (a busy trekking centre). Our overnight hotel looks out over the valley beneath to the sharp rise on the other valley side and the mountains. Fansipan itself is not in view as it is behind. This is still the rainy season. Views of the mountains come and go. It is beautiful. It seems incredible we are going to walk to the top.
We are met at the hotel next morning by the trekking company representative. (we booked with Joey the Terrible). He reiterated what I had researched from the UK. Fansipan is a steep ascent and the weather is unpredictable. Built on the top is a viewing platform etc serviced by a cable car and it attracts many visitors (a national monument). There is an established hiking trail which takes two days and runs up the same side of the mountain as the cable car. It is designated as difficult. However there is an alternative - the Cat Cat trail which takes 3 days. It is rated hard. The representative wants to ensure we know what we are taking on by opting for Cat Cat. His English is not strong but the gist is clear - perhaps we should do the normal route. Knowing what we know now he was probably right but more of that later.
The Cat Cat route takes us up the valley and eventually criss crossing to around the other side of Fansipan. We are led by Su Su and there are two other woman who might be described as sherpas. They have dustbin shaped plastic containers on their backs carrying everything we are going to need in terms of food and drink, cooking and sleeping. I have been supported by "sherpas" several times before. Morally I am uneasy about it. There was very little English from Su Su and none from the ladies but they were a big part of what we took from the trek. They literally made light of their work. They were so attentive and helped us immeasurably with negotiating the tricky and too often dangerous trail. They chattered and laughed so much. Of course they are mountain people - lived their whole lives in a harsh terrain but even then they were remarkable. They were always going to get a good tip from us.
For 2 days we literally saw not another human being. Most of the time we were in bamboo forest and we were pushing our way through it. There was no flat respite. We we up or down - with a lot of steep downs. It was very humid and on the third day our descent we had heavy tropical rain and thunder and lightning around us.
It was very hard - often slippery too. It was one of those hikes where you had to concentrate on every step. I needed to remind myself where I was and what we were doing as we went on for hour after hour with only short breaks. Rob and I were drained but we kept going. There were no shortcuts anyway - and we later reflected not much chance of help - which we are so thankful we never actually needed.
The ladies were wonderful. It was amazing watching them prepare our lunches. (see photos below.) Our first night was in a shelter. The ladies lit a fire in the middle which burned all night to provide warmth and dry out our gear. They cooked lots of food - stuff I would normally love but the trek effort and probably the altitude took our appetite away. What the ladies managed to eat was enormous. They also had a bottle of happy water - rice wine for the 5 of us to share and that went down very well. They insisted - their custom - we all 5 toasted every sip. "chi". They laughed and giggled. It was a privilege and quite wonderful to be there.
The next morning we set out early again. I am reflecting on personal doubt - have we bitten off too much ? - this is a constant but I know how to bury it - to shake it off. Pride and reality are factors - have to keep going. Rob had the same attitude throughout too which is a huge credit to him as this was his first extended mountain trek. Despite the tiredness it was obvious Rob was getting so much from what he was achieving. That made it even more special given his medical history and my part in his treatment. He is tough as hell. Really proud of him.
They gave us gloves - they mentioned boulders ? The trail on the second day was even denser - more precarious. The gloves were to hold onto anything we could - mostly bamboo - to keep our balance particularly on the decents.
To cut a long story short - we make it to the top and civilization. We all hug. As usual and quite wonderfully I am deeply moved. Relief - sense of achievement - sense of place - happiness. Tears flow quitely. A feeling hard to beat - a drug - what it is probably all about. Subsequently people asked did I enjoy it. The answer is a bit like running a marathon. The main pleasure comes at the end- ha!
The top alas is shrouded in cloud - a shame from a photograph point of view - but no matter. We later descend and stop at a summit base camp overnight for those going up the next day from the main trail.
A measure of what we have achieved becomes apparent. The Cat Cat route is seldom done. Our ladies our proud of us. Other guides give us little claps - broken English "tough men" they point us out to others. That evening was much more relaxed for everyone. Absolutely brilliant and special.
Next day it is almost entirely down but brutal on my knees but who cares. Rob is buzzing. The rain is tropical hard. It is tropical warm.
We tip the ladies well. They are very happy and they really really deserve it. Their giggles are so infectious even though for 99% of the time we have no idea what they are laughing at. I am proud of them and the good life they are living.
Eventualtly back in our Sa Pa hotel we join the normal world again - ha! - we have fantastic creature comforts - a shower - wi fi - beer and later non traditional fare - burger and chips. Brilliant - ha! Thank you to everyone and everything. Thank you for my family. So sorry there are wars. xxxx
Here are some mob photos posted here in chronological order.
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