■ SA PA, VIETNAM: When I toured Northern Vietnam on a motorbike 5 years ago, upon hitting the town Lao Cai, I rode east. The area west of said city was thus unexplored and unchartered territory to me. My absolute favorite aspect of this far North of the country is the green mountains and tiered rice fields. The region known as Sa Pa epitomizes such terrain.

I knew I had to go. But how to get there? My choice of transportation fell on a spacious sleeper bus where you get your own compartment to chill in.

They were supposed to pick me up at my hotel at 7:00. I was waiting for them since 6:45. At 8:00 There was no sign of the bus. The hotel called them for me and it turns out they had forgotten to swing by my hotel me.

They sent a motorbike to fetch me so we could drive and catch up with the bus. It was the start of an uncomfortable journey. Luckily in Sa Pa a $300 luxury cabin at a 5 start hotel awaited me. I therefore journey straight to the hotel to recover and revel in luxury before my mountain adventure began the following day.

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