Anywhere There

  The Ma Pi Leng Pass is a long, windy tar road that makes up part of the Ha Giang Loop between the towns of Dong Van and Meo Vac. Like most adventures in Vietnam, its popularity to do it on motorbikes has made it a rather expensive endeavour, but it doesn't have to be! When I researched this hike, I couldn't find anything about not doing it by bike (and many a bike passed us enroute), but hiking it is exactly what we did and here was our experience: Start: Hoang Bach Homestay, Dong Van, Ha Giang End: Meo Vac, Ha Giang Length: 22km Duration: Initial uphill for ~2.5-3 hours, then flat/downhill ~4 hours in cool weather, carrying 60litre backpacks without stops. I reckon 7.5 hours would be a safe estimate for intermediate hikers under these conditions. It is difficult to talk about a trip to Vietnam without also mentioning the infamous scooter-lifestyle that encourages its visitors to partake in its adventures, often without license. While researching the Ha Giang loop, a scooter ...

T his is a tester post, because we all want to start something but not at the risk of starting it badly.  Well, I say it's better to start badly than to not start at all.  How many times has it crossed our minds to start a blog? Why does it feel so difficult? It's such a great idea but when we sit down to write, the whimsy has taken its leave and it's tough to think of what to actually say.  I believe that this is because it is in fact the concept of ownership, as with most other things, that sparks our interest; it's needing to project our own name and identity on something others are succeeding in. Needing to feel like we too are having a slice of that cake - but then realising that maybe we don't have the right ingredients, and making a cake is tougher than it sounds if you want it to actually taste good. Well, the good news is that this is a skill like any other where, yes, there is a cost and it requires effort, but if you practise, you are guaranteed to improv...