Waking up to a foggy and drizzly morning, we had to change plans to explore the other neighboring farming communities and settle for breakfast at the charming Ban Mai, fronting the town’s lake. One of the best things with traveling with a good friend is that radical changes in plans become interesting detours to catching up and making alternative plans. We made friends with the owner of Ban Mai Inn which has really nice rooms at affordable prices ($4 up/night) and a good view of the lake, plus a good location on the quieter side of town. We found the Sapa mushrooms so good we ventured asking the owner where can we buy them. Being the kind soul she is, she volunteered to get it for us in time for our return to Lao Cai.
Going back to warm and humid Lao Cai, we immediately missed the cool weather of the highlands. Hie, the owner of the Pho Café, was true to his word about our train tickets. It was bedlam at the station when it opened but the softsleeper cabin we got was better (cooler, more comfortable) than the one we had coming here. We completed our expenses accounting and kulitan early before turning in for the night, the chugging motion of the train lulling us to dreamland.
