Will life ever be the same again? Reflections on the Ha Giang Loop
The last time I was in Vietnam, the Ha Giang Loop, as a popular tourist attraction, did not exist. Instead, for avid motor bikers and stunning view seekers, the Hi Van Pass was the outstanding choice. The latter, a windy scenic road connecting Hue and Da Nang made famous by the Top Gear TV special whereby Clarkson and his mob travelled south to north Vietnam by motorbike. If you’ve been keeping up with my travel blogs, it won’t come as a surprise to learn that Harry and I did not drive the Hi Van Pass during our previous trip. I actually wonder what we did for those two whole months. Anyway, here I am on the long coach from Hanoi to Ha Giang, wondering if I had made a massive mistake. Setting out on an unforgettable three days Should I stay or should I go? Rewind a couple of months and despite being told that the Ha Giang Loop experience is brain chemistry-alteringly good – yes I made that phrase up – I was slightly apprehensive. I’d fallen down the trap of watching vi...