Before we begin, let’s introduce the trekkers (in no particular order):
Lou – bubbly Lou, the marketing man’s dream who kept the rest of us supplied with everything from
Baby Wipes to chocolate bars from her special Tardis;
Sarah and Dave (who head up Swindon Supporters Group) – mishap after mishap involving lost
cameras and overflowing toilet cisterns still failed to dampen their spirits
Louise – our lovely Brummie trekker who tried, unsuccessfully, to keep the irrepressible Aga in line;
Agnieszka (better known as Aga) – enthusiasm is her middle name and nothing - not even the loo
from hell – could change that. Her obsession with machetes did give our guide Stef a few grey hairs;
Aileen – a lively and very determined lady with a great sense of humour;
Cathy – her fear of spiders was so intense that prior to the trek, Cathy took herself off to Marwell
Zoo in Southampton to help overcome her arachnophobia. A giant bird-eating tarantula named Rosie
helped,but not much!
Cheryl – the infamous ‘slipper-nicker’ for whom this trek has been a life-changing experience;
Frances – with nerves of steel, Frances captured for all of us the abiding memory of the loo from hell;
Jane – aka Eddie from AB FAB and our very own wolf lady who kept us entertained with her antics,
particularly her novel use of headscarves;
Kate – cool, calm and collected, that’s our Kate - and a dead ringer for Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous
and partner in crime with Eddie above;
Linda – aka Irwin Junior’s mum, leader of the Southampton group and AAF’s Fundraiser of the Year 2009.
She’s also our birthday girl who took the suspension bridges in her stride;
Bernie – War is War he told us as he battled on through sickness;
Sue – the Scouser who made a petty criminal out of room mate Cheryl;
Oliver –aka Ollie’s daddy… who knows a thing or two about camera angles and ‘bear’ behinds… but
that’s another story.
Stef – Our resilient trek guide from Global Adventure Challenges who kept us fed, watered and on the
move like a true professional (at the same time kept a motherly eye on the machete-obsessed Aga);
Tuyen – Our local guide - always smiling, even when the going got tough (for us!)
Day 1
Depart UK for Hanoi, Vietnam via Singapore. Long, long flight with Singapore Airlines and very little,
if any sleep. Plenty of food though!
Louise entertains Sue with photos of her Peru trek last year.
Day 2
Arrive Hanoi Airport. Jane’s journey is nearly over before it’s even started after she’s carted off by
unsmiling officers at Passport Control in what we think is a random check. Don’t leave me, she cries.
Were those combat trousers really to blame?
We meet our Global guide, Stef, ready to make the 35-minute transfer to Hanoi centre. We’re only in
the place a few minutes before panic ensues – Sarah thinks she’s lost her and Dave’s passports. It’s
a taste of things to come!!!!
No time to waste. We freshen up in a local hotel before taking a ‘cyclo’ through the Old Quarter of the
town. Scary stuff! To survive here, the locals just grit their teeth and go for it – and that applies to
cyclists too. With mopeds and every other type of vehicle coming at you from every direction, it’s a
case of just aim and go. In the end, we relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of this crazy city. Did
we really see two men playing badminton with their feet?
Delicious meal over, we head off to take the overnight train to Sapa.
Oops, we’re at the wrong location – mad dash across the tracks to catch the Victoria Express. A sea
of faces, a mass of bodies, obstructs our passage. Heads down, just go for it and use your luggage as
a battering ram if you have to (getting the hang of this place already!)
Once on board we settle into our four-berth cabins. No room to swing a cat, but it’s somewhere to
grab a bit of shut-eye we hope. Aga, of course, loves it. Sarah generously offers to share her cabin
with the men. Lots of snoring and burping and that’s just her! The motion of the train sends a few
trekkers to sleep,but for others there’s a long night ahead.
Day 3: 5k
Arrive in Lao Cai early morning and meet our charismatic guide, Tuyen. It’s bedlam. Don’t people go to
sleep here? Sarah entertains the locals when she steps in a pile of dog mess by our support vehicle.
Thank God for Lou’s Baby Wipes…
Drive up the mountain and check into our lovely hotel, the Victoria Resort and Spa. We’re given a
welcoming cup of cinnamon tea. Can we stay here all week please? After breakfast, it’s the ‘warmup
trek’ – a loop trek to Ma Tra and Ta Phin. It’s only 5k, but it’s up, up, up. Very hot today -
fortunately there’s a cool breeze.
Trek through beautiful gardens and lush pine forests and meet members of the Black Hmong and Red Dao
tribes. Two tribeswomen accompany us on our trek. They tell us that they regularly walk the 12k to Sapa
from their village. Our guides place stepping stones down for us to cross the stream – the water is shallow
enough but fast-flowing.
We see water buffalo, Vietnamese potbellied pigs (which are actually Chinese pigs we’re told), butterflies
the size of small birds, lots of ducks with their young ones, and many skinny cats and dogs. It’s fascinating
to see the rice being harvested. We enter the home of a Black Hmong family with countless children
watching our every move. The older ones - barely in their teens – care for their siblings while their parents
tend to the fields. One of the children carries the mark of a stone on her forehead – a cure for headaches
we’re told. Aga, Aileen and Sue try their hands at the rice grinder, located in one of the rooms – it’s tough
getting it going! Oblivious to our presence, a baby swathed in colourful robes rests on a bed nearby.
One house has green leaves over the front door, which signifies that ‘a sadness’ has taken place for the
occupants so no one should enter. Nearby, an indigo plant is pointed out to us. It’s used for dyeing
materials.
We have lunch in the playground of a local school. It’s all quiet now as the children have left for the
afternoon.
More mayhem for the Chilvers. Their camera goes missing. It did eventually turn up, but not before Dave
heads back with Tuyen on his motorbike to the spot where the camera was last seen. It’s a costly exercise
– the bike suffered a punctured inner tube. Back in their hotel room to freshen up, a naked Sarah is
confronted by an overflowing toilet cistern. DIY Dave attempts to put things right and removes the lid on
the cistern. The result – a vertical spray of toilet water everywhere! Help arrives immediately. Lou, where
are you when you’re needed?
Some of us enjoy a swim or massage. En route to the pool we see several caged song birds, hopping
aimlessly back and forth in their tiny prisons. A member of the hotel staff mistakes our concern for
admiration so we try to explain how sad we are to see them caged. Later, we see more caged birds
in the market and consider buying them to set them free, but we’re not sure if we would be encouraging
a trade in songbirds or indeed if they could survive in the wild.
Dinner in the hotel is delicious. Mushroom soup, pumpkin risotto, crispy vegetable terrine and a selection
of rice and vegetables, followed by mango yoghurt smoothie.
Cheryl and Sue collude to ‘borrow’ the slippers from their room. Aren’t they complementary? They are in
Liverpool.
Day 4: 20k
There’s a long day ahead of us. We set off at 9.15 am for a 20k trek from Sapa to Cat Cat village to
Tavan. Louise and Jane both stumble and fall – Jane manages to put a hole in her trousers (using her
bum as a brake again!). An old lady of 75 passes us. She is without shoes – we discover that she’s
never worn them because she simply can’t afford them. (Cheryl notices that the lady had bunions!
Now there's one in the eye for chiropodists who blame it all on ill-fitting shoes!)
Sarah entertains the locals again. She confides that she doesn’t have children – that her dogs are her
babies. They laugh even louder when she says the dogs each have a name. Crazy English woman! For
many Vietnamese, dogs are simply four-legged chickens – a source of protein not companion, sadly.
Stop for a break after crossing a suspension bridge. Cathy spots a large spider overhead. The route is
tricky; slippy in parts with some very steep sections. Lou’s feet are really sore so when we stop for
lunch by the river, Stef covers her toes in plasters to try to ease the pain.
Local women and children accompany us on the trek. We’re discouraged from giving them money as it
encourages begging. But we are able to buy souvenirs from them. Later, Jane wraps boiled eggs in
tissue as a thank you gift for her helper. That really goes down a storm!
We have lunch inside a hut. Locals including children watch us through the window. We sneak food to
a starving dog and cat hovering nervously under the table, but are told off by Stef as the leftovers are
meant for the porters. Forgot about them, sorry! (And they’re not quite as appealing as the animals,
are they?)
Interrupted today’s trek with visits to local workshops at Ta Van Village, where many of us purchase
beautiful ornaments in marble, handcrafted by members of a Zay Ethnic Group. Visited a local school
where the children perform a dance for us. Aileen is mobbed as she distributes stickers, pens and other
gifts brought over from England. Inside one of the classrooms, Aga entertains pupils with a song from
Poland. Louise, Sue and Sarah follow this with a rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Oliver spends
the time taking photos of the charming Vietnamese teacher. A career in showbiz beckons for her! (She’s
obviously not heard about his penchant for film-making...)
Arrive at our first home stay - hot, tired and grubby! Delighted to find that there is both a shower and
toilet! We’re greeted with ice cold Tiger Beers and a warm welcome from mine hosts. It’s a wonderful,
relaxing evening sat around the tables, getting noisier by the minute. Scarves, made by our hostess Ku,
are snapped up by the girls. Jane has us in stitches with her attempts to tie hers. She resembles Looby Loo!
Cheryl becomes increasingly frustrated with her phone – Virgin are about to lose another customer – and Kate
emails Mary from her phone with an update of our trek. Meanwhile, Oliver entertains us with stories of his days
as an executive producer making adult movies with the sensitively named Hot Rod Productions. They were even
nominated for an award! Tell us more….
It’s a night for singing. Memories of our first 45 record evoke such national treasures as Sugar, Sugar, Jailhouse
Rock and The Tide is High, among others. This, combined with Aga’s impromptu exercise regime (Stef, you did well)
causes quite a stir with the locals. The night just gets noisier and as one by one the trekkers drift off to bed,
we’re left with Oliver and co. putting the world to rights while others choose their double beds, which are lined up
like carriages on a train. It’s a noisy night of thunderous snoring…some are even in tune! Tonight marks the start
of Cathy’s new role as our ‘pill dealer.’ She suddenly has many friends begging for her Sleapeazes for a decent
night’s kip.
Highlights of the day: Breathtaking scenery, mist over the mountains, waterfalls, great food, cold beers.
Day 5: Six hours, 13k
Tavan to Seomity. Up at 5.45 am for a shower and breakfast of pancakes bananas, honey and tea. Set off at 9am.
Horrendous start to the trek – it’s a steep ascent from the word go, which sets the pattern for the rest of the day.
Lou is suffering from the effects of too much rice wine the night before but looks resplendent in her bright blue socks
and trekker sandals borrowed from Stef. We cross many rivers today.
Cheryl, Bernie (who’s really poorly today), Aga and Sue opt to take the really steep, shorter route for part of the
journey, before meeting up with the others on the main road. It’s a tricky ascent and they have to double over,
almost onto all fours to avoid stumbling backwards.
Jane falls a few times – “just resting of course!” The first leech is spotted on Sarah’s boot and another on Kate’s
backpack. Trekked mostly through narrow paths and jungle, slipping and sliding our way along. Heard the cicadas
chattering away (or were they tree frogs – even our guides cannot agree) in the undergrowth. Saw more water
buffalo and a few birds. A young boy with a sling passes by and our guides tell us he is hunting birds.
Lunch is in a clearing – delicious rolls with tuna, cucumber etc. We have an hour to re-charge our batteries and
some of us fall asleep. What were those little creatures hopping around us in the grass? Stef tries to talk Aga
out of buying one of the porter’s machetes. She doesn’t think the airport security would be too impressed, but
Aga’s got other ideas.
Poor Bernie’s still not well. Route improves slightly, but there’s yet more jungle and it’s slimy underfoot causing a
few of us to take a nasty tumble.
Arrive at Hoang Lien National Park’s Forestry Protection Office and we’re surprised to see a large poster telling
people not to kill moon bears. It’s ironic, really, because there hasn’t been a moon bear sighted in the area for
about two years because of the hunting and trapping culture here.
From the road we see the campsite – a large blue tent and a green Wendy-house - located in an ugly quarry.
It’s been earmarked for one of five dams being built in the area which are slowly destroying this beautiful
landscape. There’s a shortage of 2/3 man tents so the Wendy-house will have to accommodate more bodies
than originally planned. Where’s Cathy with the Sleapeazes?
Sort sleeping arrangements and relax with a beer. The toilet (our loo with a view) is an interesting contraption
comprising a seat, a lid and a metal frame and is sited at a discreet distance from the campers. It’s a three-sided
windbreaker (not sure if that’s the correct term, but seems appropriate) and leaves an opening that brings a smile
to the faces of the construction workers spotted overhead when the mist lifts the next morning.
Food is prepared well into the dark by the porters who have borrowed our head torches and laid it all out on a
large blue ground sheet. Once again there’s a delicious assortment of veggie dishes to tuck into with chopsticks,
and an assortment of sweets for afters (courtesy of Lou’s never-ending supply of tuck-shop goodies). After
dinner we play games, including ‘I’m in the Boat’ and Lou’s scissor game, followed by a sing song around the
campfire for some. Oliver and Bernie head for an early night in their two-man tent (please don’t read anything
into that as we didn’t at the time). The strains of Bohemian Rhapsody fill the night air.
It’s an early start tomorrow for the longest trekking day of the trip.
Dawn breaks and Sue and Cheryl throw caution and knickers to the wind and freshen up in the river. Fortunately,
there’s a low mist so no risk of scaring the locals.
Day 6: Happy Birthday, Linda!
Seomity – Den Thang – Ta Trung Ho – a 24k, 10 hour hike that pushes us all to the limit. It’s supposed to be a
5-hour trek!
We leave at 8.30am, an hour later than planned, which throws the rest of the day out. However, it does give
us a bit of time to mark Linda’s birthday and Stef presents her with an adorable soft toy elephant as we all sing
to the birthday girl.
Today’s the day Aileen re-invents herself as a mountain goat. We’d taken a wrong turn (no sat navs in the jungle)
and reached a dead end. The choice was either to double-back or negotiate a very steep embankment. Aileen
does a Lara Croft and takes the short-cut, impressing us all.
It’s a series of steep, slippery stages which have us all cursing at times. Will we meet Dr. Livingstone en route?
The guide in front uses a stick to clear a path (has Aga gone off with his machete after all?) We cross more
suspension bridges including one with several pieces missing and we’re about 20 feet up! It has everyone worried.
It’s particularly bad for Jane who suffers from vertigo, but she grits her teeth and bravely edges across. Oliver’s
convinced the bridge won’t hold firm (“There’s no one in Vietnam as heavy as me” he’s heard muttering to himself).
Linda suffers a nasty fall on a downward path, as does David, Sarah and Oliver. Louise suffers some nasty
scratches to her arm and Sarah’s camera lands in the mud when she narrowly avoids falling down the mountain.
A domestic ensues as Dave expresses concern ...for the damaged camera. Soggy, mud-covered socks are the
order of the day.
Arrive late (2.30pm) for lunch by the river. There’s only one problem – we have to get across it first. The porters
cleverly resort to harnessing bamboo poles together so we can cross the river in stages. There are some hairy
moments for many of us. Jane falls again. She’s having a bad day and we commiserate with her. And the leeches
are back! Aileen finds one on her hand and Cheryl, her tee-shirt. Cathy spots one wriggling from her shoe.
They’re only little, but they’re disgusting! Did anyone notice the little red worm-like creatures wriggling on the
rocks before we crossed the water? Not sure if these are related to the leech family and have no desire to
investigate further.
Today is the day some of us (inadvertently) destroy a bench on the hillside. Remember this moment?
We’re rocking back and forth in unison to show Stef that it’s all become too much; that we’d finally flipped! And then
it broke….
The trek continues. It’s hard going all the way and many of us don’t arrive at the home stay until dark, at about
6.15pm.
A snake is killed by the porters near to our lodgings – don’t understand why they have to kill something that hasn’t
done them any harm. As it is, we’re puzzled by the lack of wildlife in the mountains.
A few tears were shed today – exhaustion combined with disappointment at our home stay. We almost throw up
when we see the toilet (Frances took a memorable picture of this). Some of us opt for the paddy field. For Lou
and Sarah it’s a call of nature they won’t forget in a hurry – they’re chased, mid-flow, from the field by curious cows.
On arrival, we’re advised to check one another for leeches and so, like monkeys, we set about grooming each other.
(On reflection, we were more likely to be leaving with unwanted guests about us. A few of us were bitten during
the night). The ‘shower’ in the adjoining room consisted of a plastic bowl beneath a wall tap. When you pulled the
plug in the washbasin, the wastewater exited straight through the bottom of the bowl onto your feet. It does
make you smile – and so, so grateful for those Baby Wipes!
Oblivious to all of this, the host family is fascinated by photos of themselves taken on our digital cameras.
Everyone sleeps upstairs under mosquito nets on hard floors. With the awful prospect of that loo, Sue finally gets
to test her Travel John (a mini mobile urinal in case you hadn’t heard of it before). Not a sound to be heard from
her direction – except a sigh of relief - but there are some interesting animal noises coming at us from all sides.
Are they actually in the house? We’re woken by cockerels crowing in the early hours. Another day dawns for the
intrepid trekkers.
Day 7 Just four hours of trekking today!
From homestay to Ban Ho, setting off at about 9.30am trudging through red, dusty clay made wet and clingy by
the rain. It sticks to your boots like globs of red chewing gum, weighing you down as you walk.
Stop to visit a school en route. It’s a particularly poor school with many of the children in tatty, soiled clothing
and very few wearing shoes. There’s not even a toilet.
Stopped for lunch, where once again the tribeswomen are out in force selling their wares. Their dogged persistence
finally wears the normally patient Frances down. After politely refusing their advances she finally tells them to
p…s off! We all sympathise with her. Those immortal words…”You buy from me,” will haunt us forever. Some
of the group head off to a nearby waterfall for a swim. We’re looking forward to tonight in the Eco Lodge –
a comfy bed and a proper loo. How easily pleased we are after a few days in the hills!
We say ‘goodbye’ to our trusty team of porters and cooks as we reach the Topas Ecolodge. They leave armed with
whatever gifts we are able to give them – from walking boots (well worn in now!) to head torches. With the
trekking part of the trip complete – a total distance of 70k - we won’t be needing these accessories again, at
least not until 2011 when the next AAF adventure beckons.
The lodge is in a beautiful setting, on the top of two conical hills in the Sapa Valley. Sadly, the building of the
dam in the valley leaves ugly scars etched across the landscape. The mist hides this for a while. After showering,
we meet in the bar for a drink and enjoy a fabulous buffet in the restaurant.
Guess who finds a frog in her toilet when she goes to use it at 3am?
Yes, it’s Sarah (think the frog got more of a shock when it looked up though). Frances too has an encounter with
a frog when it falls on her head as she steps from the shower.
Cheryl and Sue resist the urge to ‘borrow’ another pair of slippers.
No rushing around today. We have a leisurely breakfast and check out at 11a.m, buy a few souvenirs and look
forward to more excellent fare at lunchtime. We make the most of our free time to relax on the terrace with
cocktails while we await the bus that’ll take us along narrow, windy road back to Sapa. Though only 7 km away,
the journey will take an hour. There we’ll have some free time to shop before transferring down to Lao Cai to take
the train back to Hanoi.
There’s a near miss as a car overtakes on a bend. How awful would that have been? We survive the loo from
hell; leeches and death-defying mountain passes only to be knocked off the road by a dangerous driver
(wasn’t a woman – oh no!!)
Overnight train takes us back to Hanoi – drinks and more drinks. Lou decides to share her experience of childbirth
with her roommates. She’s put them all off for life!
Our long-awaited visit to the bear sanctuary is getting closer!!!!!
Day 8
We wake to the strains of the Vietnamese national anthem … at 4.10 am. Oliver stands to attention! The crew
offer us coffee followed by a hasty “you give me money”. It’s time to disembark and deliver our bags to the hotel
before heading off for breakfast in a very friendly local restaurant.
Here we’re introduced to the art of serviette folding and the correct way to hold our chopsticks – at 5 in the morning!
It’s a two-hour bus journey to the sanctuary and the tears are already flowing as we talk about the terrible
suffering the bears have endured before finding a safe home at the sanctuary.
It’s a day we’ll never forget. We arrive at Tam Dao National Park and meet Jill, Tuan and the rest of the team. After
a warm welcome, we’re shown around the hospital and preparation areas. As a special treat, we’re invited to make
enrichment gifts for the bears – using honey, raisins, nuts and a host of other goodies. These will be placed in their
dens for their enjoyment – and we’ll be there to see them tucking in!
Back in June, after some particularly bad weather and torrential rains, AAF picked up some defects in the new bear
houses. Fortunately, they had held back some of the funds owed to the construction company, who agreed to
return and make the necessary repairs. The whole exercise meant that it was safer to move the bears back into
the integration dens until the renovation and repairs of the outside enclosures are complete, which is where we saw
the bears – happy and contented as we expected.
Our thoughts on seeing the bears
Sue – It was worth every blister, every drop of sweat along the way, to see these gorgeous creatures.
An unforgettable experience, and feeding the cubs was the icing on the cake. Thank you Jill and team for making
us so welcome!
Sarah – It really touches the heart to see these big black bundles of fur…and know they have been saved from
the most horrendous existence they had or would have had on a bear farm. We can’t stop till we save them all.
Dave – Brilliant to be at one of the sanctuaries, which is such a focus for all of our thoughts and fundraising
efforts on an almost daily basis. The bears are such gorgeous bundles of fun but it makes you sad that so
much time effort and money has to be provided by many people to try and stop their exploitation. You look at
the bears close up and quietly vow to do all you can to help all the others.
Cheryl - Very emotional experience to be here at last and seeing the Moon Bears. They are so wonderful.
Words fail me. I look in awe at these most magnificent of all creatures and wonder how we got to this.
How could anyone wish them harm? It’s made me more determined than ever to continue to support Jill and
her efforts. These are the lucky ones – we have to fight for the remainder of the bears out there who need
our help so that they too can one day be free.
Oliver - Like Cheryl words fail me in completing this section. My emotions were all over the place - excitement
at finally being at the sanctuary; the anticipation of meeting Olly the Moon Bear, whom I had named and
sponsored; happiness at meeting Jill’s wonderful team who care for the bears; sadness as we once again
listened to the plight of bears in Asia and joy at seeing the bears happier and healthier. It was a roller coaster,
but there was a sense of overall accomplishment that our team had trekked and sweated hard, raised money
and awareness for the bears and here were the results. Magnificent ! Makes me as determined as ever to help
even more!
Kate - The sweat and toil of the trek was soon forgotten for me once we arrived at the Tam Dao National Park
– it felt quite spiritual in fact and there was a wonderful sense of peace and calm at the sanctuary. But passing
all the empty cages on the way was a stark reminder of all those bears that are still enduring hell. How I wish
those cages could be filled…their first step to a new life of freedom.
I was overcome with emotion when I saw the bears – the first chap I was fortunate to see was Taurus, who
I then discovered arrived at the sanctuary on 12th May this year…my birthday. I knew he was intelligent the
moment I laid eyes on him!!!!
So for allowing us to visit the bears, and for allowing us to meet all your courageous and tireless staff, and
for all your hard work – thanks Jill. It was a day we’ll never forget xxxxxxx
Bernie - To see the bears at the sanctuary was definitely worth all the sweat and all the efforts of the
trek. To see these lovely balls of wool was really a great moment. Hats off to Jill and her team for the big
efforts they made to enable a happy life to these sweet creatures. But for me it’s also very important not
to forget that there are thousands of bears who are still kept on farms and are suffering day after day. To
see these lovely FREE bears at the sanctuary was for me the incentive to go on with raising money, to
promote the work of AAF and supporting Jill and her team. Let’s go on with our work, let’s do our best to
liberate all the bears and don’t give up until the last bear farm has closed.
Aileen - Feelings in turmoil! Sheer joy watching the bears tumble and play with each other and enjoying
the treats we had prepared. Deep sadness at seeing those bears who have lost their limbs in traps. Anger
that humans could abuse these beautiful bears. Hope that we can release more and more of the trapped
bears to play in the sunshine (when renovation work is complete) at the Tam Dao Rescue Centre. Thankful
for the care and love the bears now get from Jill, Tuan and their fantastic team at the Centre – and in China
too. Delighted with the beautiful photo album we receive as a lasting memory of our visit. Longing to stay
longer.
Jane - Being with the bears at the sanctuary was awesome. The bears are beautiful and gentle. We fed baby
Angus pieces of pear and he was adorable. I met a bear called Jane, she was busy shredding bamboo with her
paws. She looked round so I could photograph her, I have a lovely picture of her. I felt honoured to be in the
company of these stoic bears and they are always on my mind and in my heart.
Linda - I have never seen a bear before and actually seeing these beautiful Moon Bears at AAF Bear Sanctuary
was the best day of my life. I will never forget and will treasure the memory always. It was made special by
sharing the experience with such dedicated AAF supporters and meeting Jill again with her fabulous team.
My Birthday was amazing and the best I have had or will have I believe.
Everyone made it special and I will always be so grateful that the trekkers cared enough to do this for me.
Frances – What a joy to see those beautiful creatures, so happy and carefree. Thank god for their resilience.
The work that Jill and her team have put in to help these bears is truly breathtaking and the knowledge that
they will continue striving to save the rest inspires us all to support them with our own efforts.
Lou – It was fantastic to actually meet these wonderful animals in the flesh after our challenging journey
through the Vietnamese rainforest. And it was great fun making their treats and seeing them enjoying them
so much… and of course feeding the cubs too. Thanks to Jill and the Team for letting us gain this experience
– keep up the hard work you ALL do… as you DO make a difference!
Back in Hanoi we boost the local economy when we go shopping for gifts. Our final dinner is at a local
restaurant, where Stef presents us all with medals for finishing the trek.
The plumbing here is interesting too – you wash your hands, release the plug and watch as the water
disappears down the drain only to re-appear in the corner of the room a few seconds later!
A few beers to round off the night. Say our farewells to Oliver, who has opted to stay for a couple more
sightseeing days. Check out from our hotel and start the long journey home, which includes five hours at
Singapore Airport – pure luxury (remember those massage chairs and the amazing Butterfly Garden?)
Arrive in Heathrow Airport at 0555 to be met by Nicky and friends who have got up at ‘silly o’clock’ to
greet us. It’s lovely to be back, but I’m going to miss you all….
Photo of loo from hell
And finally……a little reminder that we should never take home for granted.
