So we’ve carried on our journey through the loop and are about to start on the final day of driving! If the boys would ever wake up….

I don’t know how I’m going back to a non-moped lifestyle after this… they are so (so!) fun! I’m riding a Yamaha Sirius if that means anything to anyone at all…. I keep thinking of Alex T. and her family because they are doing this trip in a few weeks BUT on regular, human-powered bikes. Seems difficult to say the least, but we’ve seen a few people doing it!

We’ve stayed at homestays the last two nights and I think everyone is in agreement that they have been our favorite nights here. Homestays give you a real glimpse into someone’s life and culture. Two nights ago we stayed with Lo Lo people in the northernmost part of Vietnam. We could see China from their backyard (literally). Our hosts had friends over who were not part of the same ethnic group as them (so, not Lo Lo) and we all sat around a fire to warm up (we were so cold by the time we got there! We should have known that happens when you’re in the mountains, but none of us were properly prepared. We had a huge home cooked meal together and while there was a language barrier, we could use our phones to translate necessities and everything else seemed to be understood with body language. The pictures here are from the first homestay. More to come!!