The eight hour night train journey was more luxurious than I had anticipated, but even after taking a melatonin before bed, I found it difficult to sleep soundly.

But travel exhaustion is nothing that a lovely hot shower, a bowl of pho bo, and a cafe sua can’t fix!

Since I had stupidly left my New Balance minimalist shoes back in New York, I ventured to the Sapa Market this morning in search of warm shoes to trek in the misty and moist mountains. I didn’t succumb to purchasing the plethora of bootleg Merrill and North Face approach shoes I’d encountered, but instead settled on a pair of electric blue wellies, which I hope will suffice.

Also, I picked up this gorgeous matching head scarf worn by the local ethnic minority women here. Isn’t she (the vendor who sold it to me) just lovely?

The sun just came out, and off to my five hour tour I go!