Trekking in Sa Pa with Zer-Zer

On 24th August, Butch Googled “trekking in Sa Pa, Vietnam” and found Zer-Zer, a local guide whose name would soon become central to our unforgettable journey. Little did we know that a life-changing experience was awaiting us.

Butch was quick out of the blocks, phoned the number, and a gentle voice answered, saying she was Zer-Zer (pronounced like Scissor but with Zs).   She was excited to guide us, and her enthusiasm reassured us, helping build trust and appreciation for her role in our experience.  

That was the arrangement. I, not so quick on the uptake, only asked on the morning of our arrival in Sa Pa whether this arrangement had been confirmed or whether any communication had taken place after that call.   “No,” said my beloved, “but she’ll be there, and she’s from the Black Hmong Minority tribe and the Hoa Tao village”, and with that, we set off with all our earthly belongings in a backpack to find the Church, which at least shouldn’t pose too much of a problem in a non-Christian country.  

On a gloomy, wet, chilly (by Vietnamese standards) day, we arrived at the Church, surrounded by Minority groups, sparking our curiosity and respect for their unique way of life, even though no one spoke English.  

We asked around for Zer-Zer, and blank faces stared back at us.   After a couple of minutes, my beloved didn’t hang around waiting for people; we trotted off up the road to a French Bistro-coffee-shop, hooked up to the Wi-Fi, and caught up with our friends and family on Facebook and WhatsApp. Butch looked up his internet connection and called Zer Zer’s number.

I’d hardly caught my breath when this tiny girl-child dressed in traditional Hmond wear looks up from across the road and asks whether we are looking for Zer-Zer (who’s 4ft tall at the very most), yes!

We say, and she says, “I am Zer-Zer, and I was told two very big people were looking for me, and I’d find you here!”   The next minute, this “boy” arrives, and I think “Ok, here we go,” only to be told this is a 30-year-old man and her husband, who was going to assist her with the carting of our luggage to their home up in the mountains.  

Once we were fully erect and she saw us and gauged our ages, she must’ve had slight misgivings about our accommodations for the night, but we assured her we were up for the challenge, fit and ready to go.

The first leg of our journey was on the back of motorbikes; there we were, those funny German helmets on our heads (grand horreur), gunning down narrow streets and winding country roads up into the mountains to start our trek.   Fortunately, Precious had his “Crocs” on (no rolling of the eyes, these are the nice ones that look like plimsolls). I, on the other hand, had my never-fail Havaianas on (I could write a book about them, too). Strange trekking footgear, but we were totally unprepared for this escapade, as I honestly thought we were going walking from one village to the next and only heard “trekking” when we arrived in Sa Pa. It had rained/monsooned in the valley the day before, so there were puddles, mud, clay as slippery as glass, and ruts from previous vehicles trying to negotiate the “roads”.  

Not to be outdone or to lose face, we soldiered on, slipping and sliding our way through a Vietnamese tropical jungle.   Fortunately, Zer-Zer had the presence of mind to cut us both a bamboo walking stick; this really did help us.   The scenery was spectacular.   Zer-Zer was a very caring and informative guide.  

We stopped for lunch at a street vendor and enjoyed watching life go by. After quite a hike up a steep hill, we finally made it to Zer-Zer’s modest home, where her husband and his family live on a small plot of land and are subsistence farmers.  

The family relies on the annual rice harvest for food, supplemented by vegetables, herbs, and a few chickens.   Zer-Zer's role as a guide connects travellers to this authentic lifestyle, and their pig, their most valuable possession, is their main income source, especially during Tet when it's sold at market after the Shaman's share.

Butch and I relaxed while the family did various chores; feeding the pig was, of course, uppermost in the hierarchy of being fed, and hours were spent grinding and chopping his mulch. He also has pride of place and lives right there at the entrance to the house, which we entered by bending and gingerly side-stepping his feeding trough. To while away the time, I played games with the children, who were very eager to improve their rudimentary English. They even sang a song and held a little concert.

Later, we celebrated with a feast at their table.   This was a humbling experience, seeing a family so united and thankful for the very little they have in the way of material things.   We were watched with awe, and our chopstick skills were carefully scrutinised! We enjoyed heaped bowls of delicious Bun Cha until I thought I’d pop!   We were each presented with a glass of Rice Wine, which is locally produced and packs quite a punch. I declined the second tot, but Butch had to find courage!

Zer-Zer’s husband is the cook when she’s tired, especially after a day’s trekking with clients.   He painstakingly prepared our meal, chopping, peeling, and cooking with such passion, care, and joy. A table was knocked up for our benefit, and we had first pick of the tiny chairs! There is running water in the house, and for our comfort, a pot of water was boiled so that I could do my toilette before bedtime.  

Butch had a more frustrating time with the antiquated tap, which spurted in all directions when he tried to turn it off, much to the delight of the four children. The lavatory is a plastic lean-to at the bottom of the garden; flushing is done with ladles of water from a bucket. Once you get the hang of things, it’s not too bad, very clean and hygienic.

The guestroom, which is a new addition to the house, is very simple, but the bed was comfortable and the linens spotlessly clean and neat.   Fortunately, we had our “headlamps” with us, as there was no light in the room. No towels were provided, but I always have wet wipes, so we weren’t fazed. After supper, the whole family and some neighbours enjoyed a Japanese Soap Opera on TV, and what really impressed me was that the three girls, aged 9 to 14, all did painstaking embroidery, learning from their mother at a very young age.

The cloth used is hemp, which they weave, dye, and sew on ancient pedal sewing machines themselves.   The dyes used are all natural, derived from roots, leaves, stone, or bark, and indigo is the preferred colour.   I was presented with a beautifully embroidered handbag which smells earthy and sweet like a carrot.

 I’ll always treasure this very special gift.  Zer-Zer gets up at 4h00 every morning to turn on the rice cooker. The daily ration of rice is thus cooked and ready for the children when they get up and go off to school. They’ll eat the rice again for lunch and supper.   But for us, she prepared a beautiful rice batter pancake, which was cooked over the open fire. We were treated to delicious Vietnamese coffee and Condensed Milk, a traditional brew everywhere.

Our pancakes were filled with bananas or a savoury filling, which was very tasty indeed. Butch and her husband did partake of a few shots of rice wine, but fortunately, a neighbour dropped in with his grandchild, and Butch could decline honourably. 

After breakfast, we packed our bags, which her husband carried down and then took back to Sa Pa on a motorbike.  We made our final trek to another village; I had the pleasure of visiting the children's primary school, a rare treat indeed.   All the children were just adorable, eager to learn, friendly, and inquisitive.

Butch, in the meantime, had a shower at her brother’s house before we set off.   It was a pleasant, easy hike, and we enjoyed the water buffalo grazing in the rice paddies alongside the farmers harvesting their crops.   We were amazed by the ancient farming methods used and wondered in awe at the years it must’ve taken to build those kilometres of terraces painstakingly.

We imagined the farmers deforesting that dense jungle, then preparing and removing the stones used to build walls and dykes, building the terraces, and ultimately preparing the soil for the rice paddies.  We enjoyed refreshments, a lovely local limeade and ice, and local beer in the village, and then back it was to Sa Pa on the scooters, which we were quite comfortable on by now, stopping at regular intervals to admire the amazing farmlands and take photographs.

Even if I live to be a hundred years old, I hope I’ll never forget this amazing adventure. Meeting Zer-Zer was one of the highlights of my life, a person who’ll always be close to my heart. She’s intelligent, kind, and knowledgeable; she’s overcome the shortcomings of her life with grace.     Zer-Zer’s language has never been written; her children are the first generation to be educated; she’s illiterate; and her daughter has been teaching her to speak and write English and Vietnamese.  

Being able to speak English has enabled her to do home stays and guide, helping her change her family's life and afford them a TV and electricity.  This is a family with very strong bonds: a husband who not only attended the births of his children but also delivered them, who respects and adores his wife and family, is kind and gentle, patient and hardworking, and is satisfied with his circumstances and considers himself blessed and wealthy.

She has many stories to tell that I’d love to share, but I might spoil a wonderful encounter for you.  It is with pleasure that I recommend a day walk, hike, or trek with Zer-Zer. I know the experience will enrich your life, and she’ll leave an indelible mark on your heart and soul. It is a unique, fascinating experience, and one that I wish everybody could experience.

Zer-Zer and her husband accompanied us to our bus (when we asked her about transportation back to our train, she said “No to worry”, she’ll take us to the “Goverme baa”, but Butch and I thought. Wow, this is Communism at its very best, a government bar? Turns out she meant the Government BUS, and there we had tears, hugs, kisses, and a heart-wrenching farewell.

What really touched me was how she spoilt me with gifts of her earrings, a handbag, bracelets, all her precious possessions, so hard-earned, and I should’ve been the one bearing gifts. I cried again when I unpacked my suitcase yesterday and saw these treasures. I’m not deserving of such love, friendship, and kindness. This is paying it forward personified.

Preparing for a trek: Be reasonably fit and healthy. Take the following: good walking shoes, a conical hat, a Macintosh (light), a head lamp, shorts, and T-shirts. Towel. Personal toiletries, wet wipes. Insect repellent, a tube of antihistamine ointment for bug bites. 

For the children: books, crayons, pens, pencils, sharpeners. Anything educational! If I’d known, I would’ve taken a Children’s book to read, with fables maybe. Games like Snakes and Ladders, cards, and flash cards. Nothing sophisticated.

Tailormade hikes, homestays, trekking, guide, day guide. 

To contact Zer-Zer: phone (+84) 01675312817

website: http://sapatribes.wordpress.com/black-mong-hoa-tao-village/ 

(Black and White photo) Three generations (eldest daughter 14, Grandmother 48, Zer-Zer 30, son 7, sisters 8, 11)