Purgatory in Lao Cai (from Monday)

(delayed post from Monday)
Well, it was definitely optimistic to think leg 3 would be over the border last night.
They arrived about 2 hours before the border shut (we used cameras and binoculars to try and spot them on the other side of the bridge... something that could have been a defender roof was just about visible, but was a guess really).
The man they needed to speak to in customs wasn't there, and the juniors weren't interested.
It's now 3.30pm local time on Monday and we're no further.... and neither are leg 3 it seems.

Just waiting in the foyer of a hotel - the 35deg heat and 80% humidity isn't really affected by the dodgy fans, and locally it seems that no cafes have fridges (if you ask for ice, you can hear someone go out the back and hack it off), so probably best avoided unless a dicky tummy is required.

Faith in the human race is whanning somewhat.... but I think it's just the frustration. Vietnamese don't do favours. Full stop. Ian was telling us that in China if a family member helped you move house (for instance), they would expect to be paid.
The difference between Lao Cai and Hanoi is also stark - perhaps more normal for the Vietnamese (we saw lots of foreigners in Hanoi, but there are hardly any here, and you notice people staring at you a lot more here).
We stood on the border for a while last night before it was clear that leg 3 wouldn't get through, and many many people tried to approach us to get business. I don't mind it, other than when they are so persistent that you have to be purposefully short with people - our translator left another junior (and his mate) with us last night, and followed us back to our hotel where we got the driver to drive us to another hotel, using the translator to direct him where to go. The only problem was that despite 'take us to the international hotel the other side of the river', at the first roundabout the translator directed the driver the wrong way. 'I take you to my aunties restaurant in Sa Pa' was met with a short 'NO' 'you tell the driver to go to the international hotel over there (pointing)'

Anyway - apparently leg 3 are about to cross the border on foot, with the cars impounded, so we're off up the road to greet them. Ian will have to cross across tomorrow using his chinese residence permit to check on them, and release them once the 5th car arrives in a few days time...
Catch up with you all later.