I envisioned gazing down on vibrant green fields of rice while hiking through lush mountains. Instead clouds obscured the view below as I slipped and slid through muddy trails. I was miserably cold at night on the trail, bundled up in multiple layers of sweaters and jackets, shivering under several tiers of blankets and comforters, and made the decision to head south to Hanoi the next day - the cold and the clouds were not worth it!