I was still going to yoga every day and on Monday 16th March it was a fairly normal day. Captain Caveman had gone off on a one day cave expedition and would be back for dinner. Chrissy, Josh and I had breakfast after yoga class and then cycled back from town. We called in to Coffee Station and I had a tea – it was back on the menu at last. Captain Caveman came back at 3pm and we went to The Villas for a drink at happy hour with Josh and Chrissy. Later we went to Namaste for curry which was just as good as usual.
After dinner we went to Momma D’s and I had a couple of wines, and chatted with some of the cave expedition cavers.

It was St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17th March and the only Irish person I knew who may be celebrating it was our housemate. He was currently in Danang, quarantined in a brewery with as much beer as he could handle. Captain Caveman was back off on a 5 day caving expedition and this would be the final trip to find new caves, as planned. Chrissy, Josh and I went to yoga and then ate at Nguyen Shack Eco Resort before cycling back home. I was still trying to find some furniture for the new home and we couldn’t move in until the toilet was fixed and we were on a budget now so I had to drink less wine (£13.30 is the cheapest non-vietnamese wine in town). Josh and I went to Little Vietnam for lunch and had a mix of veggie dishes which were all lovely – my favourite was the cabbage. Meanwhile the news we were hearing from the UK was that it was going a bit wild and reports on the news also said that Turkey would cancel all flights to and from the UK as well as other high risk countries.
In the evening we went to Momma D’s before and after dinner. We had a lovely meal as a three (me, Chrissy and Josh) at Underground not knowing this could be our last dinner there. We went back to Momma D’s for more wine!

Wednesday 18th March was a pretty sad day as far as Phong Nha days go! We still had our morning yoga and breakfast and then cycled back so that Josh could pack and Chrissy could brace herself for the return of Watto. There were rumours around town that the locals were no longer welcoming foreigners and that some were experiencing negativity – I was fine except for people staying a bit further away than usual but I could understand that.
Watto was back and once he’d gone to his gala dinner I went to join Chrissy for wine. We were on our second glass when Josh joined us for a beer – this would be the last time as they were all heading back to the UK. Josh cycled down to town with his big bag and I took his hand-luggage (which was quite heavy). We had our final meal together at Capture and by the time Watto and Tatas joined us, Chrissy and I were tipsy. I didn’t want Josh to leave, he thought I was a bit daft for agreeing to stay! We headed over to Momma D’s where everyone was having a drink at the big long table. When it came to the time for Josh to go to get the bus to Hanoi both me and Tatas went to say bye at the bus office. It was also Watto, Chrissy, Jo and Andrew’s last chance for a knees up but when we went back to Momma D’s at 9.30pm, everyone had gone. I drank the remainder of my wine and then cycled home, feeling a little bit sad!

On Thursday 19th March there was some bad news; our yoga teacher, the White Russian, had decided to head to the UK to be with her family. I had been doing the daily class now for exactly 2 weeks and was really enjoying it. I’d even managed to drag the ex-lodger along to try it. After the class Chrissy and Tatas had a look at the teacher’s crystal collection and snapped up some bargain necklaces while I took photos of the wandering buffalo. I’d arranged with our landlady to have our fridge moved from our old room to the new one and when I got back to town Watto was waiting for Chrissy and telling me to hurry because the lads were here. I’d already let the landlady know I still needed to empty it and to come back later but when I pulled on to the drive Watto was already shouting the lads over. The lads had to watch me empty the very full fridge at top speed while they stood there with a mixture of impatience and surprise. They could not believe how much stuff (alcohol) was in there and kept laughing at me. It took them less than 10 seconds to pick up the fridge and set it back down in the new room. I started moving some more stuff in and having a general tidy up. In the evening I headed to Phong Nha Eatery where I ate duck spring rolls and a duck main dish too. I decided not to drink any alcohol that night and went home to have an early night.

The weekend would turn out to be one of the hardest so far since being in Vietnam. There was definitely a sense of slight panic around on Friday 13th March as people started to grasp that without tourism Phong Nha could grind to a halt. Rumours were rife and the biggest one to affect us was that all the cave tours would close soon and we didn’t know how long for. Phong Nha relies heavily on the the caves for income and so it would be pretty difficult for locals to find jobs, especially legal ones. Already the famous Paradise cave had issued a notice to state that it was closed from the 14th -31st March. Captain Caveman was still away and so I couldn’t discuss with him but I suspected he may be told he had no job soon – more and more Son Doong customers were having to postpone or cancel trips which was bound to have an impact. Chrissy and I went to yoga and on the way back it was so sticky and hot that we went straight to meet Veronika in the aircon of The Villas for our lunch date.
We drank 4 massive bottles of chilled water between the 3 of us and we didn’t even indulge in a wine. The food, as always, was delicious and probably still of the best standard in town; I had veggie spring rolls and a courgette salad, Chrissy had the chicken sandwich with chips and Veronika had the salmon with mashed potatoes.
In the evening I decided to stay in again and watch Netflix and I ordered a delivery from Phong Nha Vegan which was so good that I forgot to take a photo of it. I downloaded Pandemic to watch on Netflix but never got round to it and instead fell asleep quite early.

After yoga and breakfast at Nguyen Shack on Saturday 14th March I decided it would be a good idea to start stocking up on wine. The sun had gone in and it was a bit cooler out when Chrissy and I went to meet Veronika and a friend of her’s. I’d bumped in to Des at Capture and we decided to share a bottle of red wine, I also bought 3 bottles to take away. Josh had returned from Son Doong to be told the news that Oxalis would stop all tours from the 17th March until the end of May and that he, and the remaining cavers, had the choice of whether they would go home (to the UK) or stay in Phong Nha. Of course Captain Caveman was still underground somewhere and didn’t know this and I wasn’t sure how he would feel about the news. A few of us stayed at Capture for food, by which time Des had gone on to beer and I had started another bottle of red and we decided to share a cheeseboard. Capture has an amazing menu but because it’s all western food (with gluten in) there are only a couple of things I can order and so cheese (without bread) is a winner. The White Russian came out with us and it turned in to a messy evening, with Josh joining us after his gala dinner, old fashioned cocktails at Momma D’s and I even agreed to go to Andy’s disco bar. I spent the night dancing away. I knew I was going to have a hangover but I needed to be up for yoga class.

It was a funny old day on Sunday 15th March, not only was I hungover throughout the whole of yoga but the repercussions of the Corona virus pandemic were starting to have a direct affect on Phong Nha.
I met up with Veronika who gave me the keys to our new home and I should have been more excited but there was the small matter of us having agreed to take on a bigger room at an extra cost. I’d been told by quite a few expats here that I should get out of Vietnam while I still could and that I should book a flight. I was reluctant to leave, knowing that I had no home or job to go back to and that, if the UK was sensible, it would be locked down any day now. My parents were completely supportive and said I should not leave and that once Captain Caveman came back we could make some plans to stay here and keep safe.
Josh and I went to Lucky Lucky for a late lunch and then got a message from Captain Caveman to say he was due back. He’d been gone only 5 days but it was clear to see that the world had become a bit more mental in that time. In some ways it was better that he had no contact with any media or outside world during that time but it also meant that any decisions he had to make (and quickly) may not be with enough research or proper thought. Regardless he was off to meet his fellow cavers and have a curry at Namaste while Josh and I were grateful to be able to go back home after a drink (and a brownie for him) at Underground. I was in bed in my PJs when a rather merry Captain Caveman came home with his group for a party in the spare room (he didn’t even know we had the keys for our new room, yet). They cracked on with the dark beer stash from Laos and chatted shit about caves for what seemed like a while and I did the dutiful wife thing and joined them (but I didn’t drink). By midnight I was ready for bed and they all went home, they were back on another cave trip the next day but just for the day so I would hopefully get a chance to talk to Captain Caveman about his plans and what the next few months would look like, when he returned.

On Monday 9th March Captain Caveman went off on his 3 day cave exploration trip, it was incredibly hot and I still went to yoga even though Chrissy had to go to Danang. Afterwards I ate mango sticky rice for breakfast and I really wanted to read my book, a Chris Evans autobiography, but it was pretty busy around the pool with kids so I didn’t get a chance. Josh got out of Son Doong and there was no time for balcony beers this time. Things were definitely changing at a faster pace with the Corona virus and I weighed up how much it would cost to extend my visa if I was unable to travel to Turkey or the UK – it was looking pricey. While Josh was at his gala dinner, Tatas and I went to Phong Nha Eatery, the new dinner place at Coffee Station, where I enjoyed the duck spring rolls. The tamarind prawn dish was also very nice but the sauce had chillies in and I could only eat the prawns after wiping the sauce off. I forgot to take photos in all the kerfuffle but will definitely eat there again. We finished the night off with a wine at Momma D’s but I didn’t want to be hung over for my 5th yoga session the next day.

On Tuesday 10th March Josh decided to come to yoga class for the first time. It was a warm but cloudy day so we decided to cycle it there and Bluey (my bike) got her first go on the Ho Chi Minh Highway East, which is the busiest road she’s been on so far. It wasn’t too tricky and because of the decline in visitors to Phong Nha there was considerably less traffic, we turned off at the next junction and cycled through the rice paddies to the Nguyen Shack Eco Resort, I was surprised that I made it without much of a to-do. We had a good class, although we got told off for giggling when we were in such a position that Josh had the girl next to him almost flash her bits at him. After class we chatted with the yoga teacher, who I later affectionately would call the White Russian, and ate lunch – Josh had tofu in tomato sauce with rice and I had beef and pineapple. We cycled back the scenic route and decided to stop for bun cha at D’Arts, forgetting we had already eaten. We both had the veggie version and I was impressed and will always have the veggie spring rolls there from now on, although I prefer the meat bun cha more. During lunch I got a message from Captain Caveman to say he was back already and he was in a bit of a mood. I managed to cheer him up with a bottle of wine and some popcorn at The Villas before heading out to dinner with Josh and Marc, a German friend who was back in town for just a short time. We met at Lantern where I had the famous ribs which were still delicious and the others ordered various (mainly veggie) dishes. After, we had a drink at Momma D’s with one of Captain Caveman’s fellow expeditioners but we didn’t stay out long as they were both heading off on a multi-day caving trip the next day.

It was time to start thinking about Plan B with regards to my travel plans to Turkey and England just in case the Corona virus got worse in either of those countries. On Wednesday 11th March I looked in to if it would be possible to extend my current visa and how much it would cost – if I took my passport to Hanoi I could get another 3 month extension for around $340. I also looked at flights and they were getting so much more expensive so I held off booking one. Captain Caveman set off for his expedition which would last (hopefully) around 5-6 days, Josh went on his next Son Doong tour and Chrissy had to stay another day in Danang while I cycled all the way to Nguyen Shack Eco Resort for my 6th day of yoga. I was really enjoying it and starting to see a difference in my flexibility, plus I had not had a bad stomach once since starting yoga – but then I wasn’t always eating 3 meals per day or drinking quite as much. On the cycle home, which was very sweaty, I got lost and ended up going the long way round so I stopped off at The Villas for a chocolate mousse cake and a cup of jasmine tea. In the evening Tatas was back from her 2 day Tu Lan trip, we ate at Phong Nha Underground for dinner and we had a couple of wines at Momma D’s too. In the news I read about how the Corona virus was being dealt with in various countries and was pleased to know that Vietnam had tightened their controls and were doing a good job so far. Where ever anyone tested positive every person they had potentially come in to contact with was being traced, tested and quarantined until the results were in. It felt safe here in Phong Nha and I hoped it would stay that way.

Thursday 12th March was a calm day. It was my 7th day of practicing hatha yoga and I had noticed a vast improvement in my balance and I was sleeping much better. I had been away from Turkey for 2 months and it looked more and more likely that I would struggle to get back without having to be placed in quarantine on arrival in Istanbul, which I didn’t relish the thought of given I was intending leaving Dalaman after 14 days for my trip back to England. At this point it looked like I would have to forego the trip to Dalyan and go straight to the UK when my visa expires on the 15th April. After the yoga class I ate mango sticky rice and drank orange juice, I tried one of White Russian’s veggie spring rolls too, before heading to one of the sunloungers by the pool to do a bit of writing and some reading. I watched the buffalo get chased off by dogs again and the people round or in the pool were quiet and polite so it was relaxing. I had a late lunch of pork with aubergine and rice and I drank lots of water and more orange juice. The weather was getting hotter and hotter and in the evening I couldn’t be bothered to go out so I stayed in and watched Dirty Money on Netflix – and no alcohol that day! It was pretty much a perfect day!

It was only 10 weeks until Kerrie’s hen holiday in Marbella on Friday 6th March and my body was not the bikini ready I might have hoped for but maybe my new hobby would help. Nguyen Shack were advertising a yoga class where the first class was free for locals so me, Chrissy and Tatas decided to go along to the 10am session. We cycled to Nguyen Shack in Phong Nha and got a lift by car to Nguyen Shack Eco Resort which is so beautiful and built next to a lake. The yoga teacher walked us, a guest at the homestay and the owner, Maxime, to one of the bungalows so we could do the class on a balcony with amazing views. She was really good at teaching us the hatha poses where I found I wasn’t as flexible as I once was but it went quite well. After yoga we stuck around and had some brunch – I had beef and pineapple which was cheap and cheerful with a fair portion of meat in it. We lolled by the pool, looked at Bacon (the pig) and Donald (the duck) taking a few pictures and chilling out a bit.
In the evening Chrissy invited me to her’s and we had some wine before heading to the soft opening of the Phong Nha Eatery (aka Coffee Station) which was now doing evening meals with a very talented chef. The food was amazing and my duck in orange sauce really hit the spot. We tried the cocktails and got a bit tiddly, so much so that when we got home to find a herd of cows on our drive we stopped to take photos of them.

The weather was getting hotter and on Saturday 7th March we had our second yoga class outside on the roof of the restaurant at Nguyen Shack Eco Resort. Chrissy, Tatas, D-Dub and Maxime were all at the hatha yoga session where Chrissy and I had decided to sign up for the month. We all stayed for breakfast after the class and I had pho ga with fresh veggie spring rolls, while Chrissy d pancakes and poached egg sandwich. Tatas left for Dong Hoi and so Chrissy and I decided to call at Capture for a cold glass of white wine and some lunch. I got word from Captain Caveman that he was heading back early and he joined for a pizza while I had a gluten free salad (stilton, walnut, pear and lettuce). With Captain Caveman back he was desperate to eat curry at Namaste that evening so we went there, I ordered my usual bhuna murg with garlic rice – it was nice to have something more substantial. We were going to go home when I decided it might be a good idea to meet some friends who had gone to meet a Tinder date at Central Backpackers at the far end of town. We got there at last orders and managed one drink before cycling back home. Captain Caveman also had managed to intercept the date and make a new friend, who loves caves!

It was a strange day on Sunday 8th March in Phong Nha. Here they celebrate something called women’s day, although I’m not really clear how it is meant to differ from any other day. When I asked Tatas how they celebrate it she said that the girls go out for dinner and drinks which we arranged to do that night. I woke up to notice it was now less than 6 weeks until my visa expired and my plan to fly back to Turkey was still in place. Captain Caveman had gone off on a one day caving expedition to check out new caves but would be back that evening. Tatas couldn’t make yoga class as she was on a Hang Tien tour, two other friends were meant to join but had been drinking until the morning so didn’t make it. Chrissy and I enjoyed our third class and had breakfast and a lounge at Nguyen Shack then got the car back to town. I’d had a message from Captain Caveman to say he had returned early because they couldn’t find the cave and he was drinking by the pool at Victory Road Villas. It was a very hot day so I went to join him and had a dip in the pool, which was very refreshing. We took advantage of the happy hour (obviously) and then went home to get ready for the women’s day get together. Our women’s day celebrations took place back at The Villas with Tatas, Trang and Hoai joining Captain Caveman and I. The food was really good and I had a couple of glasses of red wine with my beef tenderloin. Captain Caveman was back exploring caves for three days the next day so we didn’t stay out too late.

At 4.30am on Monday 2nd March a Vietnamese woman landed at Hanoi airport who would become well known. On that flight was a British caver called Josh (2), not to be confused with Josh (1) who works for Oxalis and at this time was in Son Doong. Captain Caveman left for his caving expedition with 4 other cavers and would be back on the 7th of March at the latest. Meanwhile a second group of expedition cavers also set off to a different location but were still awaiting Josh 2 who had only just arrived in Vietnam.
I had breakfast at The Villas with Tatas and then for lunch, after wrestling with a melted toblerone, managed to eat some of that. The second caving group (not Captain Caveman’s) had returned home having been refused permission/access to the area they wanted to explore but it was unclear to me exactly why. In the afternoon the girls met at Momma D’s for a sunset drink and our Tequila bully decided to start with the shots before dinner! All 4 of us ate at Phong Nha Underground where I had the pork dish for the last time as it is being removed from the new menu. Back at Momma D’s and the drinks were flowing with more people joining us and it turned in to a bit of a party at the rooftop bar. Maxime from Nguyen Shack and his dad came to join us and brought their new employee, who I would meet again on Friday. We decided that the next day we should do something and I suggested getting a car over to Lake House for lunch and a swim.

Coffee Station had been out of herbal tea since Tet holiday and so on Tuesday 3rd March I agreed to meet Tatas there even though I only had water and a fruit salad, which was very nice and well presented. At lunch Chrissy joined us and we went to Veggie Box where I had coconut fried rice, Tatas had vegan soup and Chrissy the pumpkin soup. Back home I watched a bit of Netflix and then ate the rest of the toblerone. It was Tatas’ turn to choose where to go for dinner and so we went to Capture Cafe where I tried to get Bolognese with potato wedges (instead of pasta) but despite Tatas ordering in Vietnamese we both ended up with spaghetti and she ate two while they made me another which then came with small potatoes instead of wedges but tasted fine. We had wine too and then went to see what offers they had at the T-shirt shop, Phuc Dat, which was closing down the next day. I bought 3 vest tops, a t-shirt and a couple of notebooks and got a free hat. GuiGui, the owner had said we could have discount and so his fiance gave us some great deals.
We met the ex-lodger at Momma D’s for a drink and then called it a night. Before bed I got an update from our housemate who had moved out, she was unable to fly to Iran, as planned, because of the Corona virus threat and was in Saigon, another time I had noticed the virus affect people I know.

I should have known that the day that Josh (1) got out of Son Doong after his month of doing dry veguary could’ve been a bit eventful – Wednesday 4th March was a blast! I decided to get up and go to Phong Nha Underground for breakfast and take my notebook to do some writing. The place was quiet at first so I ordered a smoothie bowl and a cup of herbal tea and got down to business. I do say a lot that for such a small town/village it is near on impossible to find somewhere quiet or where you aren’t being disturbed for long.
I was back at home when I got the message from Josh that he was on his way back and to meet for balcony beers at Chez White’s, I also had said I’d meet up with Caroline and so we grabbed some ciders and went round. Josh also spoke to his boss who told him that he and Watto had to change their tours so they could cover his as he was very busy. Oxalis had started to have quite a few cave tours cancel from customers who were either affected by, or worried about, Corona virus and it was starting to have an impact on tourism in the area.
The three of us popped down to The Villas for Happy Hour so that Caroline and I could enjoy the cocktails and Josh a beer before his gala dinner at Chay Lap. I had the potato and artichoke salad followed by a few wines and when Josh returned a few hours later we looked like we hadn’t even moved. Caroline was sensible and went home relatively early however Josh was on it as he went on to vodka and sprite! D-Dub and Manu joined us and we ended up on the whiskey! At The Villas they sell tubs of popcorn so I bought one to take home for snacks but we ended up opening it and eating it stood at the bar. The Villas was definitely our Easy Tiger replacement now but it is nearer to home to cycle back, which we did well after midnight!

The weather was wet and cold and I had a massive hangover on Thursday 5th March. I’d promised Tatas we would go out that night but I already knew there was no way I was going anywhere. I opened the bucket of popcorn to find there was only half of it left! I ate some for breakfast and tried to go back to bed but the builder noise next door was too loud. At lunch me, Chrissy and a very messy Josh managed Phong Nha Vegan and I only turned up because Chrissy had knocked on for me to get me to go! I forced down fresh vegan spring rolls which are usually my favourite. We walked back in the rain and then I had a lay down. Tatas chose The Villas for dinner so Chrissy and I went but I drank only tea and ate my favourite dish, the confit duck leg. I was begging for mercy the whole night and couldn’t wait to get back in bed. Tomorrow I had plans and I was about to try something new!

It probably won’t surprise you to read that March started off a little bit boozey!
Captain Caveman had gone to buy some items from Decathlon on Sunday 1st March while I stayed at the Elpis hotel and did some writing. When he got back we got packed and ready for checking out, only to realise we still had half a bottle of wine to drink which we couldn’t take on the flight back to Dong Hoi with us. So, we did what anyone would do in the same situation and drank it!
We had arranged to meet Gary and Hanh at Thong’s Kitchen for lunch and I had lemon juice and BBQ ribs which was very nice. The chef was very good and did what looked like an amazing steak for Hanh which she had left uneaten, while she nipped home. Gary had a salad and Captain Caveman a pizza (of course) with a few beers.
Captain Caveman and I had a few hours to kill so we agreed to join Gary at the Bia Hoi. I wasn’t totally happy with the decision, especially as we had our luggage with us and I had to get on the back of Gary’s scooter without a helmet while Captain Caveman got a grab bike. At the Bia Hoi I drank a coke and watched the blokes drink beer. We later nipped back to Salt ‘n’ Lime for more gluten free deliciousness in the form of tacos and corn chips with a red wine for me and a margarita for him! We were able to buy some tacos to take home for the freezer which I was so excited about. We got to the domestic airport by grab taxi and checked in ok but the western blokes in front of us were given a free face mask to wear. This was the second time I was aware of the Corona virus threat in Vietnam and although we did have a mask in our bags, we didn’t wear them. We had an airport drink where the bar nearest to Burger King sold a rather decent glass of wine (expensive but tasted good and at room temperature). The flight from Hanoi to Dong Hoi wasn’t particularly full and so we had a spare seat next to us, we also bumped in to Tam from the Lake House and Tim, a friend of Momma D’s who were sat next to each other on the plane. Tam had a mask on and so did most of the Vietnamese passengers. The flight was only one hour and we were able to give Tim a lift to Momma D’s on our way back to Phong Nha. Captain Caveman was meant to have been going on a 3 week caving expedition which had been delayed by a day due to a member of the team joining later than planned. Our housemate, was also back in town for the evening so when we got home we popped in to say hello and Captain Caveman had a beer. After a long day we got to bed but Captain Caveman had to set the alarm to get up early and pack for his expedition – they were leaving from Ho Khanh’s homestay at 9am the next day.

After saying our goodbyes to Trouble at Hanoi airport (and making promises for me to visit Germany for a few days later this year) we got a taxi to our hotel on the afternoon of Saturday 29th February. On arriving at Elpis Hotel we had to give our hands a clean with a rather lively spurt of communal hand gel before checking in to our upgraded room for the night. Even though I’d had a big breakfast I was starving (again) and so we went across the road to Bun Cha Ta to eat the famous dish of Bun Cha – rice noodles and lettuce leaves added to pork patties in a sweet fish sauce broth with veg in it. It tasted fantastic and this place was really good, almost as good as the one at D’Arts in Phong Nha.
I didn’t realise that we were meant to have been meeting our Vietnamese teacher on the way back from the airport and so we rushed to get to Oliberry cafe before she left at 5.30pm. She had kindly agreed to lend Tatas some books so that she could study and pass her IELTS exam, which was really kind of her. I also booked myself in for some Vietnamese lessons in April, between the Grand Prix and our Ha Long bay cruise with The Aussies. Captain Caveman then said we would meet Gary and his pals at the Bia Hoi which is a bit inconsiderate given that I can’t drink beer but I thought sod it and had three small ones, which then gave me a bad belly. We said our goodbyes and scurried off with a bag full of study books to the Bottle Shop, a lovely drinking venue with real ales and wine! We were met by a lovely little puppy who looked similar to Mr Higgins when he was a puppy, this one we called Miss Higgins and she had her own little bowl in the corner of the shop. Captain Caveman had an ale and I wanted a red wine but they only sold it by the bottle – luckily Bamboo airlines had changed our morning flight to the evening so off we went (well, it was a screw top). Next we decided to visit Salt ‘n’ Lime, a little Mexican place, which did gluten free tacos and tostadas. I was ecstactic to be able to eat there and ordered loads of different dishes as well as us having a few margaritas to celebrate the end of our holiday. We intended finishing the wine when we got back to Elpis Hotel but we fell asleep!

When we arrived at Cuc Phuong National Park on Thursday 27th February we were told we had to wear masks and wash our hands in sanitiser – this was probably the first time the Corona virus fears/prevention methods had been noticeable to me here in Vietnam. I hated wearing the cloth mask they gave us, both because it was hard to breathe with it on and I didn’t really see the point to them. It turned out it wasn’t so that we didn’t catch or spread Corona virus, it was so we didn’t give anything to the monkeys we were about to see. We saw loads of rescued monkeys of all kinds and the guide was brilliant at explaining about each one. They were gorgeous and I tried to get some photos but most were quite fast. We also got to see and learn about the rescued turtles and in one pond I thought they were just decoration and not real. Unfortunately we were not allowed to visit the pangolins because of the risk of them becoming sick, they are so endangered, and the rescued tigers were also not for visiting that day. Still, we had a good time and it was definitely worth the visit and had clean toilets with soap! Our driver also took us further in to the national park and dropped us at some steps so we could walk up to a cave. I took it slowly while the other two got excited and off they went to explore.

We drove on to the next destination which was in the rice terraces of Pu Luong where our friend, Trouble, had booked the accomodation at Pu Luong Natura and the views were breathtaking. We were greeted with a cold towel and an iced tea drink by a lady in traditional Thai dress as the villagers here are ethnic minority people. While she was explaining the check-in details I went to have a look at the pool and gardens – it was impressive and the photos don’t really do it justice. The rooms were so nice – two separate twin rooms with balconies overlooking the famous rice terraces. We were told we had missed lunch and had a couple of hours to wait until dinner so we had a drink (I got my emergency raisins out) and some free peanuts. For dinner we were told it would be a good idea to order ahead as there was a big group and so we did – the food was great and the restaurant, although busy, was small and comfortable. We had pork in coconut and spring rolls to share and then a duck with chillies for Captain Caveman and Trouble to share. We were also given free laundry (which was returned after dinner) and a free foot bath which I booked in for the next day. We shared a nice bottle of wine too and then went back to our own rooms, agreeing to meet for breakfast at 8am the next day.

I didn’t want to get out of bed on Friday 28th February, it was just so comfy. Outside there was an atmospheric mist covering the mountains and making it look like we were living in the sky. Captain Caveman and Trouble decided to take themselves off on a self guided 14km walk while I was quite happy to just relax for the day. After a nice healthy breakfast of fruit and noodle soup off they went and I got busy with some writing. The time flew by and lunchtime crept up on me, I’d just got my lunch of chicken, cashew nut and veggie stir fry when Captain Caveman called to say they were in need of a taxi to bring them back, having finished their walk. We had an afternoon cocktail and chilled by the pool, I had a foot spa and an amazing foot massage with wine and free peanuts, before going to get ready for our last dinner at Natura. We had a lovely meal and shared a bottle of white wine before going for a quick stroll out of the hotel to see if we could see the stars over the rice terraces – we couldn’t and the sky was very black. We said goodnight and agreed to meet at 6am the next morning.

We certainly made the most out of having an extra day in the year. On Saturday 29th February we were out by the pool at 6am so that all three of us could enjoy a sunrise walk. As it turned out there was too much cloud but we did have a lovely walk through the rice terraces which were so beautiful. We had our last breakfast at Natura before getting ready to leave by private car to Hanoi airport. Our friend would be taking her flight back home that evening but Captain Caveman and I had decided to fly back from Hanoi to Dong Hoi the next day, which gave us a bit of time to catch up with friends in Hanoi.

After falling asleep straight away on the overnight train from Dong Hoi to Ninh Binh we arrived at the train station at 9:30am on Wednesday 26th February. Captain Caveman was in charge of booking the accommodation for the first night and had organised a taxi pick up. We drove for about 20 minutes from the station towards our accommodation and then turned on to a series of very bumping single lane tracks across some watery paddy fields. When we arrived I could see some thatched bamboo huts and a big, half started, building site and what looked like 2 empty swimming pools.
The homestay manager at Ninh Binh Panorama Homestay greeted us and apologised for the building mess and noise and said they were going to finish at 5pm. She also told us the kitchen was only open for breakfast (which we had missed) and dinner between 6 & 8pm. We walked towards the bamboo huts, where we were staying and she mentioned we would be in the quieter area, furthest away from the new build. The bungalow was nice with two big double beds but Captain Caveman had been a bit tight and booked the one room for all three of us. I really didn’t fancy using the free bicycles to cycle to the tourist attractions but I was so hungry and only had a few crisps and some emergency raisins to last me the whole trip. I pushed my bicycle for the first 10 minutes and we found the Mona Lisa cafe where we decided to have brunch. Most of what we ordered they didn’t have yet so I ended up with chips and some rather strange fresh spring rolls with unwashed lettuce, rice noodles, warm tofu and very cold pineapple in.

We then cycled to the boat station where Captain Caveman and Trouble were very excited to do a three hour rowing boat ride which went in to 9 caves. I, on the other hand, felt sorry for the old man who had to row us and really did not want to be sat on a small rowing boat, in a tight life jacket for 3 hours but they wouldn’t let me go back to the Mona Lisa cafe to drink wine. Don’t get me wrong it was very beautiful and we saw some temples but it just wasn’t for me – that poor old man! Captain Caveman also knows I’m not a fan of caves, especially claustrophobic bits, but had managed to pick one of the three tours where this featured the most. When I complained I wasn’t enjoying the putting my head between my legs to go under some parts he said it wasn’t that bad, right before he hit his head on the rocky cave ceiling above him, scratching and popping out the lense of his sunglasses which were on his head. Relieved to be off the boat and after giving the boat man a big tip we cycled back to the Mona Lisa for wine, the road was busy with cars and I didn’t feel confident so I took it slower than the others. I stayed at the café while the other 2 went to another sightseeing spot which closed in an hour so they had to cycle faster than I could. I had a glass of white wine but when I ordered a second they were out of that one so I tried a different one, which was better. On ordering a third glass and some food, they didn’t have either of what I ordered. Instead I had a red wine and some pork with rice noodles, both were excellent. Captain Caveman and Trouble returned and we cycled back to the Panorama homestay so we could get ready for dinner. They cycled the tricky path while I pushed my bicycle most of the way and made it back before dark.

There was no one else staying at our accommodation and I wasn’t surprised given the state of the place because of building works, everything was covered in a layer of brick dust. Still, we had dinner in the dining area where I had some pork fried rice and a pineapple juice (there wasn’t any wine), my fellow diners had chicken lemongrass skewers, before going to bed really early. The next day we were off on another road trip via a National Park.

The views from Ninh Binh Panorama homestay on the morning of Thursday 27th February were pretty and I had slept well. I had pho for breakfast and wasn’t bothered by the building work that was going on. They were building a new pool which looked like it was going to be great and ready by summer. Captain Caveman said that the homestay had been in touch prior to our visit to let us know there would be building going on in case we wanted to cancel. We had a car booked to take us to Pu Luong via Cuc Phuong National Park where we were planning to visit the pangolins at the rescue centre.

Phong Nha is not all about the caves and so while Captain Caveman and our guest headed off on an Oxalis caving tour for a couple of days I got to relax a bit on Monday 24th February. I had rice crackers for breakfast at home but then decided to go sit by the river and do a bit of blogging at Lucky Lucky. I also decided to organise a group BBQ dinner for the following evening as a get together for Trouble, it also being a farewell to Dianne and the end of an era drinks with our housemate, Veronika, who was moving out at the weekend. My lunch was BBQ pork with fried rice and a coke sat by the river with a nice breeze at Lucky Lucky and there was very few people around with it being so sunny.
For dinner Josh and I decided on Chao Vietnam where we he had the mushroom clay pot and I had some rice pancakes, both were very nice. We had a cheeky pudding at Phong Nha Underground after where I ate just the cheesecake but not the biscuit so that I could have a gluten free treat. I had a couple of red wines when we went to Momma D’s afterwards but once Josh had drank as much water as he could manage we went to the Shop and Go then cycled home, having arranged to meet Aussie Pete the next day for lunch.

The noisy carpenter next door had me up early on Tuesday 25th February as he planed wood from 7am so I popped in some washing as it looked like the last dry day for a while. I also packed my bag because later that evening we were off on another little break, up in the north of Vietnam. I had breakfast of bacon, beans and potatoes at Capture Cafe and did a bit of blogging before cycling home to get my washing out then off to meet Josh and Aussie Pete for lunch.
We had decided to try the Phong Nha Eco Mountain Farmstay as I’d not been this year and it was quite a hot sunny day to say our farewells to the legend and beer monster of Phong Nha. He was leaving for Danang this weekend, heading back to Australia earlier than planned and so I wouldn’t see him until next year. I cycled from home the 2km (ish) away from town on the quiet road until I reached the homestay, a little bit sweaty. Josh and I stuck to the soft drinks while Pete drank cans of Saigon beer and we ordered some food. My pork fried rice was very good and the portion size just right for the price – it even had beetroot in it! We said bye to Aussie Pete and he headed off on his motorbike while Josh and I cycled back home. I got invited to Chrissy and Watto’s for balcony beverages where Veronika had brought a rather lovely wine for us to share. The BBQ meal at Mountain House could be seen cooking and by 6.45pm even though the meal was booked for 8pm and we were waiting for Captain Caveman and Trouble to return from their Hang Tien 2 day trip. They actually arrived back from the Oxalis tour a little earlier than expected and so Captain Caveman and Trouble joined for a beer before dinner.
The BBQ was coming along nicely, the booze was flowing and I’d arranged veggie and meat options for the set price of 150,000vnd each – pretty great value for a private party cooked especially for you and it smelled amazing. The food was really tasty and we had a good time but then it was time to say goodbye. The three of us had a car picking us up to go to Dong Hoi to get the 00:45 train to Ninh Binh, where none of us had been before.

Captain Caveman had booked us two bottom bunk (soft) beds in a sleeper carriage on the 09:57 train from Danang to Dong Hoi on Friday 21st February. Our friend, who we affectionately call Trouble, had previously been arriving in Dong Hoi at 09:20 but her flight from Hanoi had been changed to an evening one, giving us a bit more time. We checked out of the lovely Sincerro and did a quick stop off at La Nonna sandwich place so we could get a takeaway for the train, more useful for Captain Caveman than me as I did order a sandwich only so that I could eat the filling. On the train I ate my gherkins, camembert and salami and left the bread while my train buddy snaffled his sarnie in what seemed like three massive bites. The food was lovely and I so wished I could eat the soft fresh (full of gluten) bread too. We were also very lucky to find that there were no passengers booked on to the top bunk beds so we had the whole berth to ourselves. Of course this mattered not one bit to Captain Caveman who immediately put on his noise cancelling headphones and immersed himself in his phone with Netflix or whatever, without so much as a glance or a word to me for the entire journey – and we hadn’t even had an argument! I had a bit of a nap and watched an episode of The Pharmacist on Netflix which I really enjoyed. Six hours later we arrived in Dong Hoi and were getting in the taxi to go to Tree Hugger. Although the train hadn’t been full the balcony at Tree Hugger was and so we had to sit in the downstairs seating right at the door. Captain Caveman had his usual white russian and an egg sandwich (there’s only so many photos you can take of the same thing, so I didn’t bother) and I had some fried spring rolls and a juice. We also walked to nearby Geminai for another drink before we got our taxi.
At Dong Hoi airport Captain Caveman was back on duty and was picking up 4 guests on Tatas’ next Son Doong tour plus Trouble and we had let friends in Phong Nha know we would meet up for a late dinner once back home. Trouble had already been to Phong Nha before and was going to be staying with us so as soon as we got home we dropped bags off, grabbed our bicycles and headed to Namaste for a curry. I had my favourite dish there, the bhuna murg with garlic rice and we had a few drinks to welcome our friend back.

On Saturday 22nd February we got up early and went to Oxalis Home for breakfast where Captain Caveman had a bacon sandwich, I had pho ga and Trouble just had a juice. Captain Caveman and Trouble had planned to go off to Ozo Tree Top park for some adventure while I was happy to give it a miss, so they rented a motorbike and off they went. I’d booked a Di Di Thoi sunset boat trip for later so they promised to meet back at Ho Khanh’s for 3pm for our pick up.
I busied myself with some chores and blogging before heading to lunch at Veggie Box with a few mates. We had just ordered when Captain Caveman and Trouble arrived because the Ozo place had been closed due to rain. They ordered a smoothie but didn’t eat then we headed home to get ready for our sunset cruise. An ex Jungle Boss colleague and friend, Lana, had started work as a tour guide at Di Di Thoi and was to be our guide on this trip, she told me she was nervous because we were all more knowledgeable than her because most of us lived here or had visited many times but I told her to just carry on as if we were regular customers and she did a really great job. The tour just had our six on it and it had forecast rain but we were lucky for it to stay fine. There was vegetarian Vietnamese snacks provided onboard but we also took gin, tonic and wine so we could make a bit of a night of it and we certainly did. Captain Caveman got incredibly drunk due to him not eating and getting on the gins, then wine – I had to insist he ate half a sweet potato at least. It was a lovely evening despite arriving at Chay Lap well before sunset as we thought it too cold to swim. Three of the group went kayaking and said it was so peaceful and relaxing out on the water. We sat on the boat until late just chatting and drinking until it was time to get the minibus back. We finished the night with a nightcap at Ho Khanh’s and we were in bed by 10pm. The next day Captain Caveman had planned a day of adventure and he and Trouble were insisting I come along.

Some photos by Captain Caveman & friends

On Sunday 23rd February we went for breakfast early at The Villas.
Captain Caveman and Trouble were keen to visit a secret waterfall which our friend had told us about. Being completely risk averse I really didn’t fancy it but I agreed to go. I booked a car for the day and off we went. I took some crisps in case there were no lunch options for me, Tatas took a loaf of bread and some condensed milk, Captain Caveman took a Banh mi from the bakery in town but Trouble didn’t need any lunch. We drove for about 40 minutes then the driver pointed out where we needed to walk in to the jungle. All the other 3 were like mountain goats and were able to navigate the rocky path easily while I found it more tricky. When we got to the top of the waterfall I decided I was not going to risk climbing down to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall as, even though I could probably slide down on my bum, I still wasn’t confident I would get back up. Instead I sat on a rock and ate some crisps, drank my water and was going to do a bit of writing for my blog. It was a warm day but cloudy so I wasn’t in the sun and I also spotted a place to take pictures of the others. It was quite a drop down to the water and we couldn’t hear each other because of the sound of the waterfall. After about 1 hour everyone came back to the top and they decided we would go to Ozo Tree Top park, which was now open – I hoped there may be somewhere to sit and blog, or have a drink, when we got there.
When we arrived at Ozo it was pretty empty and the toilets didn’t have any soap, which given that there was so much talk of Corona virus around, it was disappointing. There was a weight restriction for the tree top walk of 75kg so Captain Caveman was told he was too fat to take part, which was highly amusing. We walked along a wooden path around the park, passing a cafe which was closed, until we reached the zipline. I was more than happy to stand holding the bags while the others took part. Captain Caveman went first, then Tatas and Trouble – the zipline is obviously made for Vietnamese customers because there isn’t much height between the landing platform and the wire – even the man operating stuff looked worried and his young kids had come to watch the fat man! It turned out that the tree top walk was closed because it had rained the day before and it would be ‘not safe’ so we headed back over a suspension bridge. The others loved it and kept jumping up and down on it while I was very uneasy about being on the bridge while posing for photos.
Back in Phong Nha we dropped Tatas off so she could get to her Son Doong briefing and we got ready for happy hour and a half at The Villas. We watched the sun set over the mountains and had a couple of drinks with free popcorn.We had dinner at Bamboo Cafe where I had two different meals because I forgot to ask for the first without chillies in but the meals were good and the wine flowed. It turned in to one of those nights again as we decided to try the bar at Central Backpackers with the gang. Josh was (remarkably) still on his dry veguary mission and so was slightly irritated at us lot being on the tequilas! We cycled home in convoy and Bluey, my bike, was pretty whizzy! I was looking forward to having a lay in the next day while Captain Caveman and Trouble went on the Hang Tien 2 day Oxalis tour.

I do love a random trip away and as I only have a 3 month single entry tourist visa this time it means I would have to spend our ‘holidays’ in Vietnam. Captain Caveman is fortunate enough to get some days off during his working season so we try to optimise the use of these to our best advantage. On Tuesday 18th February the alarm went off at 05:45 and we were picked up at 06:15 by Mr Toan the driver. We drove first to Chay Lap to pick up several of Captain Caveman’s Son Doong customers then on to Dong Hoi train station ready to get our (soft) seats to Danang on the 07:57 train. We had lots of leg room, the seats were comfy and I managed a nap despite the loud Vietnamese TV shows that were playing, without anyone watching them. After 5.5 hours we arrived in Danang on time and headed straight to one of our favourite restaurants for lunch. Olivia’s is a steak house and was due to close at 2pm so we ordered our food and drinks quickly. We both had fillet mignon with jacket potato and asparagus (Captain Caveman also had a side of mac and cheese). Having had no breakfast we only had a glass of red wine each and plenty of water. The staff were excellent and didn’t rush us despite the closing time and the food was probably the best I’ve eaten so far this year. To finish off we were given a couple of the Olivia’s chocolate vodka shots which is unbelievably moreish. We headed to Seven Bridges bar next so that we could enjoy another drink (or two) and were met with the smiliest of security guards and welcoming staff. I had more red wine while Captain Caveman had some ales and we couldn’t resist the buttery popcorn.

Eventually we headed over to Hoi An by taxi so we could check in and go meet our friends. Hoi An Trails Resort and Spa was very impressive and the welcome tea very refreshing. The room which our friend had booked was massive and stylish with a connecting door to their room and a terrace. We headed to meet our mates, one of whom had just arrived from Australia that morning and we got on the cocktails at Tiger Tiger bar. After a catch up and a few cocktails we went to White Marble for wine and a bite to eat – it was the busiest I’d ever seen the place and we only just got a table upstairs. We got the electric golf buggy back to our hotel for 50,000vnd between the 4 of us and were feeling a bit merry.

Captain Caveman was feeling a little woolly on Wednesday 19th February and, as we left our hotel room, I pointed out he hadn’t dressed himself properly. Our breakfast of fruit, pho, juice and tea was very nice in the dining area of the Hoi An Trails Resort and Spa. After breakfast the girls went for a massage and we got the free shuttle taxi service in to the old town for a little walk around. We called in to the Oxalis office, which looks really inviting and professional, where we had a chat with Tham, the sales girl who works there – we’d not seen her for awhile and it was nice to catch up and take a few photos too. By lunchtime we were in the Pasteur Street Brewing Company admiring a river view and ordering an alcoholic beverage and a plate full of sausage (as you do). It’s the first time I’ve visited this place and really enjoyed it so will be going back again next time. I thought that the town still seemed busy but Captain Caveman reckoned it was definitely down on the number of tourists around. We had a walk along the river, taking photos as we went, until we reached an old favourite, The 3 Dragons, where we found it was happy hour so had more drinks and a plate of spring rolls to nibble on. The girls were going to join us but decided to lounge by the lovely pool and we still had our second happy hour drink to get down. We didn’t go back to the hotel and instead wandered back to town to the Gemstone Art Gallery and Museum, where I had previously been with Louisa a few visits ago. This place has a (not so) secret bar inside, amazingly good value wine and a constant supply of free peanuts. The place is fantastic for people watching too and so we sat outside and waited for the girls and their friend to arrive.

It turned in to ‘one of those nights’ when someone thought it would be a great idea to all have a tequila shot with our vegetarian meal at Am restaurant (also very good). Back in town we couldn’t resist the lure of the Tiger Tiger bar which had drink offers (buckets/free shots/cocktails) and music to really dance to. We made friends, had so much fun and I fell off a speaker next to the DJ area (without injury). We went the distance until they kicked everyone out and it was taxi home time. Captain Caveman and I did the sensible thing and walked to the taxi rank while the others had a great idea to get individual motorbike taxis home, even though a taxi for all of us would be cheaper!

Our Hoi An break was coming to an end as we met for breakfast on Thursday 20th February, some with worse hangovers than others. I hadn’t been drinking when we got to Tiger Tiger bar as I was too busy dancing so I felt fine, except for my achey limbs. We enjoyed the hotel breakfast once again and then we ordered the taxi so that the girls could get their train from Danang to Dong Hoi, while we had another night booked in Danang. It had been such a good trip with lots of laughs and we were looking forward to chilling out a bit in Danang before our friend from Germany arrived for 10 days.

We checked in to a small studio apartment at Sincerro, in the An Thuong area of Danang, chosen because I finally had an appointment for some waxing at L’Spa, nearby – it was definitely getting too hot back in Phong Nha to not be able to wear shorts. We also were looking forward to catching up with our friend, Diana, who used to live in Phong Nha. After saying goodbye (well, see you back in Phong Nha) to our Hoi An chums we checked in and then headed to a trendy vegetarian cafe called Mud Bistro where the food was amazing! I had a kale, beetroot and vegan cheese salad which was sprinkled with raisins and pumpkin seeds followed by a portion of fresh (vegan) spring rolls. Captain Caveman had some version of avocado and toast but it was mighty fancy for a brunch meal. The staff were on it with top ups of cold lemon water and we sat outside as the weather was nice.

As it was our last day of holidays it would be rude not to squeeze in an extra meal, so after a thorough waxing Captain Caveman and I went to Oasis Tapas bar for a glass of wine, only to indulge in a few fantastic tapas dishes. We had beef, ostrich and Spanish omelette (even though I don’t like eggs) which were all so tasty and we had to stop ourselves being too greedy as we were off to meet Diana for dinner (number 2).

While our German friend confirmed she had arrived in Hanoi and her flight to Dong Hoi the next day had been moved to later we wandered over to The Kneipe restaurant. Captain Caveman ordered a pizza, Diana had a pork dish with 2 sides from the specials and I ordered the chicken wings (having checked they were gluten free first) with a side of red cabbage – we all had a red wine too. My chicken wings came deep fried in a coating which looked like flour so I pulled it all off and ate them and my side of red cabbage was delicious but massive. We all enjoyed our food then headed over to The Craftsman Cocktail bar where the cocktails went down very well and we met an ex Jungle Boss colleague, Smiley Fox, who was now working there.
Diana had some friends who were at an open mic night just down the road at The Trip so we decided to join and there was some really great musicians playing, including the organiser, his partner and a few other friendly types, we drank cocktails and ciders and even bumped in to the woman from The Kneipe who was still apologising for giving me too much red cabbage! By 12:30am Captain Caveman and I were begging for mercy and had to leave the younger ones to it!

The week started with rain and so I decided to have a snickers instead of going out for breakfast on Monday 17th February. By lunchtime it hadn’t stopped raining and so I decided to wait until Captain Caveman came back from Son Doong to go out. In the meantime I’d checked the bus and train times for a rather spontaneous trip to Danang and Hoi An with friends. We decided to have some food at Phong Nha Underground in the afternoon, even though Captain Caveman had his gala dinner at Chay Lap that evening, he had chicken pasta alfredo and I had the tamarind chicken which was a big portion and really tasty. As Captain Caveman left in a car I was joined by Ally and we had some wine before heading up to Momma D’s for a drink with quite a few people. Captain Caveman joined later and we had to say farewell to Ally who would be back later in the year. I inadvertently managed to drink 5 red wines but then the new staff at Momma D’s were certainly on their toes for making sure I wasn’t left thirsty! I wasn’t planning on a late night as we had to be up fairly early on Tuesday for our little trip away from Phong Nha.