Phong Nha – 7th May

On Tuesday 7th May Captain Caveman and I decided we needed to get planning some stuff. After one of our usually tasty breakfasts and my Yorkshire tea we sat in a shady area with a breeze and got my diary out. We knew we were booked in at Greenfield Ecostay for another 2 nights but we were already thinking it wasn’t long enough. We had no plans of where we would stay next and I still had no flight out of Vietnam booked. It felt a bit disconcerting not knowing where I would be staying once I left Vietnam, and I couldn’t return to Captain Caveman’s apartment until 1st October. What I did know is that I was joining Captain Caveman on his trip in the UK for his cousin’s wedding in Penrith in July and that I needed a new passport. Our plans revolved around me getting the passport in London on the same day as I arrived. My passport doesn’t actually expire for another 4 years but a lot of South East Asian countries take up a lot of room with visas and stamps so it was very nearly full We decided to look at flights and get booking some things in. We also still didn’t know where Captain Caveman would be working next year so I needed to take as much of my stuff back to Turkey as possible. I booked my flight from Dalaman to London on the 8th July which was €44 (£37.50), hand luggage only, going with easyJet and landing at Gatwick airport at 3am. I would then take the train to Farringdon and walk to an Italian 24 hour cafe where I would meet Captain Caveman at an unspecified time. He would have arrived from Vietnam the day before and would have stayed at his parents’ house in London. We could then get my new passport and stay in London for a few days before going North.
Looking at Captain Caveman’s schedule, it made sense for us to have a short break together in Vietnam at the end of June when he had time off. We decided on Danang where I could then start my journey back to Dalyan from. Captain Caveman’s Son Doong tour finished on the 21st of June and there was a train late that night which would get to Danang early in the morning the next day. This meant we could have the weekend in Danang before Captain Caveman had to be back in Phong Nha the following Tuesday and I would go to Turkey.
It was decided and Captain Caveman booked my flight from Danang on the 25th, stopping briefly in Saigon, Bangkok and Istanbul before I reached Dalyan. I felt happier knowing it was booked and we knew some plans, I was still concerned that I didn’t have a clue where I would be after Captain Caveman came back to Vietnam at the end of July and for all of August. I’d banked on being able to to do house and petsitting in August and most of September in Dalyan but I couldn’t do that any more, due to the new rules there. I also needed to be in Dalyan around the 23rd August which was when I could apply for my Turkish Residency Renewal appointment.
I was about to get in the pool when Chung and Hoan arrived, with fruit and snacks. Hoan brought a watermelon and Chung brought Banh Hoa which is like a doughnut mix in a crispy snack, shaped like a flower and rather moreish. Our friends had a soft drink and a look around the pool area, Chung picked a fruit from the tree near the pool and ate some.
That evening, I got a lift with Captain Caveman to Phong Nha Vegan where I tried the Mushroom Congee. I was not expecting to like what they called mushroom porridge but it was amazing. Captain Caveman had taken himself off to the Indian restaurant, Ganesh, and he brought leftovers back too. Back at the homestay we went to bed early (again) and I fell asleep very quickly.