Our friend, Julia, was coming to visit for 5 days so that she and Captain Caveman could join the Jungle Boss tour, Tiger Cave Series Adventure. That morning we were awake early and in the car by 6:30am on our way to Dong Hoi airport via Chay Lap. I had a bad stomach and almost didn’t go but once we got to Chay Lap to pick up 5 of Captain Caveman’s Son Doong customers we had a bit of a wait as they were all still eating breakfast. Luckily Julia’s flight wasn’t due to land until 08:35am so by the time we had said our goodbyes and walked to the arrivals she was here.
We ‘checked her in’ to our spare room and made arrangements for her to borrow my old bicycle so we could go for a late breakfast at Victory Road Villas. Later we had a couple of cold drinks at Easy Tiger, with Josh too, and then went to D’Arts for the best Bun Cha in town.

I’d already had a couple of ciders and a pepsi when Captain Caveman decided we would be going on a bike ride around Phong Nha, just as it started to get sunny – I had no hat or suncream and even Josh decided to go home but Julia was totally up for it. Of course they zoomed off and I didn’t see Captain Caveman for dust, while Julia felt she had a duty of care to stay with me, especially as I had already moaned it was too hot, it was too far, I didn’t know the way and that Captain Caveman never waits for me. Eventually even she got bored of me being quite a ‘slowy’ and went to catch up but I saw them ahead turn in to a new homestay called Escape.
I had a water and stuck my hot (as in sweaty) legs in the pool to try to cool down while Captain Caveman explained the next exciting part of the route which would bring us the long way to our house. I was assured that it was really easy and Captain Caveman promised he would be right next to us.

Of course it wasn’t easy, I got chased by dogs, splattered with mud by a child who was scooping muddy water from a puddle with a tennis racket (I had to get off and give him what for!) then we got heavy rain. Apart from that, we saw a nice full rainbow which Captain Caveman missed because he sprinted off before the rain started without a word to either of us, so he could get the washing in.
Back home we had a few minutes to get ready and then we were cycling back down to town to eat dinner at Chao Vietnam where I needed wine – a rather delightful 2 carafes of Chardonnay to be precise.
We even witnessed the owner kill a snake, right next to a family with young kids, using only his flipflop – another first for me. Josh had joined us for a beer after his Son Doong briefing but we didn’t go out after dinner because all of them had a tour the next day. I, on the other hand, had a busy few days coming up – I had agreed to do a favour for a friend.

A civilised girls night out was planned before Jamie, our American friend, returned home and it turned out to be one of those Phong Nha memories that we will laugh about for some time.
My day started well with a healthy breakfast of garden rolls and herbal tea at Underground and more watching of The Vietnam War on Netflix. I had a simple lunch of cheese, rice crackers and cashew nuts before cycling in to town to shop at the market.

The girls (just four of us) were booked in for drinks at 5pm at Victory Road Villas so that we could enjoy ‘Happy Hour and a Half’, however this also clashed with Jamie’s ‘opening of a karaoke’ party in town.
I ate beef and pineapple rice from Chao Vietnam before heading to Victory Road Villas for just after 5pm where I was on my second margarita and had finished a bowl of popcorn when the first of the girls arrived. By the time Jamie joined us we were on the red wine and getting tipsy.

Eventually the last of the girls joined us and everyone (but me) was hungry so we went to Underground for dinner and more wine.
We also had more wine at Easy Tiger and Jamie convinced me to go to Andy’s Disco Bar – it’s the only late bar in town with a dancefloor and half decent music. Being a bit drunk we actually tried to go before it was open and we were sent away until 11pm, by which time we were hammered.

We needed an Andy’s stamp to get in and I wasn’t content with having one on my arm like normal people. Jamie’s shoes were hurting her and she wanted to go barefoot so we swapped and she got my comfy flip-flops in exchange for her sexy high nude sandals. I’ve not worn heels for years, although I love them, so I was loving prancing about and dancing in them. Jamie and I got invited to see some (husky) puppies out the back of the bar by Andy and we got involved with stroking, cuddling and feeding the cute little things.

August started with me dancing to some great tunes on a busy dance floor in Phong Nha’s only ‘night club’ – Andy’s. At my age it’s not a normal occurrence for me to frequent such establishments but I had been persuaded by the girls after drinking far too much on Wine Wednesday.
It turned out to be a good laugh and I didn’t get home until 1am (extremely rare for me). I still had on Jamie’s shoes which she’d let me keep and I was unsure how I’d made it up the 4 lots of stairs to my room.
I woke up at 5am to the sound of dogs barking and fighting and then had the hangover from hell. When one of the girls came to pick me up so I could retrieve my bicycle from Victory Road Villas, I was still in my pyjamas but didnt care, and we bumped in to the VRV owner. Breakfast of vegan soup with rice noodles and mint tea at Veggie Box sorted me out temporarily but then I went back to bed.

1) Go on a tour – most adventure tours will go ahead as planned or in a safely modified way so check with the company and get ready for your adventure. You will be out of the rain when you’re in a cave so there is no need to cancel any pre-booked tours.

2) Eat – there are so many good places to eat in Phong Nha that you will be spoiled for choice. A few places also do takeaway and delivery too.

3) Drink – grab a smoothie or a glass of wine. Lots of places will offer free water refills too so you can help reduce the amount of plastic.

4) Phong Nha cave – spend a half day on this trip from the Tourism Centre by boat which will drop you inside the cave for you to explore inside both caves.

Captain Caveman’s photo at Phong Nha Cave

5) Play pool – there are a few bars and hostels offering free pool tables including Easy Tiger, Sunflowers & Phong Nha Farmstay.

6) Read a book – you can often do a book swap or even buy a new book at a cheap price at Capture Cafe.

7) Get a massage – my favourite is Dr Sy of Magic Fingers, he’s very good and great value. If you’re staying at Chay Lap Farmstay resort they also offer a massage service.

8) Have a manicure or pedicure – there are a few places around so ask your homestay for a recommendation or visit Lemon Tree for a treatment or two.

9) Go to the market and buy a rain poncho and plastic sandals – the local market will sell cheap coverups and shoes for if you are still wanting to get out and about by foot, bicycle, or motorbike. Expectt to get a poncho and sandals for less than $3.

10) Sing – there are so many karaoke places where you can rent the room by the hour to belt out a few ballads and ruin a couple of rock anthems. They vary in price according to the size of room, variety of songs and quality of the snacks.

11) Go for a swim – you’re already going to get wet so why not have a swim in one of the many pools in Phong Nha.

12) Cooking Class – why not learn how to cook some local food and then eat it! Your hostel or homestay can advise of one close by.

13) Sit in a bar or cafe and people watch – there are so many places you can sit and watch the world go by, and wonder at the people out in the rain wandering about.

Our first visit to this new place was brilliant! The sun was out but with the promise of cloudiness and rain ahead. Captain Caveman and I ate breakfast at Coffee Station and were joined by our two friends for a day out. Captain Caveman had rented a motorbike for the day from a local company, who has good bikes for 100,000vnd per 24hrs, so that we could drive over to see the newest accommodation in Phong Nha. The owner happened to have his birthday that day and we let him know we were coming to check out his new place!
Karst Villas is wonderful and probably the nicest place to stay in town! We had a tour around the rooms and villas, went on the roof and tested out the pool. The owner invited us all to come to stay to try out the place soon, however, Captain Caveman has little time off this month and none of us had matching time off. Being a lady of leisure I could go any time, of course.
The chef was away but the owner knocked up a lunch for us, gave us fruit and waters and fluffy towels at the pool – it wasn’t even open yet!! The girls posed as models by the pool for the day and we took so many photos, mostly of bikini-clad ladies.

It was so good a visit that we have been back again since and tested out the chef’s Vietnamese food which was delicious. My favourite is their deep swimming pool, which Captain Caveman loved to dive in to, and the comfy sun-loungers. Even on the second visit, which was cloudy, we still caught the sun.

Being a lady of leisure, as well as having Jamie and her family over for a visit, has meant I can join in on the fun stuff for a change instead of saying I can’t come because I’m working. It was only 5 days since the start of my tourist visa and 6 weeks until I would be with some of my UK family and friends in Turkey so I was looking forward to being a tourist for the day in the Phong Nha area.
Captain Caveman and I had a leisurely breakfast at Capture cafe before getting picked up by Jamie and her family for a day out to one of the famous places in the nearby Bong Lai Valley. I’d never been before and I was so excited, although a little bit nervous as I’m scared of some birds (I have a terrible fear of pigeons).
At the Duck Stop we got to see, feed and touch ducks and it was so good – it’s not just for the kids! It was busy and we waited with a cold drink and some fresh peanuts while chatting to the owner and the other staff and their kids. We were shown the best way to eat the peanuts, with the local pepper corns and salt before being given a conicle hat to wear.
Inside the duck enclosure we were guided by the owner who is so good with the ducks. Both Jamie and I love animals and so we were pleased to see they were treated very well. Each and everyone of us, including the 2 little kids, were allowed to feed the ducks and we were given so much opportunity for photos and videos. It was also my first time touching a real live duck and it felt so soft!
When we eventually felt like we had spent enough time with the ducks we went out of the enclosure to a hand and foot washing station, which is basically a hose pipe and some soap which does the job for hands and feet. I did wear my own porter sandals but if you don’t have them you can borrow them so your own shoes don’t get dirty. There are also some great quality t-shirts you can buy for a souvenir but the staff are not pushy so you can ask to try on at the back of the bar area.

After all the excitement of the Duck Stop we went to Moi Moi for lunch and had a selection of delicious food. We should’ve pre-ordered as it took a while to come and we were all hungry and tired. It was sunny and hot but not unbearable and we got to chill in hammocks while waiting. Moi Moi is a simple eatery ran by the family, where your food is very fresh – our chicken was still alive when we arrived!
The bamboo pork is my absolute favourite while Captain Caveman just loves the veggie cassava and peanut starter. All the food is prepared and cooked in the very basic kitchen over an open fire next to where the children and dogs play. The beer is cold and the staff warm and welcoming despite not speaking too much English. All in all a great day out and we didn’t even have time to visit all the other places in the Bong Lai Valley – maybe another time.
We cheated and did it by car with a local driver, however, fitter and more adventurous types can certainly make the journey by bicycle from Phong Nha.

On my last day at work with Jungle Boss (for this year, anyway) I was meant to work 2-5.30pm at the sales office and then have my leaving party at Sunflower’s straight after, but as luck would have it there was a shift change which meant I had to do my handover with the manager before 2pm. I worked from home after seeing Captain Caveman off to Son Doong and I knocked up a spreadsheet containing all my customer details before cycling down to the Sales Office to hand in my laptop and Sim card.
Later I stopped by the Jungle Boss Homestay to have a swim and confirm details for the leaving drinks which then got changed. Boss suggested we have a Jungle Boss pool party and everyone could join the party which was a great idea. Most of the staff live nearby or have kids (or both) so would be easier to drink locally. There was a new bartender with some cocktails and juices for him to try on us, as well as having some comfy poolside side seats and the refreshing swimming pool. It was a really great send off! I had such a great time and I think we really worked Tuan (the bartender) hard.
I went home in my wet swimwear but with my dress over the top and a little bit merry! I was looking forward to having some free time in Phong Nha, taking some Vietnamese lessons too, but I was also going to miss the Jungle Boss family!

For anyone reading this who is coming to Phong Nha, Vietnam and wants to do a tour or stay at Jungle Boss, here is their website.

Jungle Boss Adventure Tours, Homestay & Organic Farm

Our flight from Chiang Mai to Danang was at 8am on Tuesday 23rd July so we were up at 5.30am. Sometimes being a lady of leisure can be hard work!
At the airport there are no gluten free options so while a tired Captain Caveman scoffed a croissant and an espresso I made do with an earl grey tea.
The plane landed early and I took my visa approval letter to the visa processing man. I didn’t have a passport photo but he took my photo for $3. Captain Caveman had a tatty $10 note which he’d been trying to get rid of and I used it to pay for my visa and the photo. All went well and I got my visa in less than 15 minutes but the queues to get through passport control were lengthy and hardly moving. Once out we got a taxi to the hotel which Captain Caveman had booked and I was really impressed that he’d chosen an apartment, mainly because it stated it had a washing machine and we were out of clean undies. We were too early to check in but we were allowed to use the pool if we wanted – first I needed to eat!!
It wouldn’t have been my first choice for breakfast and I was a bit tetchy from being tired and hungry but burgers it was. I had a cheese burger, no bun or sauces just wrapped in lettuce and with loads of raw onion. Captain Caveman had a massive burger with everything on which I’m sure he swallowed whole. Burger Brothers in Danang doesn’t look great but their burgers are fantastic!! I ate mine too fast to remember to take a photo and I could easily have had another one.
Back at Moon Hotel and Apartments we headed up to the rooftop pool, which we had to ourselves. When we did check in I was amazed how nice the apartment was however Captain Caveman noticed right away that it did not meet his expectations and had to go to reception to complain – there was no washing machine, no safe, no matching robes, no (wine) glasses and no toaster!!! They agreed to bring us a washing machine that afternoon but in the end the manager, realised that would be a nightmare, offered to let us have a free laundry service. We were happy with that and put in all of our clothes including the swimmers.
At 4pm I went to L Spa for a very thorough waxing experience (I’ve had gynecologists be further away during a procedure)!! I also got a shoulder and foot massage which was brilliant. If you’re in Danang and need any of these treatments they are definitely great value and extremely professional.
I called in at a minimart on the way back and bought (screwtop) wine, paper cups, cheese, fruit and cashews which we had some of before going out for dinner. We tried to go to a BBQ place that had been recommended but it was closed so we went to Fat Fish instead. We shared a salad and I had ribs for main with more wine!

Breakfast at the Moon Hotel and Apartments on Wednesday 24th July was great! I was lucky to have lots of choice and ate dragon fruit, pineapple, bun cay (vegetarian soup), spring rolls and steamed rice with lotus seeds. We had a lazy morning, ate cheese cashews and mangosteen then, when I eventually managed to get Captain Caveman off his phone, we went to Bread & Salt for lunch on it’s opening day. My chicken salad was amazing and I only drank water (trying to cut down on the booze a little).
In the afternoon Captain Caveman needed the bank and so we walked to Dirty Fingers, a sports bar, where I ended up having 3 small wines! The owner also talked us into having a T-Bone steak each with chips and salad. It worked out well for me as that night we were off to a function where I wouldn’t be able to eat anything. We called in to Seven Bridges for a gluten free beer before heading to meet a friend.
Hops & Crust had their opening party from 7pm and they had free pizza being handed round. I just had the gluten free beer although I really wanted the pizza which looked amazing. Back at Moon we watched a film on TV (a rarity as we don’t have a TV at home) before bed.

Captain Caveman should’ve been in Hang Son Doong on Thursday 25th July but instead he got to spend all day with me – of course he had no idea how lucky he was!
He’d been up in the night with a bad stomach and just as I’d started to feel better he was not well. He didn’t make it to breakfast and instead stayed in bed, on his phone, until just before noon.
Unfortunately we had to check out at 12:00 and were getting a car back to Phong Nha which is just over 300km away (about 6 hours).
We went for food at Mini Breakfast, just round the corner from Moon Hotel and Apartments, as Captain Caveman was feeling hungry and seemed to be recovering well. I had the best second breakfast I’ve had in a long time – bacon, potatoes, onion and melted Camembert!
Before our pick up we squeezed in another dip in the pool and a lounge about. Captain Caveman was convinced we would arrive home by 8pm while I was less optimistic. We’d been driving for less than an hour when the driver pulled over after a toll and waited for another car and driver. He didn’t speak English so we weren’t sure why but then we followed that car a few minutes to Lang Co, where both cars stopped for food.
We didn’t eat or drink but both driver’s had some sort of noodle soup and quails eggs with an energy drink. I took the opportunity to have a pee and was glad I had as we then drove non-stop to Phong Nha in silence for the majority of the way, arriving back after 9.30pm!

We were off on a bit of a jolly for Captain Caveman’s birthday and my visa run. Having finished working for the year I now needed a tourist visa for the rest of my stay in Vietnam. On Friday 19th July we were up very early to get our lift from Phong Nha to Dong Hoi for the 08:04 SE1 train to Danang. Captain Caveman had been unable to get us beds in the same berth so he had booked separate ones, both a top bunk in a 4 berth. I’d downloaded the rest of The Affair (on Netflix) to watch on the train too and had my new ear phones to be put to the test. When we arrived at Dong Hoi station the train was delayed by 40 minutes so we went to a cafe for a hot drink – I chose ginger tea because I had a terrible sore throat as well as still having aching limbs from our recent caving trip.
We boarded the train and went to our sleepers. Mine already had 2 adults and 4 kids in it and they proceeded to be loud, hyperactive and generally very annoying. I tried to watch Netflix with my earphones in but I kept getting messages to say my hearing could be damaged for having the volume on so high – I couldn’t hear a word! I told the kids off a few times but they ignored me and got worse. When we got to Hue the train steward asked me if I would like to join Captain Caveman in his sleeper so I agreed. When I opened their door there were also 4 other people but they were quiet and happy, sat on the bottom bunks and so I could watch The Affair (at a much lower volume).

Our train got in late and we got a taxi to our hostel, Roma Casa, so we could drop bags off before going for breakfast or lunch.
We got neither and instead went to the bar for lemon juice, some peanuts and a passion fruit margarita. Finally we went out to eat and we went to an amazing place called Le Comptoire – a fancy french restaurant.
I had a duck and lentil salad for starter, roast chicken and veg for main and then shared a cheese board with Captain Caveman for afters. We had a lovely bottle of wine and I was happy to have eaten at last.
Back at the hostel I found the bed very comfy and the toilet and shower block were spotlessly clean and nearby. They had a swimming pool made out of a shipping container which we didn’t get to go in this time. We set the alarm as the next day we were off to Thailand.

Our flight from Danang to Chiang Mai wasn’t until 10:30am on Saturday 20th July which meant we had time for breakfast. I had pork fried rice and it was a large portion. We were excited to be off to Chiang Mai, both of us for the second time but the first time together.
We arrived at our hotel, I Lanna House, around 1pm and were able to check in early. Captain Caveman had chosen the accommodation and it was lovely. For lunch we went to SP Chicken which is one of the tastiest places I’ve ever had a whole chicken. We shared the chicken, some sticky rice, morning glory and of course a couple of cold beers. I found out that many of the Thai beers are made with rice and so I was able to drink them without any problem. In the afternoon we lounged by the pool and had a refreshing dip. I had started with a cold and my sore throat was worse so I had a little nap before we went out for the evening. We visited Mixology, a firm favourite of mine from my last trip and a first for Captain Caveman. Unfortunately it seemed to be a little less sparkling than last time so we had just 2 cocktails each but ate elsewhere.

Amigos was a tiny cafe where Captain Caveman enjoyed the nachos and I had a corn taco with chicken. Directly above the Mexican place was Cru, a delightful wine bar where it would be rude not to have a cheese board. It rounded the night off well and once back at the hotel I slept the best I had in a while.

Sunday 21st July was an interesting day and I got to meet a famous person.
We started with breakfast at the hotel but the gluten free choices were limited to pineapple, lettuce, carrot, cabbage and yoghurt – definitely different but healthy. In the afternoon we went in search of snacks and sore throat sweets and found an abundance of Hall’s in all flavours at the Seven-Eleven shop. I got loads and felt a bit better even after one sweet.
In the evening we went to meet Sid, his wife and dog at Gekko restaurant just as it started to rain. Sid Perou is a famous caver and film maker who’s also written books and is writing one now – he’s 82, from England but living in Chiang Mai. He and his wife were so lovely and it was nice to meet them at last.
For dinner I had a few beers and a plate of ribs while Captain Caveman had a masaman curry.

Our short trip to Chiang Mai was already coming to an end and Monday 22nd July was our last day at I Lanna House. I was still waiting for my visa approval letter so I could re-enter Vietnam the next day and was assured I’d get it by 6pm. The plan was to have a few days in Danang before going back to Phong Nha, assuming I got back in the country ok.
When we booked the trip to Thailand Captain Caveman had needed to be back in Phong Nha to do his Son Doong briefing on the 24th but we found out later that the tour was cancelled which meant he could be away for longer. At 5.55pm my visa approval letter was emailed to me and I got the hotel to print it me out. For dinner we went to Dash, a popular Thai place where I had a masaman curry and beer. My cold was still around but my sore throat was starting to go and I was hoping to be feeling better for our early flight the next day.

It’s been over 2 years since I used my JOLOYOLO blog however I’m now in a position to start it again. I can quickly catch you up with what I’ve been up to before I write more of my experiences as a lady of leisure.

2018 started in Cambodia with friends and Captain Caveman before returning to Phong Nha, Vietnam, to start a full time job with Jungle Boss for 3 months. I spent almost 4 months during the summer back in the UK, living with my parents and working in a local bar. In September I went to Dalyan in Turkey for 3 months where I caught up with family and friends before flying to Australia for a first time visit.

In 2019 I have already worked full time for 6 months at Jungle Boss. I celebrated Tet holiday and recorded a podcast in February, had friends visit Phong Nha in April, then went on a trip to Tuy Hoa, Quy Nhon and Tam Hai island during May. Last month I had my second visit to Chiang Mai and am now being a lady of leisure in Phong Nha again.

Please feel free to read my old blog posts on here and listen to my podcast interview with the fantastic Chapin Kreuter: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3z8zX2AKdcNZs2myxIjnwI?si=GREw49ETQiuVOtaf_qvYKQ

My choice of song, rather than being about food or eating, is by a band that I’m not a massive fan of, but I do like this song and the band name is appropriate.

 

Not all of the food I list below will be available or taste the same in each city as Vietnam varies greatly from North to South.  These are my particular favourites and if you are visiting Vietnam you are bound to see most of these on the menu. Ironically, I wrote this list while munching on Captain Caveman’s emergency chocolate stash during a rain storm.

I will start off at number 10 and count down in reverse order of these delicious dinners. There is only one salad on the list and as I don’t eat many salads it has to go in at number 10.

# 10 – Banana Flower Salad (Nom Hoa Chuoi in Vietnamese).  I love this because it is so fresh and banana flower is difficult to come by, back home.  The salad usually comprises of carrot, cucumber, crushed peanuts, chopped chilies and my favourite comes with thinly sliced beef.  If you’re lucky you may even get some prawn crackers to eat it with too.

# 9 – Steamed Buns (Banh Bao). These are usually sold from a motorbike, loaded with a steamer on the back, in our small village and you need to get them before 7.30am as they sell out quickly.  In the cities they are sold on the street and in more permanent establishments.  Usually the cheaper they are the less meat they have in them and sometimes they come with minced meat filling and egg – I prefer the cheaper ones and find it hard to manage more than 2 for a meal.

#8 – Noodle Soup (Pho). I attended a cooking class a few years ago and learned how to cook Pho Bo, Beef Noodle Soup and I was gobsmacked that a soup that looks so simple would take over 6 hours to make.  It’s a clear, consomme style, which is made from using the beef bones. It has wide rice noodles in with some herbs and very thinly sliced raw beef is dropped in a few minutes before serving so that the hot liquid cooks the meat in the bowl.  Usually served with extra leafy greens, lime and chilies for you to add to taste. Ideal for a filling breakfast.

#7 – Sandwich (Banh Mi). This is basically a baguette filled with some salad items, sweet chili sauce and pork products, although there a lots of variations around.  Some will contain a pate like slice, some will add cheese or egg.  If your Vietnamese skills are up to it you can request what you want.  Near where we live I have it with BBQ pork, no sauces and it’s amazing.  It can also be a really cheap option for a meal at any time of day and ideal for taking with you on a long journey.

#6 – Pork & Noodle dish (Cao Lau). This is a famous local Hoi An dish that is made using the water from the Ba Le well. It is one of my favourite foods and I always seek it out whenever I am in Hoi An. The noodles are thicker and similar to udon and the dish comes with some thinly sliced pork and leafy green stuff on top. Some of the noodles are cooked to make a crunchy version and are added to the top of the dish after a small amount of ‘gravy’ has been poured over. This meal would be my number one if I could get it outside of Hoi An.

#5 – Pork Noodle soup (Bun Heo). This is one of my frequent breakfast dishes, here in Phong Nha.  It’s made differently depending on the family and which vegetables and herbs are available in their garden.  It is made from rice noodles (vermicelli) that are thin and soft with slices of pork, pepper and chilies.  Usually you will be served some salad to add and even a spring roll to dip in. The soup is clear and a slightly salty, oily taste to it. I never manage to eat a full bowl as it is so filling.

#4 – Tofu in tomato sauce (Dau phu sot ca chua). If any vegetarian readers are still reading I’m guessing you’ve been wondering if there would be anything on the list without meat.  Here it is, my favourite lunch time food.  It is usually very cheap with plenty of firm soy tofu that fries so much better here than at home (I’ve tried to make it at home and it was nothing like the Vietnamese version). The sauce has lots of tomato, garlic, spring onion, mushroom and some seasoning and the dish is served with steamed rice.

#3 – Spring Rolls (Nem ran, Cha Gio or Goi Cuon). I love the fried spring rolls the best and the ones with pork and shrimp in are usually my favourite.  The vegetarian ones that have glass noodle, mushroom, carrot & tarot are also delicious.  The fresh spring rolls (Goi Cuon) are healthier and tend to have more cucumber and herbs in. Ideal as a starter or even to share.

#2 – Crispy Pancakes (Banh Xeo). This dish is a real treat and one I like to eat as part of a social gathering as it involves using your hands and even helping others roll them.  You are usually served the crispy pancakes containing some or all of pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, quails egg along with a plate of green salad, strips of pickled carrot and cucumber and some rice paper to roll it all in before dipping in the crushed peanut and chili sauce. It’s cheap and easy to keep ordering more to share. These can be served vegetarian too.

For people that know me, most will have guessed my number one choice of Vietnamese food…….

#1 Grilled Pork & Noodle (Bun Cha). The pork patties are grilled on a BBQ along with fatty pieces of pork bacon, then served with salad leaves, bean sprouts, banana flower and cold rice noodles on the side.  In the middle is a bowl of liquid that usually contains some chili, garlic, sugar, salt, fish sauce, vinegar, sliced carrot and radish and lime juice.  This can test the chopstick skills a little as you should put all the ingredients in to a mouthful that has been dipped in the liquid.  I love this food and although traditionally a Hanoi dish, we are lucky enough to find it in Phong Nha.

 

 

 

 

It was 2 years ago this week that I shared my experiences of my Tu Lan adventures with my friends and family via a private Facebook group. I first heard this song when Jules Holland had Emiliana on his show years ago and I instantly loved it, the video though reminds me of me in the jungle on this trip – completely out of place and a bit of a joke.

It was 39 degrees in the shade and maybe the reason I had been making choices to do things that would get me out of our sweaty glass house.
On the day of the decision it was not even 5pm and I had had 5 showers, numerous litres of water, several soft drinks and a river swim. We had no air con in our rooms and it was unbearable, so I agreed to go on the Tu Lan 4 day expedition with Oxalis Adventure Tours. My fitness levels were poor, I was overweight and was not used to the tropical climate at all.
Colin had already done the 4 day Tu Lan expedition a few weeks ago and he convinced me that I could do it and would love it, despite being claustrophobic and scared of most things.
So at 7.45am on a Sunday we were waiting to get picked up. I had borrowed clothes from Captain Caveman as I had nothing to cover me up and was even wearing his underwear for comfort.
On the way to Tan Hoa we picked up the other customers so that there were 7 of us in total.

We also had 2 guides with us, Kien and Uy, who I know and are colleagues and friends of Captain Caveman.
Dave was our cave expert and couldn’t see why I was on the trip as he thought I wasn’t fit enough and kept joking that he would send me back before too long.
After we had watched the others do their practice abseil we all set off and did a 2.5km flat walk to Rao Nan river, we walked across it and then climbed rocks 50m up to Secret cave.
Panic number one started as I saw massive spiders and the 2 ‘squeezy’ bits of cave that I had to push myself through. We learned afterwards that the following day this part had 2 poisonous snakes in.
I got through eventually but it wasn’t easy and by this time I was pretty hot and sweaty.
We climbed down 100m to Hung Ton valley where a picnic was waiting for us. I wasn’t hungry and was regretting going on the trip but there was no way I would go back through secret cave. So I forced down the bread, sausage and cheese knowing I would need the energy.
After lunch we crossed the valley and up Hung Ton mountain. It was about 2km to Mango Mountain and then another 2km to Tu Lan valley.
The first campsite was gorgeous. We quickly dumped our bags and put our helmets lights and gloves on and took a quick trip over some rocks and in to Tu Lan cave. There were rock pools and a waterfall and we swam about 200m fully clothed. I loved this part.
Afterwards we sat at a picnic bench and ate a delicious feast of pork, tofu, rice, veg, washed down with a shot of rice wine.
Later at bedtime panic number two came. My hammock had a plastic sheet across, in case of rain, which was so close to my head that I couldn’t bear it. Aly kindly took it off and I slept being able to see the moon and stars through my mosquito net.

Day 2 of the expedition started very early, after a restless night and little sleep, we had pancakes and bananas for breakfast.
First we went in to the dry part of Tu Lan cave and that’s where we did the 15m abseil down a cliff and in to the makeshift boats. As you can imagine everyone else did theirs perfectly. Mine was done with lots of ‘oohing’ and squealing once I accidentally turned upside down. No one was amused except for Colin who was taking the piss out of me. I can’t believe how tricky it was compared to the ones I’d done down the side of our house.
Finally at the bottom I had to balance on the edge of the rubber rings and 4 pieces of bamboo that they called boats. We rowed 1.5km inside the cave over to a dam, where we got a puncture. By the time we rowed all the way back again my waist was underwater so we got off and swam the very last bit. Back at camp we had fried rice for lunch and, my energy waning, I tucked in to a few sweet snacks.
After lunch we swam for about 200m into Ken Cave where we did lots of swimming. As the lights on our heads attracted moths, the bats would swoop down and eat the moths from in front of us so sometimes I turned my light off and floated on my back.
In our wet clothes we trekked 500m to Hang Kim where we swam some more before climbing through the cave, up a 15m steel ladder tied on to with rope. Surprisingly panic number 3 crept up on me here as I thought I was ok but suddenly I was exhausted, emotional and wondering why the hell I was being tied to a rope to climb a ladder if it wasn’t dangerous. I started to panic I wouldn’t find my way back to ground level and so went up the ladder tentatively. Colin, John and I went on ahead to the exit so I could stop panicking. We exited at Mo valley and trekked to Hung Ton where we swam to our next campsite. I had a cool dip in the river and even washed my hair before a nice meal sat on a plastic sheet. We had bbq pork, peanuts, cabbage, tofu and rice.
I knew day 3 was the hardest and Captain Caveman had suggested that if I was offered a shortcut or a get out I should take it. All the group didn’t want me to take it and as it was just trekking for 30km up and down mountains in 40 degree heat my decision was obviously hard to make. The guides however encouraged that taking an alternative easier day might be best for me (due to me not being fit enough).
We talked it over and I made my decision so off to bed we went. Aly somehow ended up in her hammock upside down and then fell out.

 

Day 3 started with a good shake of our clothes to remove the bugs before breakfast of spicy fried noodles and spring rolls. I avoided the noodles given my stomach doesn’t tolerate chilies well at the best of times, never mind on an adventure tour. I was pretty dehydrated too despite the quantity of fluids and without being too personal most of us were managing around half a wee per day on average.
Obviously I decided to take the shortcut. In my mind there was no question as Captain Caveman (before I went), and the guides all thought it would be for the best and they do this trip often. If I’d been on the trip with a load of lazy, overweight, unfit ‘slowies’ (like me) I may have let them persuade me. There were no fears to address for me on the itinerary that day so I was happy to take the get out option.
The others set off an hour early as they wanted to get started. There was not a breeze in the air and the temperature would be about 38 degrees.
I sat about watching the 4 porters pack everything in to their big backpacks – 30kg each. We then walked for between 30-60 minutes, with breaks, to the back exit of Rat Cave.
We walked through rat cave, almost in the dark, and across the river where a motorbike and Mr Dinh were waiting for me to take me back to Tu Lan office. It’s a good job I was still wearing my sports bra!
At the office I was offered a cold soft drink and a shower, both of which I declined. I was hoping to complete the tour with the others and felt bad that they would be absolutely boiling walking in the open today, drinking only the warm water we had. My clothes were wet and filthy so if I showered I would feel worse having to put them back on. I did smell but didn’t care. Captain Caveman phoned to check I was ok and he said I’d done the best thing missing the hill walk today.
The staff at the office brought me 2 fried eggs and a baguette for lunch and even though I don’t eat eggs I ate as much of it as I could.
Captain Caveman did mention that my return route to camp would be ‘interesting’ but nothing prepared me for the motorbike ride from Tu Lan to the road edge about an hour from Hang Tien. Mr Dinh, his 30kg bag and me got on a small motorbike and rode for just over an hour. We went on road, sand, rock, a wooden floating bridge across a river full of water buffalo, through woods lined with stinging nettles and only fell off a couple of times. He didn’t have a helmet so I wore my caving helmet just in case.
We stopped in the middle of nowhere at a shed with chickens and the porters ate watermelon and I think they picked up a couple of chickens for tea (I didn’t see them killed). We walked for just less than an hour through jungle, over rocks, in rivers and along logs until we came to our campsite at Hang Tien.
I had just arrived when the rest of the group appeared. They looked pretty broken and some of them couldn’t even speak. Luckily our campsite had a deep cold rock pool to dip in and although we had to climb sharp rocks to get to it we were grateful to cool off.
Food was good that night with an additional dish of fried chicken. After dinner we lay on the plastic sheeting and watched the stars. I saw the plough, shooting stars and satellites. Tan told me I didn’t miss anything special today and that the walk was intense in the relentless heat.
Later I watched a huge electrical storm from my hammock and finally fell asleep about 3am.

 

By the time I woke up on day 4 most of the others were up and about. By now I had so many insect bites that it took longer to put the antihistamine cream on than to get dressed. My trousers had been drying on a twig made in to a washing line and had 4 flying cockroach type bugs in them which I shook off and killed one, the others escaped.
We had pancakes again for breakfast and I had three cups of black tea and a rehydration drink as my legs were in agony. Hugh had told me he had been massaging his own legs to stop the cramps so I did the same but my thighs were solid.
A dark coloured snake slithered in to camp and most of us saw it. The guides and porters told us not to go near it and it disappeared. I’ve never seen a big snake in the wild and it was very impressive, beautiful even.
Before 9am we were once again clambering over rocks towards the entrance to Hang Tien. Colin had foot rot and his boots were painful to walk in while I kept feeling sharpness in my quivering thigh muscle. The others were like hyper kids in an underground playground and went off at speed.
After a while there was just Kien and I at the back going quite slowly and my thigh was hurting more so I said I need to check my leg and turned away from Kien. Panic number 4, one of those bloody flying cockroach things was still in my trousers and had bit me three times. Mortified I flicked it out and I carried on over the rocks to catch up to Kien. There were a few big rocks I had to climb over and as I was standing on the top of one trying to work out where my next footing was a green snake slid over the rock I had just stepped off. Kien was scared and told me to quickly move forward but I just stared at it and it went away from us.
At the mouth of the cave I realised I was exhausted and could not be bothered to go in to Hang Tien, by this time I was ready to go home, so I sat on a rock with Colin and waited for the others to resurface from the cave.
At noon they came back and we went back the way we came, to the campsite for lunch. We had the most delicious soup with beef, cabbage, pineapple,  and noodles in but I could only manage a half portion.
After lunch we walked out through jungle, rivers and rocks for about one and a half hours until we got to the road.
There were beers and soft drinks waiting for us on ice. We put the ice down each other’s tops and I kept a chunk in my bra. I was broken.

I did manage to let my friends and family know I was back from my caving and trekking ordeal, I mean trip. I wrote at the end of Day 4;
I am bruised, bitten and broken. I can honestly say it was physically and mentally the hardest thing I have done in my life.
The tight spaces were tight and I endured slight nipple injuries, ripped clothing and sheer panic. There were many spiders (some as big as dinner plates with eyes you could look into), bats, and snakes.
The rocks were rough, slippery and sharp.
I messed up the abseil in the dark cave and ended up swinging upside down from the rope above the water.
I swam in some gorgeous caves and met some great people (most of whom were either extreme adventure junkies or super fit).
I slept in a hammock outdoors in the jungle and ate amazing food.
I am so happy to have survived.

 

 

After arriving in Fort Portal and finding a lovely campsite we pitched our little tent and marvelled at the beauty of the Rewenzori mountains. As the sun dipped and night crept in, we thought it would be nice to have a couple of sundowner’s. The bottle of spiced rum and the coke were located from…

via Was that a leopard? — Renegade Roamers

I couldn’t resist adding this tune to my post.  I couldn’t quite bring myself to put the original one on but this is not a bad mix and is relatively short. I’m apologising now for the ear-worm it might become.

 

Len Con Peak is set back from the underused dual carriageway that goes from opposite the Tourist Centre in Phong Nha and joins the road that takes tourists towards Paradise Cave. From within the village road, Highway 20, it can be reached by taking a turn away from the river near to Green River homestay and restaurant, following the path around to the right, behind the school. It conveniently has a makeshift shelter to shade motorbikes and bicycles at the edge of the road.

On the first occasion that I visited there was a group of us and I got a lift on the back of my neighbour’s motorbike so we were there in no time. Subsequent visits have been by bicycle. We parked up and walked down the short set of steps in to the paddy field and followed the thin gravelled path. I had flat sandals on so ideal footwear but was glad I’d not wore heels as it could be a little tricky in places or in the dark. The path is easy to follow and leads you over two small bridges and past the frogs, who are sat in the water with a cage over them. I was surprised how big and well-fed the frogs looked, almost like toads.

We turned left after the pond with the frogs and saw a traditional built building which is the restaurant and bar, along the path to it is a pond on the left and hammocks and seating to the right, at the bottom of the peaks/hills.  One of the first things that we noticed is how peaceful and calm it felt.

We ordered cold drinks that came with glasses and ice and perused the menu.  To choose from was whole chicken, spring rolls, rice, fish, soup, french fries, veggies and frog. We were given free peanuts to eat with our beer and while the food was freshly prepared.  On the first occasion our group was the only customer but having been on further visits I can see it is going to be a popular spot with locals and tourists too. There are three big tables in the bar area so fully shaded, with fans, two more big tables outside and slightly shade by trees, plus a couple of smaller seating areas. I counted at least 4 hammocks for lounging in too.

The owners and staff are really welcoming and make every effort to ensure you are happy.  The food is great and a decent portion size. The soup we had was delicious and on my last visit the older lady of the family cooked the best sticky rice I’ve had. Once the chicken arrives whole, it will be pulled apart for you into pieces and it’s served on a platter lined with banana leaf accompanied with the lime, salt & pepper mix and some spices and crushed peanuts. It is absolutely delicious and we think the chicken goes from roaming around to in your belly within about 90 minutes.

Len Con Peak has all you need including western style toilets that are clean, they welcome well-behaved dogs and it’s a beautiful place to relax. I’m already looking forward to another visit.

 

It’s a sad day to be leaving Phong Nha, my parents and I will spend the last night of the holiday at Beachside Bckpackers before they head back for an afternoon in Hanoi and then a flight back home.  Here’s a track that matches the mood of the end of the holiday.

We started the morning at Phong Nha River House where we had a great last breakfast – the food as always doesn’t disappoint here and the views were perfect as we ate inside but looked over the gardens and river.

Our trusted taxi driver picked us up and took us in to town where I had arranged for mom and I to visit the Lemon Tree spa for a pedicure each.  Dad sat in the Lemon Tree bar having a coke and reading his book while we were pampered with a really good pedicure and gel nails for a great price. The lovely Trang did both our pedicures and was also training some new staff at the same time. I’ve had massages from the partially sighted guy there which have been great and so I can recommend a visit if you need any treatments while you’re in town. Mom & I were so pleased with our treatments and couldn’t stop admiring our pretty toes as we set off, in the taxi, to Dong Hoi.

The three of us arrived at Beachside Backpackers in Dong Hoi in time for lunch and a few beers (what a surprise) – we each got a free beer at check-in, as is the norm. I was pleased that my parents got to meet the owners Michaela and An as well as their little baby.  As you’ve probably realised my parents aren’t backpackers and we probably could have stayed at a hotel in town as there are quite a few to choose from, however I really love this place and I wanted to show it off to my parents.  I think they enjoyed visiting the place that Captain Caveman and I often escape to when we want to relax at the beach, we had lots of beers and even some cocktails and shots during the course of the evening and we managed to forget that tomorrow would be the last time I’d see my parents for maybe 5 months.

For dinner we took a short taxi ride in to town and visited one of my old favourites, 7^th Heaven. The steaks were amazing, the wine was great and the staff really friendly – it made for a brilliant last night of the holiday too.

The next morning after an early breakfast I accompanied ma & pa to the airport and the taxi driver waited while we said our goodbyes. Of course there were tears and I cried quiet tears in the taxi all the way back to Beachside.  Luckily for my parents their holiday hadn’t finished just yet and they flew to Hanoi where they managed to find their way to the famous water puppet theatre and have some food before their flight home.