I rarely like to do things that are adventurous or physically demanding and so when I signed up for a trip to the biggest cave in the world I couldn’t have been more out of my depth!!! Friends and family had wondered if I would actually do it and, quite honestly, I wasn’t sure I had what it took to go the distance but I wondered if I might regret it if I didn’t try. I wrote a series of blog posts shortly after which told my experience of each day of my tour, which I have listed here. Would I do it again? Probably not! For me I think it would have to remain a once in a lifetime experience. Would I recommend it? Absolutely! It was a few years ago and the tour has been changed since my trip but you still get a good idea of what it’s like from the perspective of a forty-something woman who had very little trekking or caving experience.
On Monday 28th September I had an early pick up booked with Phuong for 06:50am because, by the time Thuy had agreed to my morning appointment, my driver was already booked in by Shannon and her family. Luckily she agreed to let me share the vehicle and he picked me up first then on to pick the 4 of them up. I got dropped off first at physio and then they were all off to run errands in Dong Hoi for the morning. They were staying in town longer and so I couldn’t get a ride back with them but Phuong arranged for a taxi to pick me up for the ride back to Phong Nha. Physio went ok but Nam really put me through my paces and I nearly cried with the pain, especially when he wiggled my nerves near my ankle, which made me feel hot and faint. Once back in Phong Nha I was dropped off at Phong Nha Farmstay in readiness for our lunchtime adventure with Ben and some of the Farmstay guests. Captain Caveman came to meet me there and we all set off in the jeep with the others. We went through streams and rivers in the jeep and by the time we got there it was raining and we were all covered in mud. At one point we decided to go a different way so that we didn’t get stuck in the river. Ben had ordered the local pork dish and the famous BBQ chicken with peanut sauce, sweet potato leaves with garlic and steamed rice. I was so hungry because I’d not had any breakfast and so I definitely had my fill, I even had Gastropulgite and a beer! When we came to pay it worked out about 100,000 vnd per person for an absolute feast! It was so delicious and the first time I had managed a visit there in over 6 months! Afterwards Ben decided we would go for it on the river crossing and we got stuck, the jeep filled up with water and I worried I wouldn’t be able to get out to swim, walk or push. Ben put it in to reverse, I could tell he wasn’t sure if we would get out but we did and some of the route was pretty adventurous (for me, anyway). I needed a lay down when I got back, I was so full and tired. That night Captain Caveman decide to go hunting for snakes with Ben and a Farmstay guest who is a snake enthusiast and very interesting bloke from Australia. Videos were made of the Pub with Cold Beer trip as well as the snake search which I have added below for those who are interested in having a look.
There was no physio today, Friday 25th September because I had requested the day off. Just after mid-day it started to rain and it was nice for it to feel a bit cooler. For lunch I had taken out some corn tortillas from the freezer and decided to have them with lettuce and hummus (3 of them) and then peanut butter (2 of) with some more grapes and water. In the news Vietnam was pleased about having beaten the Corona virus for the second time. The Vietnamese prime minister still kept on asking people to be vigilant as it could reappear at any time and that masks and social distancing were still important. Danang opened back up again and declared it being back to normal now for visitors. Captain Caveman finished work and cooked us gluten free sausages (from Momma D’s) with potatoes, garlic, onion and peppers for dinner which we had with a glass of red wine too – rather a quiet start to the weekend.
On Saturday 26th September we had left over dinner for brunch but with added bacon and mushrooms, it was really tasty but not particularly healthy! I had earl grey tea and lots of water and then was ready for my afternoon physio appointment. Back in the UK there was an app launched to help track and trace the virus which was fairly similar to the one we had been checking in on in Vietnam since 29th March – if only they had used it sooner. When I arrived back home I felt really dehydrated so had a cold bottle of Revive, then shared some wine and just had hummus and rice crackers for my dinner. I’d managed 10 hours of physio this week and was hoping to be better soon, I was definitely improving. Captain Caveman and I had planned to go to Hanoi and Sapa for a short holiday in October and to renew my visa which expires on the 10th October – hopefully I would be better for the trip!
Our Sunday, on 27th September, was pretty indulgent although I did try to restrict the amount of wine I had! Captain Caveman cooked us asparagus with bacon and parmesan cheese for breakfast, he added a poached egg to his and even made me an earl grey tea. He did some more work sorting and I had fruit and yoghurt for lunch. We got word that Phong Nha Farmstay had it’s Sunday dinner on again and so we decided to go. I chugged down a Gastropulgite beforehand so I didn’t need to worry about any gluten and we were away. I still gave Captain Caveman my garlic bread but this time I had the pasta which was included this week. It was amazing and the first pasta I’ve had this year – I miss pasta! I also scoffed down the pork roast, with crackling, roast potatoes, roast pumpkin, sweet potatoes, courgette, carrot, green beans and broccoli with 2 glasses of red wine. It was absolutely delicious and the best thing I’d eaten all week. I even took home the chocolate cake, which was included in the price (as was a glass of wine) and was a pretty good feast for 300,000 vnd. When we got back home I got confirmation that I could have an early physio appointment on Monday morning, which worked well because we had a small lunchtime adventure planned!
Breakfast for me on Monday 21st September was a rice cracker, 2 Laughing Cow light cheese triangles and a snickers. Captain Caveman went to do some work but was finished by the time it came to share the ride to Dong Hoi with me at 2pm. I actually managed to go in and out of the physio building without my helping sticks (crutches) for the first time but I still needed a hand on the 2 steps. When I got back in to Phuong’s minibus I had a surprise waiting for me – Captain Caveman had bought me a popcorn maker as a present. I already have one at my parents’ house in Sheffield and I have wanted to bring it over to Vietnam or Turkey. I was so excited because now it means I can have gluten free snacks which are healthy and won’t make me sick with surprise gluten in. Electric items are so expensive here though and it cost about £60 for a basic model – I think Captain Caveman felt bad for shouting at me for trying to wash up in ‘his’ kitchen. Vananh from Phong Nha Underground was back in Phong Nha and would be opening the restaurant tomorrow for a couple of days so that they could sell off stock and then she would close for the winter, we decided Captain Caveman would go to collect some items for our fridge/freezer and she messaged me a list of what was available. Back home I didn’t try my popcorn maker but I had a Revive drink and some cashew nuts as a snack. For dinner Captain Caveman cooked steak with salad and olives and I decided to have a day off the alcohol.
I had 4 mini salamis and a half of a rice cracker for breakfast on Tuesday 22nd September then a lunch of salad and olives – conscious of my ever present dodgy stomach. We had both been invited to Ho Khanh’s for an end of season party that evening but only Captain Caveman was going to go. I caught up on languages, blogging and read more of the book by Melissa Wiringi, Domestic Violence on Ice. In Corona data the world had exceeded 23 million recoveries and in Vietnam they had now gone 20 days without any more cases being reported in the community. A man in the north of Vietnam had been positive, recovered, tested negative more than once and had now tested positive again. My physio was at 3pm and the sessions were going well, even if it meant it was very slowly. Captain Caveman arranged to pick up some Phong Nha Underground food the next day so that Vananh could be there to supervise any ‘complicated’ orders. For dinner I had more salad with a bit of hummus, a couple of glasses of red wine and then enjoyed an early night.
I was up at 6.30am on Wednesday 23rd September because Thuy at physio had managed to fit me in on a morning appointment which I was very happy about. Phuong picked me up at 7am and I was in the heat room by 7.45am followed by my 2 hour session from 8-10am. In the news Vietnam had gone 3 weeks without any new Corona cases in the community, Hoi An had reopened and Danang had it’s last Corona patient recovered so now there was no more Corona in Danang and 2 months had passed since the second wave started. When I got home I tried the popcorn machine and had some healthy popcorn which was amazing. By 1pm Captain Caveman was eventually back from Phong Nha Underground with lunch, hummus, falafel, cheese and steak. I had the pork, veg and rice for my lunch which was nice and it was sad that the restaurant would be closed for the rest of the season. For dinner I had my newly acquired Phong Nha Underground hummus with rice crackers and a couple of glasses of red wine. It was another early night (I was getting used to this) as I had another morning appointment at physio the next day.
I was lucky enough to have another morning physio appointment on Thursday 24th September and so the alarm went off at 6.30am and we were both in Phuong’s minibus at 7am. Captain Caveman had decided to come along so that he could get some shopping while I was at my session. It went well and I was making some progress although the physio was still painful. When we got back home we had another argument over the kitchen arrangements and I was not amused – he’s obsessed with things having to be done his way. I had some grapes and mini salamis for breakfast and ignored his funny ways. He went to work and was going to another work party later so I would be able to do my own thing. I did my usual chores then finished Domestic Violence on Ice, the book written by our neighbour Melissa Wiringi – it was a really good read and a fascinating, brutally honest story! The Corona cases had reached over 32 million worldwide now, Vietnam had agreed to open up flights with 6 other countries and the first flight to South Korea from Hanoi was due to fly tomorrow. I had hummus, rice crackers and steamed rice with tamari sauce on for lunch. For dinner I cooked fried rice with red cabbage, red pepper, garlic and falafel and it was really nice. I was pleased to have made my first meal in the kitchen by myself, without any help or needing my crutches. I decided not to have any booze that night either and stayed up watching something I immediately forgot about on Netflix.
I was awake several times during the early hours of Friday 18th September as I could hear the rains getting heavier and the winds becoming stronger. I got up for a pee at 4am and then the power went off, Captain Caveman was snoring away unaware that Noul the tropical storm was here. At around 4.45am the power came back on and I finally got back to sleep. Captain Caveman started cooking breakfast, I avoided all the wet floors so that I didn’t slip. In Hue the storm had been brutal and had caused a lot of damage, Danang was also fairly badly affected. Here, in Phong Nha, we were extremely lucky. My plate of bacon, mushrooms and gluten free sausages (from Momma D’s) went down well and in the afternoon I ate more grapes and drank lots of water. Because of the storm I didn’t go to physio and spent some time studying my languages instead. For dinner Captain Caveman had made us a salad with cheese and cashew nuts and we had a glass of red wine. For dessert we shared some peanut M&Ms!
My breakfast
Definitely a rainy day
Peanut M&Ms
Still hot at 10.30pm
Salad for dinner
On Saturday 19th September I had a mango for breakfast and then got on with some languages and blogging because I had another day off and wasn’t going anywhere. Captain Caveman got temporarily stranded at Oxalis Home, sheltering from another rain storm. The weather had calmed down here but it was still wet out. For lunch I had rice crackers, cashew nuts and a banana and because I knew I didn’t have to be anywhere I tried yoghurt again – this time I was fine! So fine that I managed crisps and a couple of Strongbow ciders that afternoon too. I started to read a book that our neighbour (Melissa Wiringi) had written, called Domestic Violence on Ice. I read the first chapter and I knew it was going to be one of those books that’s hard to put down. Captain Caveman made dinner of gluten free sausages (beef ones this time) potatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, carrots and mushrooms and it was really tasty.
A chicken sheltering at our door
Low clouds over the mountains
The brown river from Oxalis Home
Captain Caveman went off early to watch the Phong Nha football match and then do some work on Sunday 20th September. I made myself a fruit salad using a pink dragon fruit, 2 apples and a banana which I had with yoghurt and was fine (again) thus assuming I am not allergic to dairy! I was very productive and completed lessons in Vietnamese, Turkish and French on the Duolingo app before getting on with some blog writing and then watching Social Dilemma on Netflix. I read more of Melissa’s book and was really getting into it, it is very well written, about a subject I know nothing of and would normally not have chosen to read it. Captain Caveman was back by lunch and we had made a lunch of potatoes with onion, garlic and melted cheese as a joint effort but mainly with Captain Caveman doing the cooking. He lost it when I started doing the washing up and said it was his turn!!! I was furious because all these months of him complaining that he had to wash up everything all the time, he would also leave pots unwashed for days because it was such a chore. Now I could actually do washing up a bit easier but got shouted at for trying – I ended up attempting to stomp off but couldn’t even do that well enough! He washed up and said he was sorry but I was still upset because I had started to feel I was improving by being able to do my bit, especially in the kitchen, was progress. I spent the afternoon reading more of the book which was really getting quite gripping. At 4.30pm I had to put it down because we had organised to go to The Farmstay for Sunday dinner. When we arrived we ordered a bottle of the R7 red wine, which is one of our favourites. We sat at a table by the pool to enjoy a relaxed drink and the dinner was really nice, I even had a Gastropulgite so that I could eat without getting ‘glutened’ even though I did give my garlic bread and pasta to Captain Caveman and I just had ice-cream for dessert.
Yusuf at Amy’s bar had booked us on his boat trip on Thursday 26th September and so I met my parents at Jazz bar at 10am. We already had our swimmers on and had took a bag with a towel each and some suncream. We were lucky as we only had 4 more people onboard and so with just 7 guests it looked to be a nice peaceful and relaxing day. We sailed out on to the sea while drinking a cup of strong tea and I forgot to take a sea-sickness tablet. We had the chance to try a spot of fishing, swim in beautiful bays and enjoy the odd beverage. Lunch was a buffet and BBQ which was really good – I took my own gluten free bread but didn’t have it because I was so full of chicken, meatballs, salad, broccoli, carrot yogurt dip, spinach yogurt dip and rice! After lunch we had more chilling, sunbathing on the top deck of the boat then swimming in Candır lake where there are thermal springs under the water. While we were there my friends were on another boat in the lake so I got off and we swam to meet each other for a chat (as you do). When I got back on the boat there was a glass of wine and a fruit plate waiting for me. The trip lasted until after 5pm and was a really good price at £30 each for the day out and all food and drink!
In the evening we had a lovely first meal at Meet Meat where we picked our own meat to be cooked then we had a glass of wine on the way home at Bistro Blue.
The week started with Captain Caveman getting up at 4.30am on Monday 14th September so that he could join a cycling trip in the National Park. Ben at Phong Nha Farmstay had arranged it along with 2 guests and him so asked if Captain Caveman wanted to join. Going early meant that it wasn’t too hot and by the time I got out of bed the 4 of them were probably back at The Villas having breakfast. I just had a banana for my breakfast so that I wouldn’t be ill for my afternoon physio appointment. I finished watching one of the most upsetting documentaries I’d seen in a while, Chasing Coral and I had no idea what was happening under the sea – it was devastating and I had a little cry. Thuy, from physio, was kind enough to move my physiotherapy session to 2pm and so Phuong was booked to pick me up at 1pm. For lunch I didn’t dare chance anything but salted crisps and water but it did mean I was starving hungry by the time I got dropped off to meet Captain Caveman. He had been working in the afternoon and so we decided to have a date night at The Lake House where he had also pre-ordered some freshly baked bread. I got there first as Phuong dropped me off and I ordered a coke as I was very thirsty after physio. I had a chat with Tam, the owner, and I managed to show off a bit by walking a few steps without the crutches but I was still using both of them for getting about. Captain Caveman arrived by motorbike after he’d finished work and we shared the chicken satay for a starter and a bottle of red wine. The menu at The Lake House is the same as at 7th Heaven in Dong Hoi and as I’d not had the food there for a while I was looking forward to the steak. It came with potato wedges, which normally I’m not a fan of but they were very nice. Captain Caveman had a chicken cordon bleu which I was too slow to get a photo of. Tam gave us both an ice-cream afterwards which was so good. Caroline popped in for a visit after a trip to East Hill with her friend and we had a drink together and an invite for more drinks at The Villas but we declined. It was a bit further a ride home on the back of the motorbike than I had remembered but I was ok and went straight to bed.
We decided to venture to the Farmstay for breakfast on Tuesday 15th September where I had a pho ga and 2 green teas while Captain Caveman snaffled down a cheese toastie and some espressos. We stayed there a while chatting to Ben and Bich before I ordered a second breakfast of fruit salad with yoghurt to take away, which I had for lunch. I booked Phuong to take me to physio and then drop me at The Villas for Happy Hour and a Half later on. After my usual 3pm physio session I got to The Villas before anyone else and sat at a table outside. Caroline and her friend were due to meet us and arrived shortly after Captain Caveman. I ordered peanuts, popcorn and margaritas and we all chatted. I decided to have veggie spring rolls and the potato gratin with asparagus as my dinner because I felt I needed the carbs to be able to stomach a drinking session while Captain Caveman nipped off to watch the Son Doong Cup 2020 football match. When he came back to get me I had drank 3 margaritas and was tipsy and I slept very well that night.
Phong Nha Farmstay breakfast
At The Villas
Phong Nha Farmstay breakfast menu
At The Villas
Potato gratin at The Villas
The Grandstand
We were meant to get up earlier on Wednesday 16th September so that we could eat breakfast before our trip to Dong Hoi – I forgot to set an alarm and I was very tired. The sunshine bus set off at 8.30am and after a 45 minute drive we were at the supermarket in Dong Hoi where I managed to walk around with just one crutch fairly quickly, considering. We bought apples, grapes and some wine – Captain Caveman was in charge of the basket and I obviously couldn’t keep up with him. We didn’t stay long and we got back in the bus after half an hour. The next stop was an organic grocers, a small shop full of fruit and veg, quality of the produce was great and we picked up a few things. After only 25 minutes we were back on the bus and off to the Vincom centre where Captain Caveman did all of the shopping in Vinmart supermarket while I had a browse. I found it difficult to get on and off the escalator because they seemed to go so fast for me but I was ok and didn’t fall. The last stop was at QB Casa, where I sat and had a coconut which I really enjoyed while Captain Caveman looked confused at his double espresso which arrived in two separate cups. We got back in the fun bus just after 11am and was home by noon – a successful shopping trip and such a full fridge! Captain Caveman would be looking forward to knocking up a few gourmet meals while I was happy to have a decent fruit salad when I was home. I had rice cracker and grapes for lunch – I do love a rice cracker! later on Captain Caveman made us White Russians and for dinner I made us a halloumi salad which was very tasty and healthy. Before bed I had time to call my parents who were doing well, it was good to speak to them.
The organic shop
Halloumi salad
On Thursday 17th September Captain Caveman went to watch a morning football match, I had some lovely seedless grapes for breakfast and drank plenty of water while checking in on the NCOVI app. The world had reached 30 million reported cases now with no signs of slowing down. I tried to get an earlier physio appointment but failed so had a very safe lunch of corn tortillas with peanut butter and water. The tortillas had been in the freezer at the Glass House since our last trip to Hanoi where we bought a packet from Salt ‘n’ Lime because they were gluten free. I warmed them in a dry frying pan and they were the nicest (gluten free) bread product I had tasted in a while – I had 3! In the news there were warnings of a tropical storm coming, which I got confused was a typhoon. It was called Noul and we were told the winds would be very strong, it would rain and there was a possibility of loss of power. When I arrived at physio for my 3pm appointment it was 2.30pm so they fitted me in then, meaning I could leave at 4.30pm and hopefully miss the bad weather. That afternoon Bich called to invite us all to the Farmstay for a dinner, she was cooking a Mi Quang. It was already raining when we got to The Farmstay, I managed to seat myself on a high chair (another first since my injury) and we ordered a bottle of our favourite red wine (R7). The Mi Quang was absolutely delicious and we both really enjoyed it and of course it was gluten free. Before the weather got too bad we went home with some wine left. The eye of the storm was due to hit us while we were sleeping, possibly around 3am.
At Phong Nha Farmstay
At Phong Nha Farmstay
Mi Quang at the Farmstay
Mi Quang at the Farmstay
Ban Dong V Team Minh
Photo credit – Captain Caveman Video credit – Ben at Phong Nha Farmstay
It was all about numbers when I woke up on Friday 11th September. The world had now reached over 20 million recoveries from Corona, Vietnam had just 3 recoveries, no deaths and no more cases in the previous day. The lockdown in Danang imposed at the end of July was finally lifted and I had a message from our mate to say he had already had breakfast and lunch out and was going to the pub later to celebrate their freedom after 6 weeks! I had cancelled physio due to my stomach being a bit too sensitive and unpredictable and Captain Caveman had to do some work. We decided we would try to work out exactly what was making my stomach so bad and maybe it was going to have to be back to basics and cooking from scratch more often. Captain Caveman made himself a full English breakfast and he had some lovely fresh bread to have with it. I felt a bit disappointed at just being able to have bacon, rice crackers and brown sauce (which I then realised might have gluten in), followed by an apple for dessert. I did some language lessons and blogging and some leg stretches. In the evening Captain Caveman made us White Russian cocktails and for dinner we had left over East Hill chicken, guacamole and cashew nuts. It was only later that I realised I had drank milk but I had no side effects and wondered if UHT milk was ok! We would see tomorrow.
I was feeling fine on Saturday 12th September despite the 6.30am alarm after a night of White Russian drinking. I had managed to get an appointment at physio for 8am and so Phuong picked me up at 7am and off we went. I much prefer a morning appointment – it means I have less stomach issues if I go before eating and I can work/study in the afternoons. I had started doing my Vietnamese language practice in the physio and it was hard to concentrate when it got painful but I tried to take my mind off it, especially the sciatic nerve and toe twitching which seemed to be getting worse. I had a new therapist today, Hien, who seemed a bit more gentle until she did the back of my calf, knee and thigh with her arm. The beach in Danang was now open and people were out walking, jogging and swimming with masks on (mostly). It was 21 weeks since I’d woke up after our end of lockdown celebrations with an injured leg – this Corona had a lot to answer for! I had a banana for breakfast, although I don’t like them they can’t do me any harm – my stomach was still fine. Captain Caveman was working again that day but we had planned to have some takeaway food from Momma D’s, and I was particularly looking forward to her gluten free sausages. For lunch I continued with my experiment and had just 30g of brie with my rice crackers, cashew nuts and a dragon fruit – I was fine and spent the afternoon doing my usual tasks. I had just opened a bottle of red wine when Captain Caveman arrived with our food and my order of all the different types of gluten free sausages with french fries. The idea was to eat some and save some but I ate most, with the help of Captain Caveman and I really enjoyed them and the chips, with a second glass of wine. I also had a bit of the BBQ sauce with them which was very tasty. My favourites were the pork snags but before I could have a third glass of wine I was ill again, it couldn’t have been the gluten free sausages this time so maybe it was the delayed effects of the cheese from earlier.
I was looking forward to a nice day off from physio on Sunday 13th September. This week I’d only had 5.5 hours of physio, so a lot less than usual, but I felt ok. The knee pain had pretty much disappeared but the ankle was still sore and ached a lot – I was disappointed that I still wasn’t allowed to swim. Captain Caveman had to work and so was up very early. My stomach had settled down and I felt fine so I decided to have cheese, crisps and a Snickers for lunch and see how that went. It went fine and no bad effects, which was a relief, maybe next week I would try yoghurt. Today was 21 years since I had started working at Norwich Union (later renamed Aviva) and it made me feel a bit nostalgic. I had been left there for over 5 years now but I still had lots of friends back home who I had met through working there. My life is so very different now and I wouldn’t want to change that (I’ve hardly touched a spreadsheet since then) but I do miss my friends back home. Captain Caveman was finished early so we decided to go for dinner at Phong Nha Farmstay where we ordered a nice bottle of Shiraz, we took half home to finish as Captain Caveman was driving us on the motorbike. Captain Caveman surprised me by not ordering pizza, he had Aussie pie, chips and beans and gravy – he’s an animal! I had a sensible gluten free option of beef in bamboo with steamed rice and vegetables which I really enjoyed. We even sat at the big dining table with some of the other guests which meant Captain Caveman managed to not be glued to his phone the whole time. Back home we had a night cap and then an early night. The coming week was set to be a lively one, by my standards.
There were still no more Corona cases or deaths reported in Vietnam on Monday 7th September and just 10 recoveries for the day before – it was nearing a week without more cases or deaths reported. Captain Caveman and I went by motorbike to Victory Road Villas for breakfast. I had pho and Captain Caveman had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, both excellent. For lunch we went by motorbike to Phong Nha Farmstay and as soon as I started walking in to the pool and bar area I heard a familiar voice; Momma D was sat with one of the Farmstay guests, Miss H, about to have lunch so we joined their table. We ordered lunch and I had a bun cha which was very tasty. I also had a glass of wine and we took the rest of the bottle home. We didn’t bother with any dinner as we were still full from lunch and just shared the wine and some cashew nuts which Captain Caveman had picked up in Dong Hoi. It was a rather relaxed evening and we were happy just to chill out.
We woke up fairly early on Tuesday 8th September and decided to go for breakfast at Phong Nha Farmstay where I had pho (as usual) and a juice. We went by motorbike and it was a nice scenic ride, through the rice fields, passing lots of cows and buffaloes. The Corona data showed good news in Vietnam that there were still no cases or deaths reported now for a week – the strict measures and lockdowns seemed to be working. Unfortunately the world data had shown over 9,000 deaths in the last day which even for a Tuesday seemed rather a lot. Before I knew it, it was time for me to go to my physio session. Having had 2 days off I thought it would be more painful but I survived. The heat treatment had started to feel amazing but what wasn’t so amazing was some of the calf and hamstring stretches at the end of the session – my bad leg was definitely becoming more flexible than my good one. That evening we decided to eat dinner at the Farmstay where Captain Caveman found a new pizza, which made him happy, and I had a rather delicious chicken with rice and vegetables. I’m still trying to be healthy so I took all the chicken skin off and had a small pile ready to give to Betty, the cute dog of one of the guests. She snaffled the chicken skin and then would not leave Captain Caveman’s feet to go to bed when called. We took the rest of the wine home and had a drink before bed.
Something ‘terrible’ happened in my world on Wednesday 9th September! I found out that cheese was also making me ill – dairy to be precise and I was distraught. For breakfast I had a pink dragon fruit (they taste the same as white ones but are messier) and everything was fine. I learned some languages, wrote some blogs and was feeling fine. For lunch I had rice crackers and Gouda cheese with water and then had a short rest before physio. Just before Phuong arrived to pick me up I had a terrible stomach but not exactly like gluten belly. I wondered if I would make it to my therapy session and had to take imodium just to get in the car. On the way there I started to feel worse and I desperately needed to go, Phuong even had to pull in to a side road of a field so that I could go ‘in nature’ but there was a herd of cows and their owner in the way. He suggested we try to make it to the next petrol station and finally we got to my favourite one with the new toilets and barking dogs. I was tempted to ask Phuong to go back home but decided I would be ok. I felt ill all the way through the physio and hoped I’d be ok, I even finished 30 minutes early so I could get back without any more incidents. Back home I didn’t eat any dinner but felt better, I really didn’t want to be allergic to cheese – I love it so much!! As it was Wine Wednesday, not to let the side down, I managed a couple of small glasses of red wine later that night but probably shouldn’t have!
I was still unwell with a dodgy stomach, fatigue and headache on the morning of Thursday 10th September and so I didn’t risk going to physio. I also kept my food intake pretty basic to try to get back to normal for the next day! I was worried that missing too much physio would set me back. While the world exceeded 28 million Corona cases, Vietnam had reported 22 more recoveries and 5 new cases (from repatriation flights which went straight to quarantine). In the UK my Facebook feed was a mix of posts commenting on Boris Johnson’s new ‘Rule of 6’ which was announced today but to start from Monday 14th September. I decided I would have to get to the bottom of the dairy allergy once I was well again and so for today I only had food I knew didn’t affect me at all. Fruit for breakfast (no yoghurt), rice crackers with cashew nuts and an apple for lunch, then a sesame sweet as a treat because I was hungry. By the time it got to dinner time we decided to order East Hill chicken combo and I was feeling much better so I had strongbow cider and a glass of white wine. No gluten, no dairy and I was feeling back to almost normal.
My flight to Turkey from England was on Monday 10th September, 2018. This was what I wrote about my last visit to England, back then! I know I’m very lucky to be in Vietnam right now but it doesn’t stop me missing my friends and family:
On Friday 7th September, 2018, I had an appointment at the bank at 9.30am, in Sheffield town centre then came back to my house in Middlewood (which was up for sale) to start some packing. I met Becca at The Albion on London Road at 5.45pm for a swift drink before a delicious meal at Satay Yo Beer at 6pm with Louise, Becca and Nel. We went next to The Devonshire Cat for 8pm to be joined by Caz, Jo, Lucy, Liv and Rach for prosecco and very loud music. My last night out with the girls would not be complete without a trip to The Washington from 11pm with Becca, Nel, Caz and Lucy for lots more drinks, dancing and hilarity with the selfie stick. Becca and I were of course the last ones standing and she stayed at mine.
On Saturday 8th September we woke with hangovers and had to force down a MacDonalds for brunch. I managed to sort myself out for a visit to Ma and Pa and Ted the dog until it was time to go to work. I worked at the local pub (The Queen) ’til 2am, we had a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Christine, the landlady, being there with more booze and I slept on sofa in the upstairs of the pub.
It was time to say goodbye on Sunday 9th September after breakfast at my parents’ house. I just had time to pick up contact lenses in town, have a cheeky bucks fizz with Kerrie and Jack over at my house which I’d packed and cleared with the help of my mom. My parents took me to the train station with my massive case! It was a teary goodbye as usual and would have been even worse had I known then that I wouldn’t be back after 2 years! Once in Manchester I checked in to Etrop Grange, a lovely hotel close to the airport, had dinner with wine followed by an early night ready for the early morning flight the next day. It was an amazing weekend and just great to see so many people I’d not had chance to see as much as I’d have liked to since I’d been back.
On Friday 6th September I would finally be seeing my parents again, after quite a long time. I’d last seen my mom in Turkey about 11 months ago but I’d not seen my dad for about 14 months, back in England. We had agreed to meet for breakfast and they would message me when they were up. I was awake from 7am (11am Vietnamese time) with a hangover and no recollection of saying bye to anyone last night. I waited for the message and drank loads of water, trying to sort myself out as I felt terrible and had a really bad stomach. We went to Jiks for breakfast around 10:30am where we all went for the English versions, it was great to see them and afterwards we stocked up on provisions and went back home for a rest. It was a bit rainy but we didn’t care as we were happy to see each other after so long. In the afternoon we had a couple of drinks at Amy’s bar, where I managed two ciders and then in the evening we had our first family meal at one of our favourites, Bistro Blue. My chicken casserole was so big that I took some home and we had a good first night together drinking wine too.
On Sunday 6th September the data showed that the world had now reached over 27 million cases of Corona. Vietnam still had no cases or deaths for the 5th day running but had 19 more recoveries. Captain Caveman was feeling better and we had a Snickers each for breakfast. I did some language learning, blogging then we had a picnic lunch at home, admiring the views of the mountains. There was no physio on Sunday and so we had a relaxing day at home, which was nice. We decided that for our dinner we would have East Hill chicken and it was as delicious as always!! They are always on time and I love that it’s the only place in town that serves their takeaways in plastic free packaging. The food itself is wrapped in the banana leaf and then put in a paper bag for transportation – simple but ideal.
Captain Caveman was off to Son Doong on the morning of Friday 4th September, this trip was a group from the National Park and would be his last trip of the year, it was also going to be a shorter trip as they were planning on going in and out of the exit. His managers would be following him in a day later to do the derigging of the cave ready for it closing for the wet season. Storms and heavy rain are much more likely in October and November but can come in September too so Son Doong is the first to close down for winter, shortly followed by the other cave tours that Oxalis do. I was feeling a bit better and was convinced it was just dehydration or heat stroke so drank as much water as I possibly could. I started watching a cringeworthy show on Netflix called Below Deck which was hilarious and decided not to eat lunch before heading to Dong Hoi for physio. This time I had arranged to stay at the Nam Long Plus Hotel, again in my usual room (201) where I had to choose the luxury of a bath over working internet. I managed to download more of Below Deck on my phone before departing but I did run out of things to watch. Instead I did more Turkish, French and Vietnamese lessons to keep me entertained. At physio they checked on my ankle and I found that the pressure points the therapist touched seemed to make my sciatic nerve worse and could also feel pain in my knee, which was strange. For dinner I had the amazing pork ribs with sweet potato fries from 7th Heaven, delivered directly to my room and then had an early night.
I woke up early on Saturday 5th September and went for breakfast of pho bo and orange juice at the hotel and downloaded another episode of Below Deck while near reception which usually has good internet. After a large portion of pork fried rice from 7th Heaven for lunch and checking out I went to physio for a couple of hours and then Phuong picked me up to go back to Phong Nha. Captain Caveman was back home from Son Doong already but was sick and had similar symptoms to those I had on Thursday evening. I went straight home and just had crisps and cheese for dinner while Captain Caveman had nothing and stayed in bed.
On Thursday 3rd September Captain Caveman went to Oxalis Home for breakfast and brought me back some fruit and yoghurt and I did my usual tasks in the morning. For lunch we had a slice of leftover pizza each and then I got ready for more physio in Dong Hoi. I had decided to book the return trip with Phuong rather than stay in Dong Hoi and arranged to meet Captain Caveman and Tatas at Namaste on my way back to Phong Nha at 6pm. Both Captain Caveman and Tatas couldn’t make it until 6.30pm so I got to speak to Raj, the manager for a bit. He was planning on returning to India and had started to put plans in place to leave. It was sad and we didn’t know if that would mean that the restaurant would close or not but I suspected it would. We had our favourite lamb samosas and then I had a couple of diet cokes, a red wine and a chicken lababdar (my first time trying this dish) with garlic rice, the others had vegetarian dishes. Before I could finish my dinner I got incredibly hot and started to feel really unwell. While Captain Caveman and Raj chatted about leaving logistics, getting a Corona virus test and going back to New Delhi I was in the toilet trying to sort myself out a bit – my face was purple and I was sweating profusely. I sat under the AC unit, drank water and couldn’t even finish my dinner or wine! I got home and went straight to bed, feeling weak. I knew it wasn’t the food and wondered if I had heat stroke or dehydration and took oresol which didn’t really do the trick.
On Wednesday (2nd September) morning we went to The Villas for breakfast where I had a lovely pho and a mint tea. We were joined by Momma D who was meeting a friend for lunch and she was going to come join us for a swim after. While the girls lunched in the aircon Captain Caveman and I went by the pool for a chilled bottle of white wine and shared some spring rolls. Today was Independence day and so most people had the day off. I didn’t have any physio today so I did some walking and stretching in the pool – my knee was definitely much better but my ankle still a little bit stiff and ached. I had checked with Thuy at physio and I still wasn’t allowed to actually swim (or attempt to ride my bicycle) but I was getting a little better at being a passenger on the motorbike for short journeys. Later we had peanuts, popcorn and a couple of margaritas after our dips in the pool and chat with Momma D. She had to leave for work at her rooftop bar and we made friends with the only other pool visitors. Ha, one of our favourite waitresses looked after us, bringing us margaritas when it reached Happy Hour and a Half. Once it got dark we moved inside and, because I was still taking the Gastropulgite, I was able to have pizza and a ginger beer for my dinner, which I loved.
joloyolo 