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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some photos by Captain Caveman & friends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Friday 14th February I had a hot date for Valentine’s Day and I’d already booked a table for the special set menu at The Villas for that night. But first Captain Caveman and I cycled to Oxalis Home for breakfast – he had a bacon and egg sandwich and I had the traditional pho ga. Back at Ho Khanh’s I said goodbye to him and then was meant to get on with some work. Before I knew it the morning had gone by and I was joining the lads at Yummy’s for a lovely lunch. Three of us shared the veggie meal deal and I enjoyed the tomato and egg soup again, the veggie tofu dish was excellent, as was the cabbage. I had a couple of bowls of rice and a spring roll.

I had arranged to meet Tatas for cocktails at The Villas during happy hour and a half so I popped on a dress and cycled down there early. On my way I saw our housemate Veronika, walking, and stopped to say hello, she didn’t realise it was Valentine’s Day and decided she would join us. Tatas turned up looking very glam and then Ally arrived and asked if he could join. Those margaritas and free popcorn were going down a treat as we chatted away in a quiet inside table where the staff were most attentive and polite.
The food was just as good as usual and we got a free glass of wine with our dinner which was a great double date. After dinner Tatas insisted she and I went to Momma D’s where we met up with Josh and D-Dub. Tatas bought us a bottle of red wine, which we clearly didn’t need, and we had about half of it before cycling home to finish it off at Chez White’s Balcony Bar.

Tatas and I were woken up early on Saturday 15th February when her boss called to say she had to go on tour that day! We were both hungover, probably still drunk and there was no way I could have gone in to work. Just as she’d got dressed she got another call to say a colleague would go instead. We were both relieved and then decided to go to Coffee Station so Tatas could have breakfast and Coffee. At Coffee Station Tatas didn’t order any breakfast and I just had a pineapple juice as couldn’t face food.
On the way home I didn’t even make it back before needing another drink of juice so stopped at Oxalis Home where Josh and Tatas later joined me for lunch. I had chips which looked terrible but were quite tasty. We had arranged a second Valentine’s dinner with Ally, Tatas and me at Phong Nha Underground in the evening because they had their set meal on for the weekend (Veronika couldn’t make it unfortunately). It was also the 2nd birthday of Momma D’s so we had also promised to go to her party. We had a wonderful evening, the three of us, and we were so engrossed in conversation that I forgot to take photos.

The valentine’s weekend finished on Sunday 16th February with me going over to Ho Khanh’s homestay for a fruit salad breakfast and to see Josh off on his next trip to Son Doong. It just so happened that most people were in a cave on this day but I did manage a rare and impromptu lunch with Watto, Chrissy and Howard at Oxalis Home. I had chicken and cashew nuts with rice which was delicious, the others had egg & chips, chicken pasta, and steak & chips. In the afternoon I watched a bit of Netflix and then went to The Villas for happy hour and a half (4.30-6pm) and had a nice catch up with Bryce while munching on fresh popcorn.
With Tatas away for 4 days Ally and I rounded off the valentine’s weekend with a night out at Capture Cafe. We shared a good bottle of red wine, he ordered a Hawaiian pizza which smelled so good. I had my favourite plate there, the cheeseboard (no bread) which comes with olives, apple, walnuts, honey and fig jam. The 3 cheeses were brie, emmenthal and a stilton which were generously portioned – it’s not the cheapest item on the menu but it was great value and ideal for a gluten free, cheese and wine dinner. We also got to have a good laugh with Ben, the co-owner of the place, who happened to be having his favourite pizza too. I miss pizza a lot!
After dinner we were stuffed and so decided to cycle straight home for a rest – it had been a very good weekend in Phong Nha, with excellent company, but maybe I had eaten and drank far too much!

Our pick up was due at 8am on Wednesday 12th February and I had to take more Imodium just to make the journey while one of the Geckos said hello! Captain Caveman had arranged for us to share a car to Dong Hoi where we had plans for an early valentine’s treat. We went to a nice little place, called Sherlyn Coffee, next to the Vincom centre to wait for the cinema to open as we were off to see Harley Quinn at 09:45am.

We shared a popcorn and I had a coke to try to help my stomach and it seemed to work, the film was ok and I really enjoyed the comfy seats – we were the only ones in there too. We intended to drop off our bags at the hotel after the film but when we got to the Vinpearl (next door) they were able to check us in early. All the staff were wearing masks to prevent catching the Corona virus, we had to complete a form which asked if we had had any symptoms in the last 2 weeks and as we went to the lift there was a guy taking our temperature with one of those gun things pointed at our foreheads. I read 35.5° and Captain Caveman 35.8° so I was officially cooler than him! The hotel room was lovely and this time the pool was in working order but I didn’t take my swimmers.

For lunch we had our usual trip to Tree Hugger, easily the nicest cafe in Dong Hoi and, while Captain Caveman engaged in a white russian, I stuck to fruit juice and herbal tea. He devoured the egg sandwiches while I took my time over my stir-fry. We spent the afternoon at the museum of Quang Binh which was surprisingly interesting and big, it took us a couple of hours to get round it. We walked back, calling at the wine shop for a few bottles to take back to Phong Nha.

In the evening, after dosing up on some medication from the pharmacy, we went to our favourite restaurant in Dong Hoi. 7th Heaven has the best Australian beef in the area and we had a lovely valentine’s meal sat up on the terrace, as it was a warm evening. It’s definitely worth a trip there if you’re visiting Dong Hoi – it’s our favourite restaurant. We shared a bottle of red wine and I had my steak with sweet potato fries and no dressing on the salad – it was delicious.
Back at the hotel we decided to watch Netflix and drink some of our newly purchased wine. By the time the first episode of Hannibal was halfway through Captain Caveman was snoring away and he hadn’t even drank his wine!

I slept so well in that massive Vinpearl hotel bed with its comfy pillows and the blackout curtains. On Thursday 13th February we ate the buffet breakfast on the 6th floor, where all the staff were wearing masks but none of the guests (including us) were. My stomach was feeling much better so I managed to eat pineapple, pomelo, pho ga with bamboo shoots and extra pickled onions, bacon, cheese, a yogurt and some seafood fried rice. I had mint tea and lots of detox water to make sure I would be ok for the journey back to Phong Nha. Captain Caveman looked concerned that I was eating prawn fried rice in case they had slipped in a mollusk! Back in the room Captain Caveman had a bath while I packed my stuff as we were getting a car to take us back to Phong Nha.
When we got back we finished off our early Valentine’s celebration with a curry at Namaste with Josh. I had my usual bhuna murg with garlic rice and shared the chai masala with Josh, always a good meal there and we went early so that Captain Caveman could get to his Oxalis briefing for 6pm. Tomorrow, actual Valentine’s Day, he would be in Son Doong so we finished off the wine we had brought from Dong Hoi to end our celebration.

Watto was off on his first Son Doong tour of the year on Monday 10th February and so Captain Caveman and I went over to Ho Khanh’s to join him and Chrissy for breakfast. I took my own gluten free cornflakes and had a ginger tea.
We decided to go to Little Leaf for lunch seeing as it was just the two of us and I was going to have the BBQ prawns but they had ran out. Instead I ordered spring rolls, sweet potato leaves and steamed rice. Captain Caveman ordered scallops and would also share my choices. The spring rolls are really tasty at Little Leaf and when the scallops came I couldn’t resist to try one, even though I know I’m allergic to them – it’s the best seafood in Phong Nha, I’d say. The lunch was great and we chatted to the owner, Phuong, before heading for a drink with him and Josh at Diep Le homestay, just a little way along the river side. The day had started fairly cool and cloudy but by the time we headed back home it was sunny again. Unfortunately it wasn’t long after being back in the house that I had an allergic reaction to that one scallop and was in a bit of a state until 7pm when we had to meet friends.
We had arranged to meet at Co Diep, a Vietnamese restaurant selling local food, which we had not been to before. The others were kind to me and ordered beef hotpot without chillies and some beef fried rice. It was delicious and the food was served very quickly.

After a terrible night’s sleep because of me being allergic to scallops I skipped breakfast on Tuesday 11th February. By lunchtime though I was starting to feel hungry and went to Coco House with friends. I ordered the sweet and sour pork and some sweet potato fries which was very nice but had chillies in and so I didn’t even leave the restaurant before needing the bathroom (another allergy which I forgot to ask for the dish without chillies). For the rest of the day I was in bed sick and had left Captain Caveman at Ho Khanh’s beach, drinking for the rest of the day. When I got to The Villas to meet Tatas and Captain Caveman he was really drunk, they had food while I just stuck to a couple of cups of chamomile tea. Captain Caveman was too drunk to go out after dinner so we came home and I packed for the next day as we were off on an early Valentine’s celebration – that’s if my stomach would allow the journey and he wasn’t too hungover.

On Friday 7th February I started the day well with a vegan soup for lunch at Veggie Box with Tatas (she had the veggie taste and the mushroom taste) but then we decided to lounge in hammocks at Ho Khanh’s in the afternoon. This meant we had an alcoholic drink but I did keep it to just the one strongbow. In the evening we had planned to go to Little Leaf but it was Taylor’s leaving drinks at The Villas so we stopped by for one at Happy Hour. Looking back only having a bowl of vegan soup may have been my downfall because, after 4 margaritas and a ton of popcorn I was a bit merry and it was too late to go to eat elsewhere. Instead we had potato, artichoke and edamame salad followed by half a bottle of red wine and a delicious dessert. We were about to go home when the owners and manager joined us and offered us a couple of nightcaps on the house. By this time the leaving girl had left and it was just me and Tatas drinking with the guys. It was a good night but I would definitely be feeling it the next day.

I have not felt as rough as I did on Saturday 8th February when I woke up after 3 hours of sleep, coughing and thirsty as hell. I couldn’t really function much and I was wishing I had eaten more during the day. Tatas had gone on tour and miraculously didn’t even have a hangover! Caroline and Taylor had to bring me a Lantern takeout for lunch, I was that bad. I didn’t even go out for dinner either but ate rice crackers and raisins when I woke up too late to venture out for food.

I decided my Sunday breakfast on the 9th February would be at Capture Cafe for my usual bacon, beans and potatoes and a mango smoothie. The bacon there is always super crispy and, in my opinion, the best in town. Josh and Tatas also joined and as we were about to leave the rain came down pretty heavily so we took shelter with a drink over at D’Arts. It’s usually the perfect place to eat bun cha but we just had a drink, tried out the dartboard and sat on the comfy sofas inside.
For lunch I met with Josh and D-Dub at Phong Nha Vegan where they had tofu dishes and I had the fresh spring rolls which is my favourite dish there. By the time we had finished Captain Caveman was back from Son Doong and so Josh joined us for balcony drinks – I had a cider, Captain Caveman had Laos dark beer and Josh had water. Usually they talk about caving straight away but this time they managed a solid 15 minutes discussion of the names of the full moons, prompted by the mention that Momma D’s had a snow moon party that night.
Captain Caveman went to his gala dinner at Chay Lap while Josh, D-Dub, Tatas, Chrissy and I went to Nguyen Shack for dinner. It was still a bit rainy and the wind had got up making it less appealing to be at a rooftop event. Chrissy and I chose a bottle of white wine called Excellence which turned out to be badly named. It was cheap at only 220,000vnd and warm but the waitress did her best by bringing us a well used jug with water and ice to put it in. The cork also broke half way but they managed to get it out with only a couple of bits in the wine. The colder it got the better it tasted but I wouldn’t have it again. The food though was great and I loved the chicken lemongrass skewers.
We all went to Momma D’s for the snow moon party afterwards where we used the blankets to keep warm and just had the one drink before cycling home together.

I do love a bit of dragon fruit so on Monday 3rd February my week started with a whole one for breakfast, along with a woolly head and an annoying cough but I had slept in until 7am. It was a lovely sunny day so after a few chores at home I went to lunch with Josh and Tatas. We decided to try another new place along the river side called Google House which had been open a while but had made some improvements to make it look attractive at the water’s edge.
Josh and I got there first and decided to venture down the steep makeshift steps to the seated area, we joked that we were lucky to both be wearing porter sandals as he helped me on the last bit. The joke seemed much funnier when Tatas arrived in more fashionable footwear which were not ideal for the gradient. I decided I would order a beer and french fries, Josh had pop and veggie noodles with chilli sauce and Tatas had a beef noodle soup with a soft drink. It was a lovely setting, the food was cheap and worth a lunchtime visit and I thought the ‘proper’ chips were good. There was a seat in the river which Josh posed on for some photos and we definitely got back up to the road easier than I got down – I made a note not to attempt it when drunk.
Back home Captain Caveman came back from Son Doong and was hungry so all four of us went to Capture for a second lunch (or first dinner, depending on how you see it). While Josh maintained his no alcohol rule the rest of us shared a bottle of our favourite red wine, Santa Digna. The boys had pizza, I had a cheese board (no bread) and Tatas had peanut butter with toast. I was a bit envious of their meals – how I miss being able to eat food like that!
At 5.30pm we left Josh and got a lift to Chay Lap where Captain Caveman was having his end of tour Gala dinner while Tatas and I sat at the bar with margaritas. I had a mushroom curry with rice which was excellent and Tatas had a satisfactory spaghetti bolognese. We had a good night and were home for a reasonable hour too. Captain Caveman had the next day off so we had a little outing planned.

There’s a filmmaker in town so on Tuesday 4th February he had a car booked to go from his homestay, Lucky Lucky, to Phong Nha Farmstay and me, Tatas and Captain Caveman had cadged a lift. Firstly we went to Coffee Station for breakfast where I had bacon, beans and cheese with a fruit smoothie. I also got to pet the owner’s dog who is so cute.
It was a warm day but the sky looked like it might rain and so I didn’t bother taking my swimmers but that turned out to be bad idea. I was still guzzling ginger tea down me like I really believed it would cure my cough and I ordered the fresh spring rolls for lunch. Captain Caveman had pizza again and Tatas had the same as me but with chillies. The food was well presented and really tasty and we said we would come visit again and maybe even stay over. The owner, Ben, gave us each a VIP card which gives a sticker for every 100,000vnd spent at three venues (Farmstay, The Villas and Capture). A full card can then be redeemed for 300,000vnd at the Farmstay – wonderful. The poolside WC has the most amazing views of the rice paddies, in fact I can’t think of a better view from being sat on the toilet (there’s no photo of it, it needs to be experienced).
In the evening while Josh went off to do a briefing for his Son Doong tour we went to Bamboo Cafe for dinner. I had pork and veg kebabs with barbecue sauce on and chips, Captain Caveman had a Shepherds pie and Tatas ordered vegan soup from Veggie box which they brought over (it’s owned by the same guy). The food was really good and I noticed they had added more new dishes to the menu since last year too. I also had a couple of glasses of white wine which were palatable before heading over to Phong Nha Underground for a lovely, more expensive wine.

At Phong Nha Underground on Wednesday 5th February I decided to try one of the smoothie bowls but with a few changes to make it gluten free. It had banana, peanut butter, coconut flakes and chia seeds in and tasted fine but I’m not sure I’m cut out for smoothie bowls. Captain Caveman had a tomato dish with egg and bread and an espresso then we cycled to the mechanics. Bluey, my bicycle, had been suffering with a chain problem since before Tet and we had promised to get her a new one after the holidays. We left her there and had a wander to Funny Monkeys for a drink. While we were there it started raining but not for long and we had our rain jackets with us. We walked in to town again and went to the ‘Thang Nhung, the best spit roast and pork noodle shop in the world (probably)’ for lunch where I had BBQ pork, rice and greens and Captain Caveman had pork noodle soup.
When we went back to collect Bluey she was covered in greasy black hand prints but she was working so much better – she was really whizzy to ride now plus it only cost 80,000vnd too (less than £3)!
For dinner I welcomed a night on my own while Captain Caveman was at his briefing. I chose Chao Vietnam where I tried the dumpling starter for the first time followed by the pork belly. Both were great and I was also served free peanuts with my wine so I was rather full after such a big meal. Nevertheless I still managed a drink at Momma D’s to finish the night off while Aussie Pete had a little snooze.

Captain Caveman went on his next Son Doong tour on Thursday 6th February for 4 days. I skipped breakfast but then ate crisps later on so the diet was going swimmingly! The weather was back to hot sunshine so I was pretty warm when I arrived for lunch with D-Dub at Lantern restaurant. I ordered the pork ribs which they claim are the best in town while D-Dub had a rice flower pancake with veg and tofu (he was still doing dry veguary). I have to admit the meal was excellent and really good value for money. For dinner I ate at The Villas with the girls and we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine (or two), great food and had a really fun but civilised evening.