Breakfast on Monday 13th May was quite a feast, Captain Caveman had his usual and I had Yorkshire tea, pineapple and honey pancake, a banana, dragon fruit and jack fruit. We made the most of our last full day at Greenfield Ecostay and I was sad to be leaving. We swam in the pool, watched a risky rice harvest and some cows settling a dispute.
Video of the motorbike being loaded
A push to get done before the rain started
The cows were a bit restless
Another attempt
Our last lunch, prepared by Ngan, was a squid fried rice for Captain Caveman and a prawn fried rice for me. There was more dragon fruit and jack fruit and then some stormy weather in the afternoon. Mina, the dog, was scared of the thunder and hid behind the bar. Instead of going to Phong Nha with Captain Caveman, I packed my bag for leaving tomorrow. He went to his Oxalis briefing as he would be going in to the cave tomorrow. I had a couple of white wines but no dinner, as we hadn’t ordered it for tonight as I’d planned to go to Phong Nha Vegan. Instead, I nibbled on the Banh Hoa which Chung had given us. Back in Dalyan, the pool was finally fixed but a little too late for our dissatisfied tenant who had flown back home to the UK, having not even been in the pool. They were returning to Dalyan soon and hoped it was sorted by then. I messaged our agent to check she had spoken to the tenant in person to straighten things out and give assurances. They had not met up at all but had corresponded via text. It was hard not having any control over what was going on there, but I would be going back to Turkey at the end of June for a quick visit. By the time Captain Caveman arrived back from his briefing, I was already in the room ready for bed. Captain Caveman had got the cash out to pay René tomorrow and I was very pleasantly surprised to hear that our total bill for 15 nights’ accommodation, food and drink came to a grand total of 15,000,000VND (£464). We could not fault the place and I was sad that I might not get to come again – it was one of my new favourite places!
We had a bit of a mini adventure on Sunday 12th May after we had our breakfast, of course. Captain Caveman had omelette with a coffee or 2 and I had Yorkshire tea with my mango and honey pancake. I’d asked a few friends to join us on our outing but most people were busy. Luckily for us, Veronika, Chung, Uy and the kids were free and would join us for lunch at the Pub with Cold Beer. Captain Caveman was toying with the idea of cycling but I reminded him how much he hates me moaning I’m too hot and it’s too far. He drove us there on Trigger and we decided to stop off at the Duck Stop. This is a brilliant tourist attraction where you get to feed ducks and get a natural massage from them. It’s really good and when a fellow caver came to visit she said it was one of the best days of her life (she’s only young)! We only stopped for a drink, not to see the ducks as we have been before and it was already getting busy with customers. We got to say hello to Quynh, the owner, and chill out a little before getting back on the motorbike to the Pub with Cold Beer.
There, Captain Caveman dropped me off so that I could order 2 chickens with rice, morning glory and peanut sauce before our guests arrived. He went to see Cuong at the Wild Boar farm just up the road. The pool at the Pub with Cold Beer was being cleaned and Quy told me it would be about 15 minutes until it was ready. Just 5 minutes later the French guests from Greenfield Ecostay arrived and I managed to tell them in French about the pool. It was ready in 10 minutes and everyone got in while I sat and chatted to Huong, their tour guide. Captain Caveman returned, Chung and family arrived closely followed by Veronika. We had a wonderful day, chatting with our friends, eating the delicious BBQ chicken and playing with the kids in the pool.
Back at Greenfield Ecostay we joined some German and Lithuanian guests who were very interesting and we had a really lovely dinner. Ngan had made cabbage rolls, pork, green beans, carrots and steamed rice and I washed it down with a glass of wine. Our Sunday had been great but tomorrow was our last night at Greenfield, Captain Caveman’s holiday was coming to an end.
Captain Caveman and I were still enjoying our amazing staycation at Greenfield Ecostay on Saturday 11th May. We were now on our 13th day of being there and we loved it. Of course, we’d got ourselves in to a bit of a routine as we had the same choices generally for breakfast. We lounged around the pool and today there was lots of activity in the fields as the rice harvest was coming to an end and rain was due. The locals were in a rush to get the harvest dry and stored, while the cows and buffalo were intent on eating in as many fields as they could access. At lunch time Captain Caveman had not requested for us to dine at Greenfield so we had some 5 Grains cracker biscuits with some of the remaining Red Leicester cheese – we were still saving the fruit cake for Veronika as I’d forgotten to take it to the Farmstay. By 2.30pm René had made sure we had a cold beverage as we admired the view across the pool. We could also see farmers burning sections of field where the rice had been harvested. They do this to prepare it for the next harvest and it’s often done before rain is due so that the fires don’t get out of hand. Captain Caveman had been playing Bridge since just after breakfast, with a couple of swim breaks. But at 3pm the rain started and it was time to move in to the bar area. By 6.30pm, because of the rain, the temperature was down to a chilly 28°C and it felt amazing! At 7pm we sat down for dinner with a glass or 2 of white wine and Ngan’s rather delicious home made spring rolls which came with salad and chips. It was such a lovely day and I was feeling very relaxed by the time we went to bed.
On Friday 10th May Captain Caveman decided he was going to take us out for a meal that evening. At breakfast we let René and Ngan know we were off out and proceeded with breakfast. I had the noodle soup with greens and took out the fried egg for Captain Caveman to have. He had an omelette and we shared some fruit too. All of the guests at Greenfield Ecostay had gone out for the day so we had the place to ourselves and spent the morning in the pool or on a sun lounger. There were plenty of cows in the fields, making use of the rice harvesting residue. Captain Caveman had said we weren’t having lunch again today and by 2pm René had brought him over a beer and me a glass of white wine as we chilled by the pool.
That evening Captain Caveman had decided on a meal at Phong Nha Farmstay so we cycled over for Happy Hour. We had a fair few 2 for 1 cocktails and ordered an olive and artichoke bread to share as a starter. Captain Caveman went for the Farmstay pizza, I had a traditional pork dish for our mains and the food was really tasty. Veronika joined us a bit later as she had been sat elsewhere with Deborah, hadn’t seen my message and didn’t end up having any food, when she joined our table. Deborah had the Nem Lui which is pork on lemongrass skewers made in to rice paper rolls with veggies and herbs. Here’s what we paid for our evening out, prices in Dong;
Phong Nha Farmstay 1 olive & artichoke bread 75,000 4 Gin & Tonics 100,000 4 Rum & Cokes 130,000 1 Pork clay pot 200,000 1 Farmstay 230,000 Total 735,000VND (£22.48) Service 36,750VND VAT 133,140VND Total spent 838,320VND (£25.64)
The prices aren’t bad for 2 people with alcohol but it’s certainly not the cheapest place in town. As we were about to cycle home we saw Bich looking after someone’s baby and cycling about with it in the basket of a bicycle she was riding. The cycle home was hard work as Captain Caveman obviously raced ahead, as he does. When we got back we went straight to bed as it was already almost 9pm.
We were awake before 6am on Thursday 9th May but we didn’t have breakfast until gone 9am. Ngan offered us some traditional Vietnamese food called Banh Tet which is made from pork and rice. Due to overindulgence once before, I can no longer stomach it but Captain Caveman had some with fried eggs and tomatoes while I stuck to my mango pancakes and Yorkshire tea. For afters we had some of the watermelon from yesterday and bananas.
Captain Caveman drove us both in to town and I met Hoan at Phong Nha Vegan around 10.30am. She was keen for me to borrow one of the conical hats to keep the sun off me, it was red hot so lots of locals were busy harvesting and drying rice. I was given some watermelon to keep me hydrated and it was so sweet and juicy. Hoan and I had a good chat and then she made me a delicious Bun Tron, the rice noodle vegan dish which is one of my favourites. I took some photos of the Sen flower, the petals of which are used to make tea and left about 1.30pm to cycle back to Greenfield.
The sun was intense and I’d overestimated that I’d be able to do it in one go. I had to stop at Lotus, a hot and drippy mess, for a passion fruit juice and a bottle of water. It was 2.45pm when I got back and I was a mess, hoping for a sleep in the AC. That was not to be as René gave me the heads up that Multi and his daughter, Ella, were at the pool with Captain Caveman. I did the decent thing and got changed in to my swimmers, had a cold shower by the pool and got in for a swim.
It was absolute bliss just to feel a bit cooler and then I messed about in the water with Ella, doing forward and backward rolls. When I got out, Captain Caveman, Multi and Ella did holding their breath competitions and Captain Caveman won every time but pretended Ella had won. It was just at this time that I got another update from Dalyan – the garden and complex was not looking good (again). I was beginning to wonder how hard it could be to just clean and tidy the complex. I messaged the agent and the pool and garden people who had already been paid to be doing this. It was very frustrating dealing with it from far away and with the time difference. René poured me a glass of wine, Captain Caveman got the fruitcake and cheese out and we shared it around. Ella was polite as she didn’t like the cake but Multi loved it, she loved the red Leicester cheese, though. We remembered to save some for Veronika as I’d promised her some. While the locals brought their rice in at the end of the day, we watched the sun set from the pool. After a shower and change it was time for dinner where Captain Caveman and I had a rather tasty spaghetti with meatballs and I polished off the rest of that bottle of wine.
Monday 6th May was a little unpredictable and we were awake at 6am. The weather forecast looked a bit iffy; high humidity but cooler temperatures. We were having an early breakfast, Captain Caveman had his usual omelette and I had one of my usuals of pineapple pancake. I still felt rubbish with the cold and an additional bad stomach so I had a lay down after breakfast in the AC. Just before lunch time, Captain Caveman and René were convinced it wasn’t going to rain so we decided to venture out. I’d already said to Hoan and Chung that I wasn’t feeling well enough to cycle to the Vegan today too and they said they might pop over to visit me tomorrow. Captain Caveman borrowed a bicycle and I took Bluey to Lotus restaurant. I had a lemon juice and Captain Caveman ordered a shandy. It started to look a bit black o’er Bill’s mother’s as we decided to order some lunch. Captain Caveman chose a pork and lemongrass dish and I went for a chicken Luk Lak, an old favourite. As we were eating, the rain started to come down with a vengeance and we had to declare ourselves stranded. We attempted to get the bill a few times when we thought the rain was easing off but alas we had to have a cocktail. The White Russians were very good and stronger than I’m used to so I got extra milk in mine. Because of the continued rain, we spent about 5 hours at Lotus restaurant, where the staff really looked after us. Here’s what our bill looked like after submitting to the cocktails;
1 7Up 15,000 1 Lemon juice 25,000 2 Huda beers 40,000 1 Pork Taste 80,000 1 Chicken Luk Lak 90,000 2 Cheesy garlic bread 100,000 12 White Russians 840,000 Fruit plate – free Total 1,190,000VND (£37)
Eventually, the rain eased and we cycled back but only just with enough time to shower and change before dinner. Ngan had prepared spring rolls with salad, steamed rice and pork for dinner and the plate was massive. Captain Caveman had to help me out as I couldn’t fit all mine in. By 10.30pm I was in bed already suffering with a hangover and disappointed that I was now on 275 syns for the week!
I decided to try something different for breakfast on Sunday 5th May but I regretted it, slightly. The pork and rice noodle soup came with a fried egg on top and I don’t like eggs. Captain Caveman scooped it on to his plate and ate it but then my breakfast was a bit too greasy for me. I washed it down with Yorkshire tea and orange juice and then caught up on some blogging in the shade. Captain Caveman was now spending hours each day, playing Bridge and wearing his noise cancelling headphones. We didn’t have lunch again so by the time it was getting to dinner time I was very hungry. After saying bye to the couple we had met from the UK, Captain Caveman, René and I cycled to the Phong Nha Farmstay to meet Veronika for happy hour and Sunday dinner. Mina, the dog, followed a long as far as Elements where 2 dogs came out on the attack and she retreated off home. When we got to Phong Nha Farmstay, Veronika and her friend joined us and some of us ordered the happy hour drinks. The Sunday dinner was nice and the pork was tasty however the Yorkshire puddings looked like someone had forgotten to keep the oven door shut. Veronika shared some of her celebratory red wine and I also managed 2 happy hour rum and cokes. For afters I went completely off my diet as the dessert is included in the price and I had the chocolate brownie with ice-cream. Captain Caveman paid so I didn’t see the total bill after the service charge and VAT was added, but as a guide the roast dinner is 300,000VND (£9.20) per person. It includes a drink but we forgot to order ours as we had the happy hour drinks, then the wine. It had made a nice change to go out, especially as I had never seen René anywhere else but at Greenfield Ecostay. We cycled back in the dark, I had brought my light which I was glad about. The small roads to Greenfield are a bit off the beaten path and my eyesight only works in daylight, unlike Captain Caveman’s. We had a last drink at the bar before going to bed, I was still coughing and full of sniffles.
It was Captain Caveman’s 6th day off on Saturday 4th May and he had another week off due to a schedule change. This was so fortuitous and great for Captain Caveman to relax, even if it did mean he was playing so much Bridge we hardly spoke to each other. It was also Tatas’ day off but she was sick so couldn’t come out to play, as we’d hoped. I had a full blown cold again which was probably as a result of getting caught in heavy rain 2 days ago. There was a storm in the early hours and morning which was quite bad and when we came downstairs, Veronika had already gone back to her duties at the Phong Nha Farmstay. For breakfast I had a pancake with mango and my Yorkshire tea. Captain Caveman had his usual and decided we were eating too much so let René know we didn’t want to eat lunch today. I wasn’t as keen on this plan as it meant I would go from 9.30am to 6.30pm without eating. I had a cold anyway so I took it easy and let the Vegan ladies know I wasn’t cycling in today. By lunchtime I had some hassle to deal with, regarding Captain Caveman’s pool situation in Dalyan. It transpired that something was broken and needed fixing so I got in touch with the Agent and Maintenance contacts to see if we could rectify the situation any quicker. I had a swim before sunset and got ready for dinner, still feeling a bit unwell. For dinner Ngan had prepared fried rice with squid for everyone else, but I’m allergic to it. I was served a lovely alternative of prawn and vegetable noodles in a generous portion which I really enjoyed. I also had some white wine and Captain Caveman had beers.
As it was the weekend and I’d only had 60 syns so far this week, I chose pineapple pancakes for breakfast on Friday 3rd May. Captain Caveman had already eaten earlier as I felt under the weather and had a little lay in. He was in the pool when I got down but he had a plan that he needed to go back to Phong Nha. I took that as a good opportunity to call in at Phong Nha Vegan so Captain Caveman said he’d give me a lift on the motorbike and off we went. Just before 11am, we had to stop at the pork shop and take shelter as a downpour came. It didn’t last long and I soon was at Phong Nha Vegan where I only stayed from 11.30am to 1pm. May, the dog from down the street, was there getting some attention from a customer as he loves some fuss. On our way back, we called at Lotus restaurant and met Multi who I shared Lotus tea with from a cute tea set and Captain Caveman had a shandy. Captain Caveman and I shared a beef Luk Lak which was very tasty for our lunch as I’d not eaten at the Vegan today. We couldn’t stay long as Veronika was on her way to Greenfield as she had some time off from teaching the grandchildren. It stopped raining long enough for us to get back and have a swim, Veronika arrived and the 3 of us had a beer. She decided to get a room and stay over when the weather looked a bit wet again and we opened a bottle of white wine. Ngan and the team had arranged an amazing dinner for tonight- a BBQ chicken with accompaniments; 2 different types of rice, pork, peanuts, chips, fresh spring rolls, green beans and salad. It was really good and one of the best BBQ chicken platters in town. We had a really lovely evening and a few frogs joined us to shelter from the rain. Guests from York and Peterborough had become our new friends and we enjoyed sharing some great laughs together before they had to move on to their next destination.
Another relaxing day was had by Captain Caveman and I on Wednesday 1st May. I’d been away from Dalyan for over 7 weeks now but we were looking at the option of me staying in Vietnam for another 2 months. I still didn’t have a flight booked but my parents, sister and brother-in-law would be on their way to Istanbul tomorrow. I was missing Dalyan and my friends there, a few of which had kept in touch which was nice. I was definitely missing Fat Club and the accountability it gave me although I was still trying my best to track everything and make sensible choices. This week I’d only consumed 208 syns, more than 100 less than last week, and only 78 on alcohol. Today was weigh day and the 8th Fat Club I’d missed but I took my measurements. I had lost 3cm from my bust, 1cm from my waist and 4cm from my hips. I was pleased because I was under or on target for all of my measurements now. I decided I would find some scales when I next went in to town as it was almost a month since I’d got weighed. At 8am it was 33°C and it didn’t feel unbearable as we popped our swimmers on to go down for breakfast. I had veggie noodle soup with extra greens and a cup of Yorkshire tea, Captain Caveman had an omelette with plenty of coffee. We spent the morning by the pool but at noon I got some bad news; our tenants back in Dalyan (and Jamie’s friends from his home town) were complaining about Captain Caveman’s apartment. The pool there wasn’t ready, as promised, the sunbeds and decking areas were untidy and someone on the complex was feeding lots of cats. Jamie had messaged me to tell me of his friend’s complaints with photos and to inform me that the pool wasn’t even full of water yet. He said it was hot there and they would not be happy to be without a pool when it was promised. Just what we needed, especially when I had been told by our pool and garden guy that it would be ready in plenty of time. I messaged the agent and our pool and garden man with the complaints and photos. I also let Amanda and Greg know as they had guests renting their place downstairs. Captain Caveman went in the pool at Greenfield, while I continued to try to sort all the issues out in Dalyan. We had lunch at Greenfield which was a really nice beef and vegetable stir-fry (without chillies for me). I eventually got some time to myself and for a swim before going back to the room to speak to a friend. Unfortunately, she had some bad news about her health, and she needed surgery. This meant that her plans to come visit us would be delayed or cancelled. In the evening, Captain Caveman drove us both in to town via the pharmacy. They had a set of old style weighing scales and I got on to find I was the same weight as when I last got weighed. I was still 3.3kg (7.7lb) heavier than when I last got weighed on Carol’s scales though, which I wasn’t convinced was true. I went to Phong Nha Vegan for 2.5 hours and the chef made me Com Suon which is fake pork with steamed rice and vegetables. She added a couple of spring rolls and I gave one to the waitress. The food was delicious and very filling. We left at 8.30pm and drove the 8km back to Greenfield as I had a video call booked in with Ma & Pa. I had one glass of wine at the bar and left Captain Caveman having a beer with René while I did the call. My parents were excited to be going back to Turkey and had a week in Istanbul before heading to Dalyan. It was good to see their happy faces as Ma got the hang of the camera angle this time.
We had the same breakfast as yesterday on Thursday 2nd May at Greenfield Ecostay. It was a bit muggy so I also drank a litre of water and we shared some mangosteen. While Captain Caveman played Bridge on his iPad, I cycled in to Phong Nha by myself. This was great as it meant that Captain Caveman had not been in to work on his day off for 3 whole days and it was doing him good. I spent a couple of hot and sticky hours at the Vegan with the girls and a couple of dogs where I had the amazing fresh spring rolls. I took half of them with me when I left as it looked like rain may come. At 4pm I had a video call scheduled in with Vanessa which I wouldn’t have time to cycle the 8km back for in time. We had already had to move it twice because of me being unavailable so I decided I would call in to The Villa’s and call from there. I mentioned to Vanessa a storm was looking likely and that I couldn’t speak for long. I had a soda water and a cheese toastie as I was peckish which I ate while on the call. It was good to catch up but we had to cut it short at only 34 minutes, for me to attempt to get back before the rain. Of course that did not happen and I got absolutely soaked to the skin. I tried to take a short cut and ended up pushing Bluey up a muddy hill and, for the first time in weeks, I felt cold. When I got to Greenfield, looking like I’d just got out of the shower with my clothes on, I should have gone to have a hot shower and take my clothes off. I didn’t, instead I joined Captain Caveman, Multi and René at the bar with a generous glass of red wine and then shared the fresh spring rolls with the guys. I finally showered and noticed my thighs were chafed from cycling in the rain in flimsy shorts. I ended up drinking a bottle of red wine and ate my delicious dinner. Ngan had prepared meatballs with veggies, steamed rice, peanuts and beef Lalot with water melon for afters and I really enjoyed it.
I woke up to a dead Motthew on Monday 29th April, the creature lay lifeless on the floor near the door. Captain Caveman and I didn’t have time for breakfast as we had to get packed and ready for a wedding. We were checking out of the very lovely Highway 20 Homestay as Captain Caveman had made arrangements for us to stay at a homestay with a pool. I was glad as the temperatures were certainly hotting up and a swimming pool would be so nice. We got dressed for Nhi’s wedding, me in a floaty red dress and Captain Caveman in his stork shirt which he had made in Saigon. Mr Toan, the Oxalis driver, is Nhi’s dad so Captain Caveman was keen to show up despite the horrendous heat. We parked our bicycles outside Mr Toan’s house and walked down the lane to the tent/gazebo structure in the field. It was massive and there was a queue to get in as we popped money in an envelope then shook a lot of hands with bride, groom and all the family. Everyone had scrubbed up very well and Mr & Mrs Toan looked so proud of their daughter, who is beautiful and clever. Of course, Captain Caveman was beckoned over by the Oxalis lads to sit next to Mr Tu. As I’d been brushing up on my Vietnamese a bit I was able to greet everyone and ask how they were, including the pianist guy who I sat next to. All was going well, although I was sweating profusely, until someone removed the cellophane from the squid. For some reason I could smell it and I started to feel quite unwell. I could only keep sipping water and trying not to vomit everywhere and Captain Caveman was a bit concerned I would have to leave. I couldn’t leave as at 11am the ceremony was starting and I had to focus. I ate a few pieces of pomelo and sipped water but I was feeling really awful, like I might pass out. By 11.04am Nhi and her new husband were on the stage with the families doing the obligatory red champagne rituel and I was dodging any food passed my way. Captain Caveman soldiered on, taking one for the team with all the food and beers. Many men came to do cheers with Captain Caveman, including one guy who gave him a kiss. When I asked who he was, Captain Caveman said he had never met him before! Vietnamese weddings are so culturally different and highly entertaining but I was flagging. I managed an hour then noticed some people leaving so we also decided to leave.
Photo credit – some by Captain Caveman
Video of the bridal party entrance
Riding Bluey in a floaty dress was not ideal but I suggested we stop at Oxalis for me to use the loo and grab a cold drink. I ended up ordering some sweet potato fries and putting loads of salt on, maybe I was suffering from dehydration or heat stroke. The temperature had reached 41°C by 1.25pm with a ‘feels like 44°C’ as I sipped a Revive (a rehydration type drink). While Captain Caveman sorted out laundry, swapped his bicycle for the motorbike and did some general chores, I got changed at Oxalis then had a nap next to a fan until I started to feel much better. By 4pm Captain Caveman and I had checked in to the amazingly beautiful and relaxing Greenfield Ecostay. The owners, René and Ngan, were very welcoming and they gave us a lovely double room, number 3. We had a fridge, a working kettle, cups, spoons, all the toiletries and a view over the garden and rice fields. The swimming pool was the cleanest and undoubtedly the best I’d seen in Phong Nha. After my heat related wobble, the swimming pool was the first thing we tested out and I was very impressed. We had an hour or so to relax but then I had promised to hang out with the girls at Phong Nha Vegan from 6pm.
One of the ‘lessons’ on the agenda tonight was allergies so Captain Caveman drove me over on Trigger, the motorbike. It was romantic as we drove along the rice paddies just before sunset. At the Vegan we practiced some English and Vietnamese, tried to get to the bottom of peanut allergy procedures and I ate a very tasty veggie fried rice with an iced kumquat tea. The 8km journey back was not so pleasant as I had to cycle Bluey in the dark and it wasn’t as easy to remember the way. I needed a white wine and soda when I got back and René had some nice wine in the fridge.
Captain Caveman was busy on the morning of Tuesday 23rd April. He had another day off so he went to Oxalis first thing, was sorting out tips and then getting a haircut and shave. I went to join Amanda and Greg for their last breakfast in Phong Nha, at the Mountain House. Amanda’s banana and honey pancakes were so beautifully presented, I had a lovely fruit salad and Greg had a bowl of pho. They each got an extra fruit salad with yoghurt too. I was still feeling a bit delicate and wasn’t sure why, again. I popped to The Villa’s after breakfast and had a jasmine tea with a matcha tea biscuit on the side and half a litre of water as it was a hot day. Captain Caveman, Tatas and I met back up again in the afternoon at Mountain House to say farewell to the Aussies as they headed to Dong Hoi airport. They would fly to Saigon and have a day there before their flight to Sydney. It was sad to see them go, especially knowing that they had really enjoyed their 4 months off and did not want to leave. By 6pm I was at Phong Nha Vegan chatting to the owner, Hoan, and eating fresh spring rolls. Captain Caveman had gone to join Hung at the Rice House for dinner where he was trying some new dishes. At around 8.45pm I cycled to The Villas for a glass of red wine and to meet Captain Caveman. I was meant to have a video call with Ma & Pa but by the time we got back to Highway 20 it was 10pm and I didn’t want to disturb the other guests as the walls were thin. Jeff was still around and Captain Caveman had to tell him to make himself scarce when I went in.
On Wednesday 24th April Captain Caveman had the day off but his briefing was at 6pm so we had a few things to get done. It was also weigh day and the 7th Dalyan Fat Club I had missed. Bizarrely, I had put 3cm on my bust, lost 1cm from my waist and put 1cm on my hips. I had no idea what my weight was. We decided to eat breakfast at Highway 20 Homestay, where we were staying, to give it a try. The lovely Nga brought me hot water for me to make my own Yorkshire tea! I’d not had one for over 2 weeks so it was nice to enjoy one while our pho and omelette was being prepared. It cost 115,000VND (£3.53) for beef noodles for me, an omelette with bread and a black coffee for Captain Caveman. In the morning, he sorted all the tips out, which took a while. As a treat for lunch, Captain Caveman took me to Ganesh, the Indian restaurant, where we shared onion bhajis, lamb Samosas, chicken tikka starter, saffron rice, takka dahl and a garlic naan bread. It was really delicious and we had some left to takeaway. To meet the Turkish residency rules and to pay for our balcony woodwork, Captain Caveman transferred me the money and then I would pay our agent, in Turkish lira. At 3.30pm I had a meeting with a book publisher about getting one or two of my ideas in to print. Claire was really helpful and I really liked her, I think she got my humour and we did have a laugh. Unfortunately, for what I wanted her to do for me to get to the finished, published and illustrated product, it was going to cost me money we didn’t have. I needed another way but I wasn’t sure that I had the skills to be able to self publish it – we would see. That evening, when Captain Caveman was at Oxalis, I went to Phong Nha Vegan and tried a dish called Bun Tron. It is a cold dish made from rice noodles, ribbons of cucumber, mango and carrot, tofu, lettuce, herbs and peanuts topped with a fake fish sauce. I had it without any chillies. It was a very sweaty night and I had an incident with a cicada which wasn’t too pleasant. It flew at me and went down my top, got scared and clung on to my bra, so much so that the waitress had to come and get it off for me. Captain Caveman came to meet me after his briefing and he had a beer while he waited for me to be ready to go home. It was 9pm when we left the Vegan, it closes at 10pm, and went back to Highway 20 where Dollar barked at me, again.
Photo credit – farewell photos taken with Greg’s camera
Monday 22nd April was Amanda and Greg’s last full day in Phong Nha and Captain Caveman had a day off so I’d suggested we have a little outing. Our first job was to check out of the Phong Nha Homestay, which had been amazing and it was going to be hard to find somewhere as good for the price. We were moving to a more rustic homestay further out of town and had told Vinh, the owner, that we would be checking in after 4pm. Captain Caveman and I packed our bags and left them in reception, letting them know we would pick them up later. The car picked up the Aussies, then drove down to collect us and was costing just 400,000VND (£12.33) to have the car take 4 of us to the Pub with Cold Beer and then wait for us and bring us back again later. That was an absolute bargain however, it turned out the road was being repaired so the driver could only take us as far as the suspension bridge. We had to walk over it but both Amanda and I were scared of walking on the metal mesh surface which you can see the river below on. It was very hot but we were glad to get to the Pub with Cold Beer where we were welcomed by Nhat. We ordered the famous BBQ chicken, which is charged at 250,000VND (£7.71) per 1kg of the alive bird. There is an option for you to pick, catch and kill your own but we did the more practical option of having the owners do that part. We chose rice, morning glory and plenty of peanut sauce to go with our meal and then waited about an hour or so for it to cook. We were in no hurry as there are hammocks aplenty for lolling about in and a lovely pool for a refreshing swim. I noticed that they now offer to accommodate people who want to swim but not eat or drink for a fee of 50,000VND (£1.54). It’s still one of our all time favourites and we always love to see Nhat and her family as they are so lovely. Instead of a cold beer, which I would normally have several of, I had a fresh coconut at 40,000VND (£1.23) and a litre of water at 25,000VND (77p). Multi came to join us but didn’t eat or drink any alcohol, he just had water and plenty of fags! By 12.45pm we were tucking in to a very tasty feast in a delightful place. Captain Caveman had several beers which are also 25,000VND (77p) each and are always very cold!
We left around 3pm and had to walk back over the scary bridge, where I proceeded to get my frock caught on the barrier rails and my hat nearly blew off. Greg had to unhook me and hold my dress from blowing on to the metal again. We dropped Captain Caveman off at Phong Nha Homestay on the way back to pick up bags and pay the bill. It was just 980,000VND (£30) for our 5 night stay, which was an absolute steal and I definitely wanted to stay there again. I got dropped off at The Villas, where I had left Bluey, and I cycled on to Highway 20 Homestay. Captain Caveman drove his motorbike up and we were given the end triple room in the traditional wooden house. It was really lovely and had a bathroom lay out which meant the toilet didn’t get soaking wet when taking a shower (always a bonus).
That evening we had been invited to Mountain House for Amanda and Greg’s farewell dinner with the owners, Ai and Hoai. Tatas and a customer from Captain Caveman’s Son Doong trip were also invited. Ai had prepared a massive feast and An, her brother, was giving out the beers. He was shocked that I didn’t want a beer but Captain Caveman had brought some Jameson’s whisky and I brought my boozy fruitcake. The meal was good and the Aussies were sad to be leaving, especially as they didn’t want to go back to their stressful life back in Australia. Unfortunately, I had a bad stomach around 10.30pm and had to leave all of a sudden. Knowing that I wouldn’t shit myself on a bicycle I sped off back to the homestay but as I got within a few metres, 5 dogs came running out at me. A local man on a motorbike saw me and parked to help me get to the gate, which was closed. When I got in to Highway 20, their own dog (which I didn’t know they had) came running out at me and was going mental. Vinh came out and told me if I say her name she would be friendly but I wasn’t convinced but she calmed down a bit to let me pass. I made it to the bathroom in time, only to be sat on the toilet when I noticed I had company! A massive huntsman spider was within touching distance and I don’t like spiders at the best of times. I had the quickest visit I could in a spider occupied khazi and then had a lay down in the AC until Captain Caveman returned. It was late when he got back, he’d helped polish off the whiskey and I hoped he’d come to the rescue with the spider situation. That was not to be, as he encouraged the spider over to the shower area and named him Jeff.
On Sunday 21st April Captain Caveman was due out of Son Doong but I’d already arranged to see Amanda and Greg in the afternoon. For a late breakfast I had another fruit salad with yoghurt and granola from Tree House and 2 litres of water to set me up for the heat. I’d been in touch with Bich to check it would be ok for the 3 of us to go to The Villas for lunch and then use the pool. I’d already mentioned this to Amanda and Greg, saying that if we were eating and drinking plenty they wouldn’t mind. When I arrived they were sat outside looking like 2 kids ready for a trip to the swimming baths. I laughed and then said we could go inside to eat. I asked how Amanda was after eating pork which she’s allergic to and she wasn’t too bad, considering. I ordered a mango lassi and a pho ga, while the Aussies decided to have fried spring rolls for Greg and fresh veggie ones for Amanda. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the pool, talking to Multi and his kids who were also there to drink and use the pool. I had a soda water with ice and lemon then Captain Caveman arrived back from the cave and in desperate need of a beer and pizza. This year the boss had banned all alcohol on tours so Captain Caveman is often a smidge thirsty when he gets out after 4 days underground. I had a couple of white wines which are 90,000VND (£2.76) each. I’d only been in the pool once and Captain Caveman didn’t have his swimmers or time for a dip as he got picked up at 5.30pm to go to Chay Lap, we said we’d meet him in town later.
As decided yesterday, the Aussies and I went to Lantern restaurant for our dinner. I was happy to give it a try and I decided to see how the veggie Vietnamese pancake was. Amanda decided to order the same and a portion of onion rings. Greg wanted to compare dishes he’d had before so went for fried spring rolls and a pork noodle dish. My food was good but, if I’m honest, I preferred the one from Phong Nha Vegan. After his gala dinner, Captain Caveman met us at Tree House for drinks where we had the following; 1 water 10,000 1 coke 15,000 1 Huda beer 20,000 1 ginger tea 30,000 1 watermelon juice 35,000 1 Mango Lassi 45,000 1 Strongbow cider 50,000 1 Carrot, Orange & ginger juice 60,000 Total spent 265,000VND (£8.17). We said our goodnights as Amanda and Greg rode their borrowed bicycles back to Mountain House. Tomorrow was their last full day and night in Phong Nha, so we had plans.
I was feeling partially human on Thursday 18th April and had decided I was never drinking again. Captain Caveman was off in to the big cave so we were up early, having had a good rest at our latest accommodation, Phong Nha Homestay. We had 2 big double beds and a small balcony, overlooking the mountains and some wriggly tin. The bathroom was small but very functional and the place was super clean.
We went to Oxalis for breakfast where I had an orange juice and a bacon sandwich as I was hungry after hardly eating yesterday. I said goodbye to Captain Caveman who would be back out on Sunday afternoon. Almost instantly, I had a bad stomach and had to cycle back to the hotel. Luckily, I’ve found you can’t shit yourself on a bicycle so I was ok while ever I rode Bluey but it was touch and go in the supermarket. I had to leave promptly after buying sugar free milk, 5 Grains savoury biscuits and more tissues (I was still suffering with that cold from Hanoi) at a total cost of 90,000VND (£2.77). That afternoon, I had a wedding to go to and the heat could not have been much hotter if it tried. I spent a couple of hours resting and blogging before I had to go but I really didn’t relish the temperature and humidity out there. Tatas had also arranged for a car to take the Aussies and her over to Phong Nha Farmstay for a pool afternoon and I had agreed to meet them there for dinner after the wedding.
Chung offered to give me a lift to the wedding at 3.30pm from outside my accommodation and we went with Ca Chua from Lantern restaurant and Moon from Funny Monkeys. On arrival, we met with Pe Map and Giang and we formed a girls only table. Lan looked fantastic and I was surprised that she wasn’t sweating as much as I was! I also didn’t have a nice dress to wear as they were all in the laundry at Oxalis so I wore one that had a nice colour, orange! I was determined I wouldn’t be eating at the wedding as the outside temperature is certainly not conducive to the safe keeping of the food usually offered. However, with me being the only white Western woman on a table of friendly Vietnamese women, most of them mothers, I was not going to be able to do that! I was given prawns, chicken, beef stew and sticky rice, I voluntarily took a bread roll but managed to avoid any chillies or mystery food. I generously counted it as 10 syns, half expecting it not to stay in that long. There was no beer at our table, only water and Super Horse, until Hoan arrived and did a cheers. Chung took one for the team and I left with Moon, shortly after Giang had left. Vietnamese weddings are exciting for the first few times of going but I was really struggling to cope with an outdoor wedding in a mild heat wave.
Moon very kindly dropped me off at Phong Nha Farmstay and I headed over to the pool, where Tatas and the Aussies were having a dip. We all chatted and caught up with all the goings on, before ordering some dinner. Greg had got so drunk on Raki in Istanbul with our friend, Murat, that he was also never drinking again, Amanda didn’t drink but Tatas had a G & T for happy hour and a beer with dinner. I stuck to soda water with my beef in bamboo, Greg ordered the Nem Lui, Amanda thé Tofu curry and I think Tatas had a salad. The food was great and we had a good night, getting the taxi back around 10pm. My meal and drink came to 235,000VND (£7.24) but at the Farmstay they add service and tax on to the total bill. I spent 400,000VND (£12.33), which I gave to Tatas for my share of the bill and my taxi ride back with them. It had been an expensive but fun day and Tatas was off in to a cave tomorrow for 4 days, leaving me and the Aussies to have some fun until they left on Tuesday.
joloyolo 