Sheffield – 25th & 26th July

Briony’s plane was delayed by at least a couple of hours on Thursday 25th July so I got on with work until I heard from her to set off to go to meet her. I’d also bought a bottle of pink prosecco and a punnet of strawberries to welcome her for just £10 from M&S. I knew she’d be jetlagged and possibly hungover or hungry. Louisa was on standby to meet as she had the day off and we were all just waiting excitedly on Briony’s arrival. I eventually went to the Mercure hotel to meet Briony and she looked so good. America had been kind to her, her hair was a different colour and looked great. She had got a taxi from the train station as her suitcase was so heavy. We drank some Prosecco and ate a few strawberries as we messaged Louisa to say to come join us. She had missed a bus so had to drive and we said we would meet her at the car park. As we shared how excited we were to be drinking tap water again, Louisa was on her way and we walked towards a strange looking multi story car park. It was very windy and really cold for both me and Briony so we messaged Louisa to say we had gone to find a warm pub. Once again, I found myself in town looking for a pub that was open in the day time on a Thursday. Briony and I could only remember the Benjamin Huntsman as we’d had many a cheap drink in there over the years so we headed there. I dont think Louisa was enamoured with the choice of bar but Briony and I were very pleasantly surprised. You can pay cash, they have wine on tap and the prices are good as it’s a Wetherspoons. This time it was Briony’s turn to go for a pie, I chose the curry deal that is on the Thursday Curry Club and I had the spinach and chickpea curry with rice, poppadoms and a naan bread, plus another wine for £11. Louisa went for a coke, some chicken nuggets and onion rings and ordered it all on an App where the order arrives, miraculously, to your table.
Time went too fast as my alarm went off to tell me I needed to go get the bus. I’d arranged to meet Chris & Amanda at The Alma tonight so I needed to get back. I said my goodbyes with promises of meeting up again and hurried for the bus. I got to The Alma a bit late, Amanda and Chris were already there and had got the drinks in, including for my parents who I joined along the walk from the bus stop. They remembered what we drank which was really kind but they hadn’t brought the dogs this time. We had a great catch up and such a laugh trying to remember everyone we used to work with back in my Aviva days. It was such a good couple of hours and I was a bit tipsy by the time we left to go for fish and chips at Tony’s. We only just made it to the chip shop before it closed, too. My parents took their’s back home but I joined Chris and Amanda as I wanted to see the dogs and Amanda had some clothes for me to try on. The dogs were so fussy but soon calmed down when they saw me putting a bit of fish to one side for them to have when I had finished my dinner. The fish and chips are just so good and it’s a good job I don’t live in that area as I would be too tempted to eat them more often.
Trying clothes on after fish and chips and several ciders wasn’t the best idea but I went for it. Amanda knew I’d been feeling the cold and had no clothes with me so gave me 3 pairs of jeans, a T-Shirt, a shirt and a jumper. I loved the clothes and they all fit really well so I was happy. Downstairs I caused havoc when I threw the ball for the dogs in the lounge, which isn’t allowed so it was time to leave before Bruno or Ted damaged something.

On Friday 26th July I was working very early so that I could finish at lunch time. The jeweller at Crystal Peaks had let me know that they needed to send my G-Shock watch off to be fixed and it could take up to a month to come back but would most likely be as good as new for £60. I agreed and he asked me to call in to get the necessary paperwork and receipt so that my Mom could collect it when it was fixed. While we were at Crystal Peaks, Mom picked up a couple of things and then I popped to Beres sandwich shop. I got 3 roast pork sandwiches for £3.90 each and we took them home for lunch. Dad was in a better mood on our return this time, but we hadn’t been out long. I carried on with some work emails until it was time to meet Briony. Even though she didn’t have a phone SIM while in the UK, she had decided she would chance getting on a bus to Mosborough and I would meet her at the bus stop. It was a nice day, my parents had already gone for a walk so they had declined to come and meet Briony with me. She managed the bus fine and we had a wander around Mosborough while chatting. It was just like old times even though it was now 10 years since her and husband had got married, then moved to the USA. We walked via the kid’s park then we had a drink in the British Oak where we sat outside but got moved due to a private party coming at 4pm when it was 2.30pm. The round of 2 halves came to £6.40 and it was quite pleasant sat outside chatting about anything and everything. Our next stop was at The Alma beer garden where 2 pints came to £9.60 and the weather was pretty nice. We turned the Mosborough walk in to a pub crawl and finished off at Craftworks. Here we discovered the Fuggle Bunny Jammy Dodger ruby ale which was only £2.60 for ⅔ of a pint. We had 2 of these each and then missed the bus Briony was thinking of getting. After seeing Briony on to the later bus, I walked home to find Mom had saved me some dinner, another favourite of chicken fajitas. We had also forgotten about the strawberries and cream we bought in Sainsbury’s so I had some of those saved for me too. I’d really enjoyed today but as the weekend approached, I still needed to fit in a bit more work this week to make up for doing a few hours less last week.

Dalyan to Dalaman airport – 6th & 7th July

I went over to Captain Caveman’s apartment on the morning of Saturday 6th July, so that I could see the maintenance company in action. I knew they wouldn’t be there and that the garden area still wouldn’t have been done and I was now fed up. The tenants would arrive back this weekend and wanted to meet up with me before I went to the airport tomorrow night. I felt sure they would want to move out because of the complex grounds not being maintained well enough. Captain Caveman was in Saigon but would be flying to London from midnight tonight. My friend, who had kindly given me a lift, had come round to look and also agreed our gardener was not telling me the truth – nothing had been touched since my visit yesterday.
My friend and I got the bus to Ortaca and I was in a bit of a mood about the garden situation. Apart from buying a brush, a hose and some other tools to do it myself, I didn’t know what else to do. I messaged the maintenance man and said I was sick of it and wanted to meet him tomorrow. I also let the agent know so they could try harder to get something done before the tenants arrived tonight.

We got off the bus at the Ortaca bus station and walked a short way to a clothes shop which ladies from the moonlight boat trip had recommended to me. They had lots of choices and I tried loads on with my friend being honest on what looked good and what didn’t. In the end, I had narrowed it down to a red shirt dress, a burgundy long dress, a bright dress for boat trips and a patterned one for the family wedding. The 4 dresses came to not much more than the dress which I almost bought in Köyceğiz at a total of 1,500 lira (£36) and I was very impressed with the shop and could easily have bought more.
We called at the Gratis pharmacy where I bought a Dove deodorant stick for a whopping 199.50 lira (£4.78) as I had almost run out. I prefer the solid sticks as you can use them on thighs and under boobs to prevent any chafing. We had a bit of a walk around Ortaca and managed to get lost but found a nice stream and some columns which looked to be old and part of the Lycian way. It was very hot and I wish I’d brought sun cream as we walked past the hospital and a closed antique shop. We decided to stop at Cafe Deryası for lunch where we both had a water, a juice and Turkish ravioli (mantı). The lunch was really good and I would definitely go there again. It cost 390 lira (£9.35) each so it wasn’t cheap but we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Both my friend and I had to get back to work so we got the bus back, it was hot and sweaty but at least we had a seat. As it was my last night staying at my friend’s we decided to have our dinner with wine on the roof terrace. We decided to call at the supermarket for some bits and have a little picnic style dinner. Here’s what I bought for my contribution with prices in lira;

Şevikoğlu Supermarket
Crackers 34.90
Salt & Vinegar crisps 35.00
Peanuts 84.90
2 bottles of Cumbuş red wine 199.80
Total spent 354.60 lira (£8.50)

I also brought cheese, brownies and some cherries that I already had in the fridge. It was such a lovely evening and we stayed out there until it went dark.

I was in a bit of a rush on Sunday 7th July to fit everything in. I didn’t have anything for breakfast but I did do some washing and packing. I worked all morning and then had a lift in to town to drop my stuff off at Jamie’s.
We went for a last meal together at Kefal tea gardens where I had a cheeseburger and 2 lemon sodas for a total of 160 lira (£3.84). While we were there we saw a turtle, 2 snakes and lots of fish which was amazing.

Watersnake

The turtle

The turtle and the watersnake

After, I was dropped back at Jamie’s so I could check on the dogs, as Jamie was out, and repack all my stuff. My flight was after midnight tonight and I only had the smallest easyJet hand luggage to fit all my stuff in to. It was a squeeze with my laptop and I was sad to leave my toiletries behind. I had a little sit down on the sofa with Norman and Edna only to fall asleep for about 3 hours. In the meantime, Captain Caveman had arrived in London and was heading to his parents’ house in Barnes.
I went to Ela’s Kitchen to say hello to Nicola and Sev, bumped in to Melanie and Gareth and had a big bottle of water before going back towards town. Later on, I decided to have a rosé wine and soda in Grandma’s Garden and enquired how much their rooms were per night for next month. It was out of my price range unfortunately but the owners seemed very nice. I called at the bank to withdraw some money as I was meeting the tenants and Jamie for a drink at Lukka later and then I decided I was hungry so I called at one of my favourite restaurants.

It was quiet at Duble as I was early and I asked for the chicken soup as a starter, a large bottle of water and then for main I chose the chicken and mushroom pasta to be made without chicken. The food was lovely, especially the soup but I did notice that the prices had definitely gone up a bit and my mushroom pasta was still the same price as the chicken one. The water was only 55 lira, the chicken soup was 120 lira and the mushroom pasta 350 lira. My total meal came to 525 lira (£12.59) which was more expensive than I’d expected but it was rather tasty. Luckily, it did mean I had 500 lira (£12) left to get me a drink at Lukka and for any emergency at Dalaman airport.
I arrived before Jamie and the dogs and introduced myself to our tenants. They ordered proper drinks for them but I just ordered a soda water to keep it cheap. They were very nice people and we had a bit of a laugh as well as discussing concerns that were all to do with our pool and garden company. Jamie was taking me to the airport so he wasn’t drinking either so when it came to pay, I said I’d get Jamie’s. Unfortunately, the bill came all 4 of us together and we decided to split it, although I put in 500 lira (£12) for mine and Jamie’s drinks, but it wasn’t enough and Jamie had to add more for our half. I hoped my flight wasn’t delayed as I now didn’t have spare cash to get anything at the airport. Norman and Edna came to the airport with us and it was a first for me to say bye to pets at Dalaman. I said bye to Jamie and the flight was still as scheduled. The queue to check in was huge and it took a while, the man behind me got quite shitty about the special assistance queue having so many people in the entourage of the disabled person – one wheelchair user got a group of 14 checked in together and he nearly lost it. Once through security, chaos ensued and my flight was delayed by 2 hours.

Dalyan & Köyceğiz – 4th & 5th July

By the time I woke up on Thursday 4th July, my parents had already left for the airport so I didn’t get to go and wave them off. Ordinarily, this would not have happened but given that I would see them in 13 days time none of us were upset about it. I had tea and toast for breakfast then got my stuff packed to move accommodation. I worked in the morning and then ate the rest of the blueberries for lunch, sharing them with Norman and Edna. Blueberries are meant to be good for dogs so Edna wolfed them down, Norman was yet to be convinced. I left some stuff at Jamie’s, including my laptop, as I was off on a moonlight boat trip that afternoon. It was another one of the ‘Ladies only’ ones that I had helped to organise with a friend. We boarded Captain Fuat’s Adil boat around 4pm, bound for Köyceğiz. As we were setting off, one of the ladies went to the shop with the Captain to buy a last minute purchase and then it was time to go. Captain Fuat shared some fruits from his garden, the fresh figs were amazing, as well as a delicious cake made my his daughter.
We had a mooch around Köyceğiz where I tried on a dress for a forthcoming wedding in Penrith. It was a nicely fitting, off the shoulder, green and flowery number but I noticed it was coming apart at the seams a little. It was also 1200 lira (£28.92) so I decided it was out of my budget. We all left the shop and I was the last one to go, as I was leaving the older lady of the shop started to turn angry with me and accused me of ripping the poorly sewn garment. I walked out without saying anything and decided I wouldn’t be going in that shop again.
Back on the boat, we had a very lovely evening with more excellent food including hot chips after our first swim stop, courgette fritters and chicken nuggets to nibble on before dinner. One of the ladies had sold her parents’ house and wanted to share with us her good news so she had bought a couple of bottles of fizz for us all. I had a couple of glasses of rosé wine with a couple of the other ladies but I noticed most of the women weren’t drinking much, if at all – it was very civilised.
Not everyone swam but a friend and I went a few times round the boat and the sunset was amazing. We had a delicious tomato based soup as a starter and then the main course which was a mixture of dishes to accommodate meat eaters and vegetarians. I really enjoyed it and the evening was finished off with fizz/rosé and stargazing which was very relaxing.
We didn’t get back until almost midnight after what had been an amazing moonlight boat trip. The cost was £30 (1,250 lira) and Captain Fuat always looks after us very well.

I was up very early on Friday 5th July as I needed to walk over to Jamie’s to say bye to Drew, Nick and Mark before work. They were off back to the UK after a lovely holiday/stay. I called at Migros to buy a thank you bottle of wine for Jamie and I grabbed some noodles which were on offer. I spent just 337.90 lira (£8.10) and I even got Angora wine for that. I needed to get my laptop and a few things I’d not taken on the boat with me last night. It was only 24°C at 7am but there was an excessive heat weather warning for later and I also wanted to check Captain Caveman’s apartment complex again. I had been told by the pool and maintenance bloke that they had worked there this morning so I was going to inspect. When I arrived, it was less than satisfactory and obvious that no one had been that morning, or even in the last few days. Dead plants, dried leaves and generally weeds needing sorting which were easy and obvious jobs. I wasn’t happy and I messaged the maintenance man, who once again told me that they had been this morning. He blamed it on not having a hose and that there was nothing he could do as all 10 apartments needed to give him money for a hose. I told him to go buy one and I would pay and I didn’t hear back, only to say he had ordered one. I checked on Trendyol and the most expensive one was not more than 2000 lira (£47.96) and I just wanted the place clean and tidy for our guests – it was proving far too much to ask for. I sent the pool and garden man photos as I was stood there and he said that he also had photos from his brother and that it didn’t look the same – how dare they call me a liar! I suspected his workers were either tired, lazy or lying and so he promised me he would personally check every day – he had already promised this several times so I didn’t hold my breath! I also let the rental agent know but she was on holiday and the guy left in charge wasn’t able to get through to the maintenance company either. It was a joke and I really wished we’d never agreed to rent the place out. The ironic thing is that Captain Caveman and I had never agreed to this maintenance company but we had been told we were outvoted. The Aussies downstairs had not experienced any complaints from their tenants (of which they had several different customers) so it was unfortunate that only my tenants were being affected.
Because of all the faffing about, I wasn’t back ‘in the office’ until 11am, having picked up a bottle of water and a couple of simits for a bargain total of 31 lira (74p).
I worked all day then had a video chat with Captain Caveman, he was flying from Dong Hoi to Saigon tomorrow to start his journey back to the UK for his holiday.
In the evening I headed to the tea gardens for dinner with my my new house mate. We had sandwiches and soft drinks followed by an ice-cream for a total of 400 lira (£9.64). The place was very busy but there was a lovely breeze and the staff were very efficient. We went back home and arranged to get up early to go to Ortaca before work tomorrow.

Dalyan – 3rd July

Wednesday 3rd July was a lovely day for me in Dalyan. Jamie and the boys were still celebrating Mark’s birthday so I gave the dogs their breakfast and made sure they had their wees and poos before it got too hot. I also took my measurements in readiness for weigh-in at Fat Club this afternoon. I had put 5cm on my waist and hips but there was no change to my bust. This was not good news and would definitely mean I had put weight on too. I had strawberries, olives and a simit for breakfast then cracked on with some work on the patio. Midmorning I popped to the shops for some essentials;

Migros Supermarket
Quark 29.95
Skimmed milk 37.95
Soda water 40.00
Total spent 107.90 lira (£2.60)

I called at the bank to deposit cash (English and Lira) so that my total amount was met for July in regard to the residency rules. I worked more until it was time to face Carol’s scales at Fat Club. After 17 weeks away and without my own kitchen I knew I should not expect miracles but I was certainly hoping I’d managed not to put too much weight back on.
I was pleased to see I had only put 0.1kg (0.2lb) on since last week and just a total of 1.4kg (3lb) in the time I’d been away from Dalyan. My last Dalyan Fat Club weigh-in had been at the beginning of March and now I was just 2.1kg (4.6lb) over my target. That wasn’t too bad, although I was off to the UK in 5 days time so I couldn’t see it being easy to stick to the plan there.
At Jamie’s, the guys were back and we were booked in to celebrate Mark’s birthday with a fancy meal out at Le Bohème that evening. I had to close up my outdoor office as the wine was being poured and the guys were having a dip in the pool. Nanny Kay and Hannah joined us at the villa for a cheeky pre dinner drink. When we arrived at the venue, there was a lady outside having some sort of allergic reaction which Mark and Hannah went to help with while ex nurse Nanny Kay and I swerved the situation and went on inside.

Le Bohème was very nice and we had a lovely table where Emma and Yusuf were already waiting for us. We shared the beautifully presented mixed mezes for a starter and had some white wine between a few of us. For main I chose the chicken with halloumi, spinach and potatoes and it was really tasty. I was thoroughly impressed with all the food, the service and the ambience of Le Bohème. I think my share of the meal came to about 1600 lira (£38.55), including thirds on 2 bottles of good wine. It was more expensive than where I usually eat but not extortionate for what we had and I would certainly recommend for a special occasion or treat. After the meal some of us went to Aşkın’s bar for another drink and to round off the lovely evening. A round of 3 drinks came to a reasonable 450 lira (£10.84) and is definitely one of our go-to bars.
Back ‘home’, I was meant to set my alarm for tomorrow as my parents were leaving for the airport at 7am.

Photo credit – Jamie/Nick

Dalyan – 1st & 2nd July

On Monday 1st July I did some work first thing and then joined my parents, Adam, Kath & Kate on the yellow boat trip to Köyceğiz. Like an idiot, I forgot to take my phone so there were no photos of the day out. Kate and I headed to the market as soon as we got there while everyone else went for a drink. I bought what I would have got from the market in Dalyan on Saturday, if I’d not missed it; strawberries and a bit of veg. At Carrefour, I bought 2 bottles of Prosecco for 720.05 Lira (£17.35) ready for tonight as Jamie and the boys had invited me, and Nanny Kay, for dinner again. For lunch we all ate at Tuana where I had a chicken burger and some lemon soda as I didn’t fancy alcohol, for a change.
I nipped to the supermarket on my way back for some treats for the house and bought the following, prices in Turkish Lira;

Migros Supermarket
1 plastic bag 0.25
Tutku biscuits 30.00
Plain crisps 35.00
Blueberries 49.95
Chocolate brownies 65.00
Chocolate Dido bars 75.20
Frozen raspberries 107.95
Total spent 363.75 Lira (£8.77)

We had a lovely chilled out evening at Jamie and Drew’s, with lots of laughs and a very tasty chicken salad for dinner. Drew’s homemade croutons were definitely a hit, Nanny Kay’s chocolate brownie with jelly was so good and I really enjoyed the meal.

I woke up early on Tuesday 2nd July and had tea and toast for breakfast. Tomorrow was weigh day and I’d completely gone off track this week with the food and booze. Jamie and the boys were off on a trip for Mark’s birthday, just local, but I was going to spend the day with Norman and Edna. I did some washing and then got on with some work. Edna wanted to help send some emails and got on my knee to get nearer the laptop. By 9am I was in the newly kitted out köşk enjoying the fresh air while I worked. I saw an unusual critter on the table and the temperature shot up to 35°C in the shade.
In the afternoon, I attempted to arrange to meet up with our elusive pool and garden man but, unsurprisingly, he wasn’t forthcoming. Our tenants were arriving again in a few days and I was concerned that Captain Caveman’s apartment complex still looked a mess and it was getting very frustrating.
I worked some more in the afternoon and in the evening I was meeting my parents for our last meal in Dalyan. They were off to Göcek tomorrow with their friends so I needed to say bye to them tonight. They would fly back to England on Thursday morning but I would see them in Sheffield in July.

After feeding the dogs and watching Norman confidently patrol the property perimeter, I went to call for Ma & Pa. I still needed to see Sonuç to pay hım the £30 (or 1200 lira) that I owed him for the airport pick up when I arrived, so I popped over to his new office. It was very smart and looked good. Our next stop was for a cheeky drink in Cafe Ivy where they do a nice white wine at a reasonable price.
For dinner we decided to try Sea Breeze, as we know the owner, Suha, from when he was a waiter at Bistro Blue restaurant. It was the day of a football game that we wanted to avoid so it looked like a nice quiet place to eat. An older waiter took our order and we decided not to have starters. We ordered a bottle of house red wine which was 750 lira (£18) for the cheapest Buzbağ brand. We got a bottle of water to share for 80 lira (£1.93) and we all had a steak. My parents had onion steaks, I had a blue cheese steak and the price was 850 lira (£20.48) each. When it was served, it was presented on wooden boards which I really don’t like so I asked for a spare plate and transferred it over. It’s very common in Dalyan to serve meals on wooden boards but I find it not only looks bad, it’s unhygienic and impractical, especially if having a sauce. This was evidently not the cheapest place in town but the food quality and taste was excellent. We all really enjoyed our dinner but I felt a bit uneasy about the waiter and wondered if he regularly worked there. He asked us to put a review on Trip Advisor before we’d finished and, when he cleared the plates, he ate a leftover vegetable from Dad’s plate. This was the first time this had happened to me ever in any restaurant and it did take me by surprise. I usually do leave reviews but this then put me off doing one and I haven’t bothered. I paid the 3,380 lira (£81.45) on my credit card and Ma gave me cash so I could continue to add money to my Turkish account to keep up the residency requirements. I didn’t think £27 each for a decent meal was too bad and it did include a free appetiser of olives, warm bread and dips. I wanted to get back for Norman and Edna so I invited my parents over for a nightcap. We went to Yaman Büfe off licence on the way and bought a bottle of red and a bottle of white wine for just 590 lira (£14.22) – and we splashed out on Angora. Dad and I shared the red, Mom had some of the white while we had to pretend to give Edna red. I was giving her water from a glass behind my red wine but when she realised we were hoodwinking her, she wasn’t too happy.
It was gone 11.30pm when my parents left and we said goodbye – Norman had already fell asleep but Edna came to say farewell, unaware she wouldn’t see them again until September.

Dalyan – 29th & 30th June

I’d planned on going to the weekly Dalyan market on Saturday 29th June, however, I had work to do and it was too hot by the time that I’d finished. For lunch I joined my parents at the Kefal tea garden where I had a lovely chicken sandwich and some lemon soda. After lunch I went over to Captain Caveman’s apartment complex to better inspect the garden so that I could let the pool and maintenance company know that I wasn’t happy with the lack of work being done.
Back at Jamie’s villa, Norman and Edna had been in the pool with the boys and were trying to keep cool. I had a shower and then got ready for a dinner at ‘home’. I’d been invited to dine al fresco with Jamie, Drew, Nick & Mark and we had a delicious chicken pesto pasta dish with garlic bread. I’d drank too much yesterday so I kept it to just one glass of wine with dinner and then retired for an early night. I still wasn’t caught up on sleep from missing a night of it when I came from Vietnam.

I worked all morning and until 2pm on Sunday 30th June before heading off to meet Kate at the bus station. Kate had suggested we go to Günlüklu restaurant for lunch, where she’d been told there was some music on. It sounded good and it was too hot to walk so we got the bus. Kate and I had totally got the wrong end of the stick where the music was concerned as it wasn’t even in the restaurant part. There was a small copse in the nearby woods where a stage area had been made, ready for a bit of an afternoon shindig but we had already ordered shandies and food. Kate and I shared haydari, fava bean dip and bread with our beers and it was rather delicious. After eating, we walked to the area where we had seen a few familiar faces taking cooler boxes and fold-up chairs to see what we were missing. On first look we both agreed the gathering wasn’t for us today, it was already getting late and no musicians had started playing yet. Kate was wearing an all in one outfit which would not be conducive to peeing behind a tree, if needed either. We said hello to a few friends, walked to the underwhelming water wheel then left. I had to get back to feed Norman and Edna as the boys were on a day trip and wouldn’t be back until later.
In the evening I finally got round to booking my appointment and paying £219.50 for a UK passport express renewal service. I had an appointment at the Passport office in London in 8 days! It was expensive but I wanted a guarantee it would be completed and in my hand the same day.

Phong Nha – 18th June

We were awake early on Tuesday 18th June as Captain Caveman was off in to Son Doong and I said I would see him off before I started work. It was probably the last time I would see him this year in Phong Nha and I was feeling a bit sentimental about that. Captain Caveman doesn’t do emotional stuff so it was just another day to him but at least he posed for a photo while we waited for a coffee and a watermelon juice at Son River House Homestay. We agreed that I would travel by car to Dong Hoi on Thursday, he’d booked me a room at the Dolphin hotel for that night and a train for Friday morning to Danang. He would get the overnight train after his gala dinner on Friday night and see me in Danang on Saturday morning. We would have our final celebrations in Danang before I flew back to Turkey on Tuesday. We were all organised so that it would go smoothly. Captain Caveman took himself off for spicy fish noodle soup for his breakfast, probably to escape my emotional goodbyes and me still being upset about May, the dog. Chung could see I needed a bit of support and told me to come back to the homestay once I’d seen Captain Caveman off on tour from Ho Khanh’s.
I saw Mr Nghia who works on the porter team and is Ha’s (from Phong Nha Vegan) dad. He was holding Ai’s baby who is super cute and so I took photos. I also found a creepy crawly to match his Oxalis shirt which turned out to be poisonous and had a twin nearby! Luckily I moved one to the shrubbery but then it got moved again to further afield. We said bye and Captain Caveman got on the bus with the next tour group, who also didn’t get off for a photo.
Back at the homestay, I waited for Chung so that we could go to Phong Nha Vegan for brunch. I took photos of the Son River House Homestay menu which looked very comprehensive.

At Phong Nha Vegan, Chung had spicy noodle soup, I had Banh Canh and we shared some fresh spring rolls. Ha made me a mango and coconut smoothie which was so good. I would miss this a lot when I left. I decided to work in the AC of my room at the beautiful and peaceful Son River House Homestay for today.

That evening, after work, I cycled down to Phong Nha Vegan again. Tatas came to meet me and had to wait a while until I could leave to go out for dinner. We went to The Villas for our farewell drinks and meal. We had to make do with mojitos with it being a Tuesday as they were half price. We shared a veggie pizza with a bottle of red then took the wine back to mine so that we could finish off the night. Tatas paid the total bill as a farewell gift and we had a lovely night, it was a bit emotional as I had no idea when I would see her again, although we were hoping she could get a visa to come visit us in Turkey this winter. Tomorrow was weigh day and my last full day in Phong Nha, I’d had 303 syns this week so it wasn’t looking great and I had leaving drinks planned for tomorrow evening.

Phong Nha – 16th & 17th June

On the morning of Sunday 16th June I packed a lot of my stuff. Captain Caveman was due back later and would only have a couple of hours today and some of tomorrow for us to get organised for my departure. As we still didn’t know when Captain Caveman and I would be back in Phong Nha after this season, or what job either of us would be doing next year, I decided to take almost everything. I would have one suitcase to take anything I had still in Vietnam so I decided to put all the things I could live without in to a bag to give to Chung and Hoan. They could keep anything which they could make use of and give the rest to charity. It felt a bit weird not really knowing what would happen next year but I felt confident things would find a way of working out.
I worked from The Villas again and had a treat of beans on toast with a pot of tea for breakfast. For my lunch I had fresh veggie spring rolls and I was still working when Captain Caveman arrived at The Villas. He’d had a good trip but it had been incredibly hot, meaning the group had been out a little later. I updated Captain Caveman on my new job, he was pleased but we didn’t have long to chat as he was off to Chay Lap for his gala dinner. After finishing work for the day, I treated myself to a bottle of wine and some peanuts while I waited for Captain Caveman to return. When he arrived he ordered a pizza as the food at Chay Lap is still below par and he never eats there. I decided to try the ‘new to the menu’ cheeseburger, even though I’m not a massive burger fan.
Captain Caveman devoured his dinner and half the bottle of red wine, he was very hungry after his tour. My burger tasted very good but it was a bit chewy with it being beef. I let the manager know and she did say the Victory Road burger was better as it’s mixed with pork so that might have suited me better. Our total bill came to 890,000VND (£27) which included carrot cake. The Villas had started doing fresh cakes again and it did not disappoint! Maxime and his family were back in town to renovate the Nguyen Shack and had waited to say hello to Captain Caveman. It was almost 10pm when we cycled home, Captain Caveman was very tired.

Captain Caveman had the day time off on Monday 17th June but he still had some work tasks to do, of course. We were awake by 6am but his alarm was set for 6.30am anyway. The weather forecast said it was only 28°C but 83% humidity so it definitely felt hot and muggy. It also said it was going to be cloudy all day but the clouds had definitely not got that memo and it was scorching!
By 8.30am we had cycled to The Villas for me to crack on with work and later have brunch. I had my usual Pho and a smoothie but Captain Caveman had his favourite Eggs Benedict washed down with a Bloody Mary (which are usually 50% off on Mondays). Our bill came to 372,000VND (£11.30) and I didn’t notice at the time that the Bloody Mary was charged at full price of 180,000VND (£5.46). I said goodbye to Ben, as he was off to Mongolia tonight and would be away until the 29th June, when I would already be in Turkey.
While Captain Caveman got prepared for his next tour and his briefing tonight, I was thankful for a rest in the AC back at Son River House Homestay. By 3pm the humidity levels had dropped considerably but it still felt unbearable outside.
After work, and while Captain Caveman was at the Oxalis briefing, I went to Phong Nha Vegan. I was chatting with Ha when something truly awful happened. We heard a commotion down the road, towards town and, when I looked, I saw a woman in the street, a motorbike, something white on the floor and a few people gathered around.
I knew it as soon as I saw the white, it was May, the dog. He had been hit by a motorbike and the owner was trying to save him, I called Ha and we ran down. What happened next was quite upsetting so I won’t go in to too much detail. I felt for a heartbeat and little May was still alive. I called Chung and asked her to call Bom’s dad who is a farm vet and tell him to come quickly. She did and he said he was coming. The owner picked up May and was very distressed about the whole situation so we took him inside the gate. We both kept stroking and talking to him and willing him to pull through. Other dogs in the area were coming to check on May and I nervously kept them at a safe distance. The vet was really taking his time and I called several times for Chung to chase him. Ha and the others left me with the dog’s owner, who spoke no English and then May could fight no more. It was terrible and it looked like he had some bleeding from inside. I consoled the woman and we used Google translate to talk to each other and later her daughter. We lay May in a quiet spot in the garden and waited for her relative to arrive. Eventually, I left and having been strong for the owner, I had a little cry. The Vegan girls wanted to feed me but there was no way I could eat and I was conscious that I’d been holding May. I had a good wash but didn’t want to touch any of the tables at the Vegan and decided to call it a night. Our friend Dung was there having dinner and I asked him to come back and help me talk to May’s owner, which he did. It turned out her husband was a vet and there had been nothing we could have done to save May but at least he knew we loved him. I cycled to The Villas to meet Captain Caveman, with a takeaway snack of vegetable tempura which Hanh had insisted on making me. Once I’d calmed down and was getting through the shock, I ordered a Spaghetti Bolognese and shared a bottle of red wine with Captain Caveman. We paid 472,000VND (£14.33) which I didn’t think was bad. Our last night in Phong Nha together wasn’t the celebration it could have been, though.
Back at the homestay, I got some news to cheer me up; my friend, Briony, was going to be in Sheffield when I was, and had booked her flight from America. I ate the veggie tempura and then went to bed, still sad about little May, the dog.

Phong Nha – 12th June

Wednesday 12th June was weigh day again and unfortunately I had consumed 353 syns this week, 160 of which had been on alcohol. We had ended up arguing last night as Captain Caveman always argues when we go for an Indian, this time it had been like Pagoda-gate but with words. I didn’t agree with anything he had said and had put it down to him being unhappy, stressed or both. Obviously me not having any paid work was probably not helping but being in 2 countries where I’m not allowed to legally work doesn’t help. There was no sorry at all this morning and we decided to eat breakfast at the homestay to see what it was like. Captain Caveman was due back in to the cave tomorrow and had his briefing tonight so I decided I would try to find some job opportunities while he was gone. He went down to the reception/cafe area to get a coffee while I finished getting ready and took my measurements. I was surprised to find that they weren’t too bad; my bust was the same, my waist had increased by 1cm and my hips had reduced by 1cm. Captain Caveman had egg and bread while I had beef noodle soup. It was quite nice but more like a bun than a pho and I had green tea with it.

Captain Caveman needed to go into Oxalis but I had decided to go to The Villas to do some blogging, I had a mango lassi, a pot of tea and some cute biscuits – not a great idea before getting weighed.
Captain Caveman joined me and we ordered lunch, he had the potato gratin with asparagus and I had the Australian meat pie with chips and gravy (an even worse idea before getting on the scales). We paid just 380,000VND (£11.47) for lunch and then headed to Oxalis on our way back to our homestay. While Captain Caveman sorted work related things out, I chilled out and watched the resident skink go about his business.

Captain Caveman went to his briefing for 6pm so I went to Phong Nha Vegan. Little May, the dog, was there with Lu from next door and came to greet me straight away. He wondered where I had been and brought me a dried leaf as a gift. I got on the scales to find I had put on 1kg while in Dong Hoi, which was less than I was expecting. For dinner I had fresh spring rolls and mushroom fried rice which was delicious. The Vegan girls ate Banh Trang Tron (which is not vegan) and it was quiet so I left about 8pm and went back to Son River House Homestay for wine with Chung and beers with Captain Caveman and Uy. We had some leftover Indian but no arguments. This was Captain Caveman’s last day off while I was here as he had 2 tours back to back and would be in the cave when I left Phong Nha.

Dong Hoi & Phong Nha – 11th June

It was an early start on Tuesday 11th June as we joined Stu and Max for a final Mr Bull’s Bo Ne breakfast. It would probably be my last in Vietnam for this year and that was sad. I was going to miss Dong Hoi, our friends there and the cute dogs who were now our friends. Our lift to Phong Nha with Oxalis and Dung arrived 30 minutes early and we said goodbye in a bit of a hurry. Captain Caveman had booked me a train from Dong Hoi to Danang for in 10 days time so I hoped I’d get to spend one more night in Dong Hoi before I left Vietnam.
We picked up 4 customers from the airport, Captain Caveman had a coffee for 30,000VND (91p) and then we got back in the minibus for the drive back home. Less than an hour later, after dropping the guests at Son Doong Bungalow, we were dropped off at our new and final accommodation for my last Phong Nha stay. We had decided to try out Son River House Homestay, which is near to the Glass House and Ho Khanh’s, right on the river. It is being managed by one of my best friends, Chung, so I was also looking forward to spending time with her. Check-in wasn’t until 2pm so we had already agreed to have lunch at Phong Nha Vegan with Dung as I had really missed eating there. We dumped our bags at reception, Captain Caveman got the motorbike from the Glass House and we rode to the Vegan.

I was desperately craving a vegan pho so I ordered that along with fried spring rolls and mushroom La Lot skewers to share. Dung had fresh spring rolls and Captain Caveman had the curry with steamed rice. It was all lovely and I enjoyed my iced kumquat tea to wash it down with. It was good to see Ha, Cuu, Hanh and Yen again after being away for so long.
We checked in to our upstairs room at Son River House Homestay after lunch and unpacked our stuff.

After bringing more of my stuff over, we cycled to The Villas for Summer cocktails. Today was Long Island Iced Tea, one of Captain Caveman’s favourites and we had 2 each, paying a total of 360,000VND (£10.92) as they were 50% off.

For dinner we decided to cycle to Ganesh for Indian food. We had a bottle of red wine, lamb samosas, onion bhajis, chicken tikka starter, garlic naan, saffron rice, chicken tikka masala and a daal for 798,300VND (£24.22). The food was fantastic but we did get a message from Chung to check if we were ok. The owner of the homestay was worried it was after 10pm and we weren’t back yet. We cycled back and put leftover Indian food in the fridge along with fruit and a bottle of wine as we didn’t have a room with a fridge. Our room was clean, tidy and comfortable with lovely views and good AC.

Dong Hoi – 10th June

Captain Caveman had an appointment at the ultrasound clinic on Monday 10th June, first thing. I popped to the chemist to try to get contraceptive pills but none of the 3 pharmacies I tried, had them.
We went in to town afterwards and, while Captain Caveman went to the Gold shop, I went to another pharmacy. I had to settle for a different kind of pill, which I know gives me side effects but I had no choice. Here’s what I bought, prices in Dong;

Pharmacy
1 Diclofenac 27,000
1 Loperamide 27,500
5 Ibuprofen 194,000
6 Contraceptive pill 898,800
Total 1,147,300VND (£34.80)

At the WinMart Captain Caveman bought bread, crisps and 2 bottles of cheap Italian wine for when Stu and the boys arrived later. They were due back later than expected so we tried the Banh My place next to the gold shop, as recommended by Duc at Cang’s vintage clothing. It was cheap and tasty and didn’t have all the pâté in, that I don’t like. After the sandwich, we ventured in to the market just as it was starting to get quite sweaty. Captain Caveman wanted to get something specific for his cousin’s wedding which we were going to in July. Our next stop for a bit of light refreshment was our favourite coconut stall and coffee shop. The man there is super friendly and hard working so we have been going to that particular guy since we were recommended him by Thao a few years ago.

Back at the house, Captain Caveman was in charge of kitchen cleaning and feeding the dogs while I had the sweaty job of hoovering up. We cleaned the house as best we could before having our cheese sandwiches for lunch. I told each dog (separately) that their family was coming home and I think they understood. Over the 10 days we had been looking after them I’d gained their trust by telling them short stories about dogs who were scared of the people looking after them.
Stu and the boys were due in around 5.30pm but I couldn’t wait to open the wine and had started celebrating their return without them. Rodger had always listened to my stories but Terror was having none of them, until today when I told him a story about a dog who’s owner had returned from a holiday and was very excited to see his pets. Terror jumped on to the sofa and licked my face and he knew his family was coming back.
When Stu and Max returned (Jack had gone straight to meet someone at the airport), they took it in turns to greet the dogs. Rodger was first and was so excited he did a wee while Terror whined to be let out of Jack’s room. When Jack returned briefly they got excited again and were very pleased to have the boys back.
The boys drank beer, I had a bottle of red wine to myself and we ordered takeaway from Oregano, of pizza and potato gratin. It was a good welcome back, we decided to stay over one more night and Max gave us his room again. Tomorrow we would head back to Phong Nha where I had just 10 nights left before I started my journey back to Turkey.

Dong Hoi – 9th June

Sunday 9th June was one of my favourite days in Dong Hoi (possibly ever)! My plan to meet Thuy yesterday had been moved to today and I was very much looking forward to seeing my old physiotherapist from when I tore my ligaments. Our first mission was to have breakfast at the pho place. We had underestimated how busy Pho Ly Quoc Su would be on a Sunday and they had run out of 2 of the Pho Bo dishes that Captain Caveman had chosen. We managed, it was still delicious and didn’t take too long to come, despite the busy restaurant. Back home Terror had got a little braver, wanting some attention even, so I had a game of football with him before we had to leave. He only has a wooden block, no balls, but he was happy with it.

Captain Caveman and I took a Grab taxi to Thuy’s new premises in Dong Hoi just before lunch time. There were lots of plastic shower shoes on the steps to swap our shoes for, but Captain Caveman’s feet were too big for any of them to fit. We waited in reception and Thuy came to meet us to show us around her very impressive physio business. I saw the lady who worked at the old place who used to make the heated wraps and she had helped me get to the toilet a few times while I’d been having the numerous hours of physio. She was really pleased to see us as we walked round, Thuy proudly showing us all the amazing rooms and facilities. When we had completed the thorough tour of the building, we had a few photos outside then Thuy called her driver to take us to her home. Since I’d last seen her, Thuy and her family had also moved house, and it was really nice and fancy. We were given some water, fruit and yoghurt while the rest of the family got ready. I met the children, Tin and Su, who I used to spend time practicing English with, before Covid. Tin was super confident and fluent in English now and Su was doing very well as Tin chatted on. Thuy and her husband had invited Captain Caveman and I to join the 4 of them plus Thuy’s sister for lunch. This time we were not going to the bird restaurant, which I was pleased about.

Thuy’s husband drove Captain Caveman, me, Thuy, her 2 kids and sister to Geminai restaurant. Captain Caveman and I hadn’t been for about a year and it had definitely had some changes and improvements. Because I’m fussy with food, I ordered my own Prawn Pad Thai but the rest of the adults ordered dishes to share. There was one pork dish with a bone in which looked impressive as well as duck and seafood rice dishes. Captain Caveman and I had a beer and the kids were allowed a Coke, they were exceptionally well behaved. Thuy wanted Tin and Su to pose for photos with us and Su was nervous so I told her she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. She was super cute and gave me a hug and a kiss, which considering she was only 2 years old when I last saw her, was trusting. The lunch was amazing and I really enjoyed my food, as well as watching Captain Caveman don the plastic gloves to sort the meat out for the table.

I was not expecting Thuy to pay the entire bill, which was so lovely of her, but she also wanted to treat us some more. We stopped by the market so that she could buy some fruit, including our favourite mangosteens. Our next stop was the Phuc Long coffee shop where we were treated to a coffee for Captain Caveman and a peach tea for me. Tin and Su were super comfortable around us by this time and were chatting really well to me. I’m not usually a child person but I loved these two and they were so cute as well as very clever. On the ride back to Stu’s house we joked about the stinky squid drying. When we stopped to get out they all smelled the stench and didn’t get out of the car so I did hugs from inside. It had been an amazing day and I felt very lucky.

Having had such a lovely day, we decided to finish off the evening with another meal out. We walked both dogs (separately) who were now very friendly and behaving nicely. Stu and the boys were due back tomorrow and were in Saigon tonight. Originally we had planned to leave on Monday morning, as Captain Caveman had his briefing that night. However, his tour had been swapped and he was no longer working tomorrow. We got a taxi to Khoi Bistro and had a really lovely meal with craft beer. Captain Caveman had a seafood omelette which, quite frankly, made my stomach turn but he enjoyed it and I had a pork dish as my initial choice of duck was sold out. It was busy with it being a weekend and there was a massive private party but the owner still found time to chat to us. Our bill came to 455,000VND (£13.80) which was very good value considering that included mussels and a 2 litre keg of beer. We really enjoyed it and to top off a fantastic day, when we got back home, Terror jumped up on to the sofa for strokes and kisses. Rodger took himself off to bed in our (Max’s) room and slept next to the fan at the bottom of our bed.

Dong Hoi – 8th June

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that I completely ruined all plans for Saturday 8th June by being unable to function properly. The hangover was bad, Captain Caveman had to see to Rodger and Terror while I had to rearrange an appointment with my old physio and her family. I didn’t manage any breakfast and could barely drink my litre of water.
At lunch time I was in no position to get on the back of a motorbike to go anywhere. Captain Caveman ordered a Tree Hugger delivery for lunch for us. I ordered the beef and vegetable rice plate, while Captain Caveman went for the burger. It cost 200,000VND (£6.13) for our meals and 2 drinks.
We ran out of water so Captain Caveman had to venture out to get one of the 19 litre refills, for 25,000VND (77p).
We made it out for walks twice in the evening, both Terror and Rodger were keen for a wander. Captain Caveman managed to buy a case of 24 beers for 270,000VND (£8.27) so he could fill up the fridge for Stu and the boys’ return on Monday. For dinner we went to Oregano where we had pasta and shared a Caesar salad before heading back home and going back to bed, me still feeling very rough!

Dong Hoi & Phong Nha – 7th June

At 7.30am on Friday 7th June there was an air of excitement as it looked like Rodger was ready to go at last. I’d gone downstairs to use the bathroom and then had to shout up to Captain Caveman to hurry along and bring me a bra. Rodger didn’t want to put the lead on, even though on the label it said he was a Police Dog, but we eventually got it on and then there was no stopping him. Captain Caveman had to take him as he was too strong for me and he pulled until he got to the first corner of grass. We were all so happy that Rodger had finally done his business at last. By 8am we were walking back to the house, me in my sleepwear, Rodger looking very proud of himself indeed.

For a late breakfast/very early lunch we went to Saigon Deli where we bought the dogs food and had our usual pork dishes. After feeding the dogs their lunch, Terror seemed to also be getting a bit more friendly. Before noon we had a video call with Stu so we could share the amazing news that Rodger had managed a walk and a poo after a whole week of not going!
At 12.15pm we were getting picked up as we were off on a bit of a jolly!

There was an Oxalis 13 year anniversary party which Captain Caveman and I had been invited to. He was going to be getting a certificate to commemorate 10 years with Oxalis (it was actually 11). The drive to Phong Nha involved picking up some flowers for the party and we waited in the minibus. We got dropped off at The Villas, as that’s where I’d left Bluey just over a week ago. I had a sensible cup of tea to start with but then we realised it was half price margaritas on Fridays and we just had to indulge. We were peckish by this time so we ordered lunch which was rather filling. I had the chicken and bacon sandwich (with chips) and Captain Caveman ordered the salmon.

During our visit, we bumped in to a Victory Road Villas guest, called Meyer, who also enjoys a drop of Tequila. We got chatting and he brought his very own bottle of Tequila out. We shared a shot or two with this rather interesting Australian fella and had a great time. After our margaritas and a couple of tequilas with Meyer it was almost time to go to the Oxalis party. We paid our bill which was a very reasonable 1,120,000VND (£34.10) for cocktails, tea and our lunch.

Of course, we should have got on our bikes and cycled to Oxalis for their 13th anniversary party, however, we were beckoned over by the disabled family across by the river, who own the small cafe. We were joined by shaky-hand girl, so called because she loves to shake hands with people for the longest time and is very friendly. Captain Caveman had a Vietnamese drip coffee and I had a fresh coconut and then we decided to visit Tuan on the floating boat restaurant and bar, as we were in the vicinity.

Nha Be Noi Song Son (the Vietnamese name) is so lovely, primarily known for its fresh seafood and catering to large groups, but is also great for a couple of pork spring rolls and a beer. The owner, Tuan, had been swimming in the river but came to join us, along with shaky-hand girl.

We cycled to Oxalis just in time to join the anniversary party where it was good to see staff being recognised and rewarded for their continued service. As Oxalis was very busy with tours there wasn’t everyone there but I saw a few familiar faces. Chau, the owner, was on a TV link up from Saigon, having left his brother in charge of the proceedings including the certificate and gift presentation.
Luckily, it wasn’t a late one and we got a lift back to Dong Hoi with some of Captain Caveman’s colleagues. At 10pm, after letting the dogs out (still separately of course) we were in bed. I fell asleep on the sofa and Terror made some progress as he started to give me licks. Rodger was my new best friend and he came to sleep in our room easily, he even let me give him a stroke.

Dong Hoi – 6th June

Captain Caveman and I were back to Mr Bull’s Bo Ne breakfast on Thursday 6th June, his with coffee and mine with lots of iced green tea. Back ‘home’ there was a little bit of progress with the dogs; Terror had stopped growling at us every time we went in to ‘his’ (Jack’s) room and I almost got a lead on Rodger who still had not had a poo.
For lunch we needed more food for the dogs so we went to Saigon Deli to eat where we had the same as we always do, pork, veg and rice. The dogs got their usual of pork, quails egg and rice and the total amount came to 266,000VND (£8.30). On the way back I wanted to call at An Nong which is an organic fruit and veg shop. As we approached I got a bit of a spasm in my stomach and needed the toilet, urgently. I waited outside, Captain Caveman took far too long, in my mind, to grab 800g of mangosteen for 95,000VND (£2.97), our favourite fruit.
We made it back in time and I spent rather too long in the downstairs bathroom before retiring to the AC of the bedroom to rest. When I was back to some semblance of normality, Captain Caveman and I unfortunately got involved in some Oxalis related issues. One was that I’d spotted one of the sales team had posted on Facebook to say there was a rare spare space on an upcoming Son Doong tour. Accidentally using the Google translated word ‘Dangerous’ to describe it. I told Captain Caveman so that he could let the girl know to change it but it seemed the original Vietnamese word was something like ‘rare’ or ‘scarce’ and the translation just didn’t match correctly.
I was about to go back upstairs to the AC and for a lay down when Captain Caveman got an email from work. His supervisors were in the UK but needed to know if he could cover a Son Doong trip starting tomorrow. They didn’t have anyone else to cover it due to an issue/delay with permission sign off for the safety specialist and they needed to know straight away. The briefing was in Phong Nha in an hour’s time so someone could do that for him as he wouldn’t make it in time (how thoughtful). I was absolutely fuming and did not want him to do it. He had agreed to look after Stu’s house and dogs for another 4 days so it meant I would have to continue alone and without transport or any help. Captain Caveman told me the money would come in handy and that he didn’t have any choice as there was no one else available so he was going to reply with agreement to do it. I stormed off upstairs to pack stuff so that he could take some of my stuff back with him in the morning. He wouldn’t return to Dong Hoi so I didn’t want to be carrying all my stuff back by myself, once Stu and the boys returned. I suggested we have a video call with Stu, once he had finished packing and going to buy stuff for the dogs and me for while he was gone. I also decided to point out that I thought it a bit rich that he had been told he was no longer needed after this year but yet the company still didn’t seem to be able to provide cover without asking him.

It took me a while to calm down and reflect on the situation. I’d felt annoyed with Captain Caveman for his seeming inability to say no to doing a last minute Son Doong tour. However, on reflection, I knew he was doing it to help out his co-workers. A lot of his colleagues would be relying on him and that was probably his motivation to agree to it. I went back downstairs to apologise for having a strop and we had a hug. Both of us were a bit sad about the situation but had accepted it and we had prepared for me to take over the house and dog sitting – I would be fine.
The phone rang, it was one of his supervisors to say they didn’t need him now!!!! I had to walk in to another room and bite my tongue!
We got ready, walked Terror, but not Rodger, and went out to Oregano again for dinner. We shared a gorgeous Caesar salad, Spag Bol and a salami pizza. It was so good that we ordered a second pizza to take home. We were both relieved that Captain Caveman didn’t have to work tomorrow and when we got back Rodger seemed to be a bit more friendly towards me – or was he just hoping for a piece of pizza!?