Phong Nha – 18th May

While Captain Caveman toddled off to Dong Hoi at 8am on Saturday 18th May, I’d agreed to meet up with Hoan and Chung. I arrived at Phong Nha Vegan just after 8.30am, there was no electricity and we were told it would be back on by 1pm. Hoan made me a passion fruit juice with soda water. Chung didn’t arrive and later said she wasn’t coming if there was no electricity as her homestay had it. The electric poles were being replaced in sections so not everywhere was out at once. I had one of my favourite dishes, the Bun Tron and lots of water in the 5 hour 15 minutes I managed to endure the heat for there. I agreed to join in on a charity mission tomorrow which involved a sort of vegan soup kitchen.
I also had a bit of a to-do with the pool and garden guy back in Dalyan. My parents had been to check on the state of the complex and found it to be a disgrace so I’d asked him to clean the sunbeds. His response was that he wanted to charge me £80 to use a steam cleaner. I decided I’d get a woman in to clean them, then booked our usual cleaner through the agent – she would give it a good scrub.

Captain Caveman returned from Dong Hoi and I met him at Tree House for lunch. We shared some french fries with salt on as I was definitely dehydrated and I drank lots of water, Captain Caveman had a beer or two. That evening, I was off out with Captain Caveman and we decided to eat at Ganesh, the Indian restaurant, which we both love. Captain Caveman had a chicken madras, I had a chicken tikka masala, we shared saffron rice and a garlic naan bread. We also took full advantage of their wine and here’s what we paid in Dong;

Ganesh
1 saffron rice 49,000
1 Garlic Naan 60,000
1 Chicken Tikka Masal 115,000
1 Chicken Madras 120,000
1 bottle of red wine 270,000
Total paid 614,000VND (£19.03)

The food is really good there, at a reasonable price, and we both enjoyed it. Once back at the Homestay, though, Captain Caveman had a bit of shout at me when I said I’d massage his sore shoulder. By the time I’d cleaned my teeth he was snoring away, fully clothed, on the spare bed, leaving me unable to get to sleep. This was a pain as I’d agreed to help out with the soup kitchen that Phong Nha Vegan was doing tomorrow from 6.30am.

Phong Nha – 17th May

Of course I didn’t get the extra sleep I’d hoped for on Friday 17th May and at 7.30am I was in the Wide Awake Club. I took myself off to nearby Tree House for breakfast. I had a really good fruit salad with yoghurt, nuts and seeds and a pot of green tea, which was ultra strong. My breakfast cost 120,000VND (£3.66) and I really enjoyed it.

Back at the homestay I did a bit of writing and then decided I would try somewhere new for lunch. The Rice House is a fairly new place in Phong Nha, where Underground used to be. One of the owners, Hung, who also owns Karst Villas, was there and I decided to have a fresh coconut and a beef Luk Lak. Captain Caveman was due out of the cave today which meant he’d probably head to the The Villa’s for pizza and I wanted to try to avoid being tempted. Although my lunch came to a total of 180,000VND (£5.50) the quality of the meat was great and it melted in my mouth. I was about to leave when I got a message from Captain Caveman, he was on his way back to Phong Nha.

Captain Caveman had a couple of hours spare before he needed to go to the Gala dinner so we went to Tree House for a pizza, I had one slice to try it and it was good. When the pick up car came, we said farewell and I went to Phong Nha Vegan. It was mega busy with lots of tourists, quite a few of them English so I helped with any questions and recommendations. I accidentally ended up with a vegan curry for dinner, which I’d not tried before. A customer had been trying to order Korean Sushi rolls but had hesitated over the first couple of syllables a couple of times. They got Korean Sushi rolls and curry which I took to the table of the confused customers. As it had been too busy for me to get any dinner yet, I had the curry they didn’t think they had ordered. It was amazing and I’d definitely have it again. After around 3 hours, I went to meet Captain Caveman and his group who were drinking beer at Dangerous Corner. I didn’t have a beer but I did help one of his guests buy a fruit juice at the Thien Duong stall. He looked Vietnamese, the stall holder is Vietnamese but I was the one speaking Vietnamese between the 2, as the customer was American and didn’t speak the lingo. Hung, Chung’s brother-in-law was part of the porter team having a beer too and I got a selfie with him. Back at Phong Nha Homestay, we set the alarm for the morning as Captain Caveman was off to Dong Hoi on the first of his 2 days off, for a medical check.

Phong Nha – 15th May

Wednesday 15th May was weigh day again and I was still trying to keep an eye on my weight and measurements. As Captain Caveman was off back in to the cave today, I hoped I could limit the alcohol syns a bit over the next 4 days. After saying bye to Captain Caveman, I took my measurements as follows;
Bust +1cm,
Waist +2cm,
Hips +1cm.
Having had 3 times the syn allowance in a week it was no surprise that I was over target on waist and hips now.
On my way to Phong Nha Vegan I called in to the pharmacy to buy some medication and use their iffy scales.

Pharmacy
Gofen 400mg ibuprofen 38,800
Total 38,800VND (£1.20)

According to the reading I was 1kg (2.2lb) heavier than last week so now I was 4kg heavier than my target. I still had 6 weeks left in Vietnam so I could hopefully achieve it. Captain Caveman and I were due to be in Sheffield in 9 weeks time too, for the first time in 2.5 years for me. When I arrived at the Vegan, which opens at 10am, everything was locked and no one was about. I messaged Chung and Hoan but neither of them were available and there was no shade.
I went to The Villa’s for breakfast where I had a fresh passion fruit juice, chicken noodle soup with extra lettuce and a pot of Jasmine tea and paid 120,000VND (£3.71).
My next stop was to meet Chung at Phong Nha Vegan for lunch and a chat, as she was now available. After sharing a Banh Xeo (Vietnamese rice flour pancake) with Chung and trying the fresh carrot and orange juice, it was time to cycle back, in the hot sun, to my homestay for a shower and a rest. I called in to the shop and got some treats;

WinMart Supermarket
Chupa Chups jellies 11,300
Peanut M&Ms 12,900
Snickers bar 19,400
Total spent 50,100VND (£1.55)

The new Snickers was a bit different but it wasn’t terrible.
When I arrived back at Phong Nha Vegan around 6pm, Hoan was there but there was no sign of Chung. She eventually arrived with a pizza box from The Villa’s which she had collected for us to share for dinner. Hoan had decided to treat us as a thanks for helping her. There was a vegetarian pizza with a half cheese on and half not – genius, vegan pizza for Hoan and veggie for the rest of us. It was delicious and we also enjoyed some hot herbal tea and some fresh spring rolls for good measure. I left the vegan about 9pm and cycled back to Phong Nha Homestay for a much needed rest. I was looking forward to a chilled out day tomorrow too.

Phong Nha – 14th May

As Captain Caveman was off back in to Son Doong on Tuesday 14th May, we were up early. Our last breakfast at Greenfield Ecostay was had together, Captain Caveman had omelette and I had pineapple pancake. Ngan also gave us mango and dragon fruit to eat and, of course, I had my last Yorkshire tea for a while. I said bye to Captain Caveman and sat by the pool catching up on some writing. On his way in to town he dropped my bag at my next accommodation and messaged to say I could check in from 11am. Around 10.30am I decided to say my farewells and thanks to René and Ngan, it had been one of the best stays we’d had. I’d already written a quick note of the things I would miss most about Greenfield Ecostay;

1. The owners, and their amazing hospitality.
2. Being in such a relaxed and tranquil place.
3. Mina, the extra shy and timid dog.
4. The delicious food that is so well prepared, varied and plentiful.
5. How clean the place is despite it’s closeness to nature.
6. The feeling of being so welcome and relaxed.
7. The swimming pool, probably the cleanest and best in Phong Nha.
8. The attention to detail that the owners and their staff make to ensure the most comfortable stay; from making sure the pool towels are ready to tidying and cleaning.
9. The wine/beers with René of an evening.
10. Being away from any stresses and feeling like we are on holiday in Captain Caveman’s home town.

I arrived in Phong Nha town just before 11am and decided to go to Tree House for an early lunch. I had a bottle of water, a fresh coconut and a cream cheese & salami sandwich for 150,000VND (£4.64). There was rather a lot of salami in the sandwich and the bread was a bit clumpy but I managed it, with the lettuce from the salad too.

At 11.50am I checked in to Phong Nha Homestay, for the second time of my trip. I was given the same room as the last time but this time there was no kettle in the room and 2 less pillows on the bed. I’d found out recently that some Vietnamese people believe that if you have a second pillow in bed you are inviting the dead ancestors to come to sleep with you!
I chilled out in the room for a bit and the weather forecast predicted rain that never came so it was hot and humid. I had fruitcake and cheese for lunch which was nice but a bit rich. More news came from Turkey which meant that if I wanted to go for long-term residency, it would be a few more years yet as I no longer qualified. The pool pump and filter had been fixed which we all had to pay our share of and would have been cheaper if we’d had it done last year.

I spent about 2 hours at Phong Nha Vegan in the evening and I had the fake pork with rice, vegetables and tempura Oyster mushrooms. It was delicious and I cycled back to the homestay for a much needed early night. Tomorrow was weigh day again and I knew it wasn’t going to be a good result, I’d had 331 syns this week, 130 of which were on alcohol. I needed to get back on plan while Captain Caveman was away and I was back to being on a strict budget.

Phong Nha – 13th May

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!

The rain was welcome

Phong Nha – 10th May

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.

***Photo credit – some by Captain Caveman***

Bich with the baby

Phong Nha – 9th May

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.

Phong Nha – 8th May

At breakfast on Wednesday 8th May, Captain Caveman asked René if we could stay until the 14th so we had another 6 days of staying at Greenfield Ecostay. I was very happy about this as the place is beautiful with everything we need. The only downside is that it’s is so far away from Phong Nha Vegan and I’m not insured to ride a motorbike. Fortunately, René and Ngan could fit us in and we could keep the same room.
As it was yet another weigh day, I took my measurements expecting to have put on weight, due to us being on holiday and eating such lovely food every day. My bust was still the same but I’d put 1cm on my waist and 2cm on my hips. Nevertheless, I was still under and on target for bust and hips with only 1cm over my waist target so I was happy with that. While Captain Caveman stayed at Greenfield playing Bridge, I cycled the 8km in to town in the heat. I decided to call at the new Pharmacy in town and get on the scales. I had lost 1kg (2lb) so that was good news, if the scales were correct. I also tried to buy Cerazette pills as I now didn’t have enough to last me until the end of June but the pharmacy didn’t have any. Here’s what I did buy and the prices in Dong;

Pharmacy
1 pack antihistamines 2,000
2 packs Himalayan salt sweets 13,000
Total paid 15,000VND (46p)

The antihistamines I got were the drowsy ones, which they warned me about, but I find they are good as well as cheap.
My next stop was the Vegan where I met My Linh for the all you can eat buffet. It was so busy and we had to share a table inside. The food was incredible, as always, and for 49,000VND (£1.50) it is an absolute bargain. The buffets are only held on the lunar full and half moon dates, or thereabouts, but I try my best to attend so I can try any of the new dishes too.
My Linh invited me to her homestay afterwards so I went to Green River Cosy Homestay 2, just around the corner from Phong Nha Vegan. She wanted advice about some changes at her already popular homestay which mainly caters for backpackers in dorm rooms. The place was nice and I sat and chatted for quite some time. I also saw the place next door called Cherish Homestay which is owned by a family member of her’s.

It got quite hot in the afternoon so I went to The Villa’s for a pot of tea instead of cycling back to Greenfield. I stayed there most of the afternoon and ended up having a Margherita pizza which was great. While I was sat having a peaceful afternoon, a Scottish woman came in, ordered a drink and proceeded to watch Baby Reindeer on her phone at a very loud volume. What is wrong with people!? I moved outside as far away as I could get and enjoyed chilling on a sun lounger until it was time to leave. Here’s the prices from the menu, in Dong;

The Villa’s
1 soda water 25,000
1 pot of tea 50,000
1 Margherita pizza 150,000
Total 225,000VND (£6.91)

I cycled back to Phong Nha Vegan, Captain Caveman and Tatas arrived and had food together. Tatas had a passion fruit juice and some fresh spring rolls, then ordered extra chillies. Captain Caveman ordered a mango & coconut smoothie with a vegetable tempura and also asked for fresh chillies to go with it. I didn’t eat anything with them as I had already had the pizza earlier. As I was chatting with the staff, Tatas and Captain Caveman left before me and I met up with Captain Caveman at The Villa’s around 9.30pm for a quick cold drink; 1 Coke was 25,000VND (77p) and 1 Huda beer was 35,000 (£1.08). Manu, the manager, invited us to have a drink with him but as Captain Caveman was driving we said to do it another time. Phong Nha was no longer like the old days where we would be drinking until late, most places close by 10pm and locals were in bed very early. I left Bluey at The Villa’s and got a lift back with Captain Caveman, I’d have to come get her tomorrow.

Photo credit – some taken by Captain Caveman

Phong Nha – 6th May

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!

Phong Nha – 5th May

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.

Phong Nha – 29th April

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.

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.

Phong Nha – 28th April

Captain Caveman was due back out of Son Doong on Sunday 28th April so, after a bit of a tidy up in the new room, I headed out for the day. I’d slept with my head at the other end of the bed as there was a giant moth fluttering about near the window where the pillows had been. I’d affectionately called him Motthew and was happier with him than spiders, cockroaches or cicadas despite still being a bit scared. I went to The Villa’s and had a Pho Ga and a litre of water and they gave me hot water and milk for my Yorkshire tea bag. I spent some time there catching up on some writing and had french toast with bacon for lunch/second breakfast. It turned out to be the hottest day on record so far and I was certainly not in any fit state to be cycling very far. Captain Caveman was back by 3pm and came to join me about half past. He had his usual classic pizza with olives instead of mushrooms and I didn’t have a piece because I was being good.
While Captain Caveman went to his gala dinner I went to offer some very sweaty company to the girls at Phong Nha Vegan. They fed me the Mi Xao Gion which is a crispy vegetable ramen dish and was really tasty. I genuinely was loving the food at the Vegan and was finding my stomach enjoyed it even more.
After the Vegan, Captain Caveman and I met back up at The Villa’s for a quick drink before it closed, then cycled back for our last night at Highway 20. I introduced Captain Caveman to Motthew and he had to get rid of a cockroach in the bathroom, this time a black one and a bit smaller. We were also looking forward to another holiday within a holiday, a staycation, as Captain Caveman had quite a few days off from tomorrow.

Phong Nha – 27th April

At 8.45am on Saturday 27th April I was asked to move rooms at Highway 20 to accommodate a large group of Vietnamese who were coming for the Reunification weekend. Of course I was happy to move, especially as I had a second cockroach in the bathroom last night plus Jeff had brought a friend who had been even nearer to the toilet. Nga’s husband, Quan, had to go remove it as I was too scared. Nga said to leave my stuff and she would move everything for me, except for the bugs. I had arranged to meet Hoan and Chung at the river side coffee place, closest to The Villa’s. When I arrived, it was after 9am and I parked Bluey in the shade as it was already looking to be a very hot day. Lan and Minh Thuy (from The Villas) were also there and were having some drinks. I ordered a fresh coconut as I was only on 59 syns so far this week so I didn’t mind using 5 more. By 10.15am Hoan, Chung and I were back at Phong Nha Vegan and I was invited to join the staff lunch. They had papaya salad, winter melon and braised eggplant with chillies so the chef had made me a Bun Tron without chillies. It was very nice and I really enjoyed it but I knew I’d be hungry again later as the dish is very light.
As it was getting rather hot, Chung gave me a lift on her motorbike to pick up laundry from Oxalis. I paid 120,000VND (£3.69) and Chung gave me a lift to drop it off at Highway 20, where I picked up the key to the new room, then went back to the Vegan.
Later, I intended to cycle home but it was so hot and I didn’t have any suncream on, so I called in to The Villa’s. I had a mango smoothie, 1 litre of water, 1 pot of Jasmine tea and a vegetarian pizza for 260,000VND (£8). I took half of the pizza home with me as it was quite large. It was my 3rd consecutive day of no meat and no alcohol as I was determined to get back on the Slimming World plan this week.
That evening I was at the Vegan from 6pm to 9pm and it was busy again. As I was leaving though, I was given a kilogram of mangosteen as they know they are mine and Captain Caveman’s favourite fruit. I ate the rest of the veggie pizza for dinner and saved the mangosteen as Captain Caveman was due out of the cave tomorrow.

Phong Nha – 25th & 26th April

Captain Caveman was off back in to the big cave on Thursday 25th April so he gave me some cash to last me the next 4 days. He gave me 3 million dong (£92.17) for emergency money and 1 million (£30.72) for me to spend. I already had 120,000VND (£3.69) so I added that into the funds and worked out a budget of 280,000VND (£8.82) per day, in Captain Caveman’s absence. We both cycled to Oxalis where he had a coffee and I just had water, and there we said goodbye.
I then decided I would do some writing at The Villa’s and have breakfast and lunch there. Here’s what I had and the prices, in Dong;
1 pot jasmine tea 50,000
1 french toast with banana 90,000
1 soda water 25,000
1 mushroom pasta 150,000
Total 315,000VND (£9.72)

I had a quick phonecall with Caroline who was hoping to come to Phong Nha to visit next month. As I was eating lunch, 4 young British lads came in to escape the midday sun, one of whom was shirtless. Brits abroad get everywhere and the staff were so embarrassed as it is not polite at all to be half naked in Vietnam, unless you’re at the beach or swimming.
I went to Phong Nha Vegan around 6pm where the chef fed me a Banh Canh which is a vegan soup with thicker rice noodles and lots of vegetables. It was delicious and very filling.
At 8.30pm, I cycled Bluey home, a hot mess, to quickly take a shower before a video call with my parents. Today had been hot but the forecast for tomorrow was looking to reach 40°C, with less than 50% humidity. It was a good job the homestay had good Aircon.
While I was there I also paid some of the money I owed to the agent looking after Captain Caveman’s apartment for the balcony work and transferred some of the money, he’d sent to me, in to my Turkish account.

I was playing catch up on my blog writing on Friday 26th April, being away and having visitors had left me a little behind. In the morning, after catching up, I watched the rest of Baby Reindeer, which I’d enjoyed despite the disturbing content. After an incident with a cockroach in the bathroom, I decided to cycle down to The Villa’s for a fruit salad which comes with yoghurt and granola, for a late breakfast. I had a lemon juice without sugar and some fried spring rolls for lunch then a cup of tea. My bill came to 170,000VND (£5.22) which was reasonable and the AC was very welcomed.
Some bad news came from Turkey which, if true, was going to be a pain for me; residency renewals from 1st May were only going to be given to people who rent (like me) for 6 months. It would still cost the same as a year or two which were previously available. This meant that I would be spending more and having to be in Turkey to apply twice per year. They had also stopped any new residency applications for people who rent a property.
Phong Nha Vegan was so hot and very busy, there was a cooler which was set at 35°C to try to keep us less sweaty but it had reached 40°C and I was begging for mercy. My phone was overheating and stopped working so there were no photos either. After helping with some English translation from 6pm to 9.30pm without stopping for a minute, I was done. I didn’t have any food that night just a piece of corn on the cob and some herbal tea. This weekend was a Vietnamese holiday so I didn’t expect tomorrow to be less busy but maybe more Vietnamese in town.

Phong Nha – 23rd & 24th April

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.