Dalyan – 29th to 31st October

We had a nice relaxing day on Sunday 29th October. Captain Caveman got his bicycle wheel fixed for 135 lira (£3.96) which he was pleased about. We shared a sausage roll and a cheese & onion roll each for breakfast and both agreed they were lovely. For lunch I had cheese spread and bread but I decided to make a vegetable curry in the slow cooker for dinner. While I was chopping the veg, Captain Caveman got a call from our friend Caroline. We know her from Phong Nha, in Vietnam, she lives in Hoi An now and is Australian but had been in Greece for the last month. Caroline had made loose plans to see us in Rhodes but they never materialised so she would like to come and visit us in Dalyan…. tomorrow! Her flight would land in Dalaman airport at 3pm so it was all systems go to make up the spare bed and get the house clean for our friend’s arrival.
We had the veggie curry with steamed rice which was delicious and, of course, we had some spare. We had a few grapes after and wondered how long a visit to Dalyan Caroline was planning.

I worked from 8am until 5pm on Monday 30th October and this would be my last week of working 16 hours. I’d already done some extra from last week so it meant I’d definitely be finished by Tuesday. I had Yorkshire tea and buttered wholemeal toast for breakfast. Captain Caveman went dogging, he likes to walk the dogs at the dog shelter so sometimes he goes up there to help out. He was back for lunch so we had leftover cauliflower mac and cheese.
As we knew Caroline was arriving this afternoon, we asked the taxi to take her to Lukka bar, where Captain Caveman would go to meet her. I would finish working and then join them.
As I was getting changed to go meet Caroline and Captain Caveman, I saw a post on Facebook reporting a dog that had turned up at someone’s house in Dalyan. It looked similar to Debbie (Darling)’s Brinny but had a different collar on. I messaged Debbie (Darling) who said it was Brinny’s sister, owned by a Turkish man.
I also had a message from Kelly, back in the UK, the girls were hoping to be able to book their holiday to Rhodes for next September and had a few questions. It was a long way off but I hoped I’d be able to join them for a holiday.
I met Caroline and Captain Caveman at Lukka bar, she looked well and was dressed for winter despite the warm weather in Dalyan. We had a beer together and she told us a bit about her trip to Greece and Sweden. We couldn’t sit about as we had a night out to get to so it was back home for curry before heading out to Sofra bar. The Bengisu Boys were playing a gig and they are great musicians so it turned in to a good night. By 10pm both Captain Caveman and I were on the Sofra ‘dancefloor’ giving it what-for! Caroline was too cool for dancing with the ‘olds’ but was testing out the drink menu and being acquainted with our friends.
VLS arrived and I did a karaoke song with her. It was awful and I could see that Şükrü would never let me put in another request! By 11.30pm Brinny’s sister, the escaped dog, had found us and was keeping us company. The walk home, at just gone midnight, involved several stray dogs escorting us home and Caroline tried not to get attached, as she loves dogs.

On Tuesday 31st October Captain Caveman went off to Bridge so that I could work in peace, leaving Caroline with me. I had plans at lunch time to go over to Jamie’s as I was looking after his cute little dogs, Norman and Edna, for a few days. It turned out I’d got confused about the amount of hours I needed to work this week as my boss only wanted me to do 8 per week with immediate affect as from last week, so I’d already worked them. It was going to be incredibly tight for money for the next couple of months so it’s a good job we don’t do Christmas presents or celebrate Christmas out here, in Turkey.
I left Caroline to her own devices following a discussion about the use of psilocybin mushrooms for trauma. I packed a bag and headed over to Jamie’s, taking my lunch with me.
Around 1.15pm I was just getting a nice feta cheese salad ready to eat when Captain Caveman arrived at Jamie’s. He was meant to have been going back home to see Caroline for lunch but shared my salad. I sent him over to look after our guest with instructions to keep in touch while I looked after Norman and Edna. I didn’t see or hear from Captain Caveman or Caroline again that evening so I had a lovely quiet one with a leftover chicken and veggie curry. I obviously stayed over at Jamie’s and the pooches wanted to come upstairs to bed with me. I told them they had to sleep in their own bed downstairs and gave them a kiss. I didn’t have any alcohol, it was Fat Club tomorrow and I was only on 273 syns for the week. The Fat Club meeting tomorrow had a taster session that we all had to take something for so I’d brought over my ingredients to make something in the morning.

Phong Nha to Saigon – 24th June

It was suddenly time to leave Phong Nha, on Saturday 24th June I’d woken up at the Glass House for the last time this year. Our flight from Dong Hoi to Saigon wasn’t until 5.40pm but I still needed to finish packing. Captain Caveman gave me a suitcase to use and I put as much stuff in as I could. We cycled to Oxalis as Captain Caveman needed to go to the office to do a couple of things and confirm our car to the airport which would come about 3.15pm. We both needed haircuts and had not had time to book them in, fortunately Captain Caveman had made appointments for both of us from 9.30am this morning. I went first, while Captain Caveman did work related things then he followed. I was the only customer as it was so early but it was going to be a hot day in Phong Nha. Nghien, our hairdresser, is affectionately called Onion by the foreigners in Phong Nha due to them not being able to say the Vietnamese pronunciation when they first got here. She’s a good hairdresser but speaks very little English so the men get a shave and short back and sides, while the women get the same haircut that Nghien herself has.
I didn’t bother with a colour this time as we were in a rush but I did have a wash, head massage (which was amazing), cut and blow dry for just 100,000vnd (£3.30), a quarter of the price I pay in Dalyan and almost a tenth of the price in England.
Captain Caveman went next and had the usual full works while I cycled home to finish packing.

I felt bad that there were still friends in Phong Nha who I’d not had chance to see but now there was no more time left, 30 day visas just weren’t enough. I’d been away for 6 weeks in total and it had gone so fast with still lots of things to do and see not having made it.
By midday I was packed and we were having left over pizza for lunch. We still had not drunk the red wine or the champagne we bought in Thailand so Captain Caveman decided we would take the fizz with us.
We were booked in at the Common Inn for 3 nights, a hotel we often stay at and really like the location of. It was too busy for us to stay any longer so Captain Caveman found us somewhere else to stay for the rest of the holiday. At 2pm we cycled to the nearest beer place, on the corner next to the Volley Ball court, on the way to the Jungle Boss homestay. We had farewell beers, at only 15,000vnd (50p) each, with Buu and Kat before I had to go back to get a shower before the car came.

Unfortunately, the car was late but finally, we were on our way to Dong Hoi airport, about 50km away from Phong Nha. Check-in was swift, we got seats sat together at the back of the plane and we could board at 5pm. Beers were an outrageous 40,000vnd (£1.32) at the airport so I didn’t bother, I’d taken some water. Captain Caveman had a couple of beers with 2 of his customers and I had some biscuits from the small shop. As I was paying the 65,000vnd (£2.15) for them, the cashier started hitting her colleague with them so I had to snatch them off her and tell her not to do that – broken biscuits anyone!? By 5.40pm we were on our way to Saigon, bye for now Phong Nha.

When we landed at Ho Chi Minh airport, Captain Caveman was reunited with 3 of his guests from the last Son Doong tour and I took a group photo while we waited for my luggage.
The ‘no drama’ taxi to District 2 (Thao Dien) was 252,000vnd (£8.32) and, of course, we were both quite peckish by the time we arrived. ‘When in Rome’ we decided Baba’s Kitchen would be a great idea and got there before it closed to have an amazing Indian meal.
They had Sapporo beer on draft so we both had a couple of pints of that, we shared poppadoms and samosas for starters but then Captain Caveman had Chicken 65 and and a Masala Dosa (both with lots of chillies in), I had a chicken tikka roll. The food was great and I really enjoyed our first meal in Saigon.
Here’s what we paid for our delicious Indian meal;
2 plain poppadoms Free
2 spicy poppadoms 50,000
Chicken Samosa 85,000
Chicken 65 150,000
Masala Dosa 175,000
Chicken Tikka roll 135,000
4 Sapporo 240,000
Vat 83,500
Total spent 918,500vnd (£30.31)

It wasn’t the cheapest meal I’d had in Vietnam but it was certainly good value for money and we both love Baba’s Kitchen. We walked back to the hotel as it wasn’t far and we were both a bit tired from a full day. The place we had chosen to stay is an old favourite and at only 750,000vnd (£24.75) per night for a double room in Thao Dien it was perfect for us.
Tomorrow we had an extremely busy day planned so it was good to get some rest at the Common Inn.

Phong Nha – 23rd June

I’d finished my working hours for the week on Friday 23rd June and Captain Caveman was due back later today. I had Camembert and peanuts for breakfast (healthy A & B on Slimming World) and had a bit of a tidy up for when Captain Caveman returned. I also had started to pack for my departure back to Europe but I was going to need a suitcase. As I didn’t know when I would be back, or if I’d even get to stay for more than 30 days at a time, I decided I would take as much back to Turkey as I could. It was also at the back of my mind that it made sense not to leave things I would want, back in a country I was hardly in, should there be any reason I couldn’t fly back. I threw out a lot of clothes too, realising that I really didn’t have that many nice things that fit me any more. Before Captain Caveman had left for Son Doong we had loosely planned that it would be a good idea to have a few days in Saigon before my flight on Thursday. Captain Caveman came home and had a couple of hours before he was off to the gala dinner, he also needed to go to the cash machine in town as I had no money left whatsoever.
We went to The Villa’s so that we could have a (very) late lunch and Captain Caveman had to call at Oxalis for some work related business, which meant he didn’t have time to go to the ATM but could pay by bank transfer. We both ordered pizza and I ate just 4 slices and boxed the rest up for tomorrow. I was meant to be meeting the Wiringi’s, Andrew, Kat, Chung and Tatas to go for food and drink in town somewhere this evening, but as the afternoon went on it was apparent that a lot of them were busy. Captain Caveman had booked flights to Saigon for tomorrow night and so this was my last night in Phong Nha, even though I wasn’t leaving Vietnam for another 6 days. He had time off so it would be good to get away from the heat for a bit by heading south! Internal flights are quick and cheap and the cost was definitely less than £50 including my luggage! Captain Caveman got picked up for his gala dinner and Kat joined me at The Villa’s for dinner. I managed to polish off 4 glasses of white wine and a spaghetti bolognese before Captain Caveman got back. Kat had a Caeser salad and a hot chocolate. When Captain Caveman returned, we shared a bottle of red wine and tried to suss out what time tomorrow I needed to have packed by!
The bottle of wine and my spaghetti bolognese came to 590,000vnd (£19.47) as decent wine isn’t cheap in Vietnam. After saying bye to Kat, with big hugs and hoping to be able to see her and Buu tomorrow before I left for Saigon, we cycled home in the dark for the last time. I went to sleep that night for the last time at the Glass House in Phong Nha.

Phong Nha -22nd June

I was back at Victory Road Villas again on Thursday 22nd June having the same as yesterday for breakfast; pho ga, fresh coconut and jasmine tea. It was delicious and easily my favourite breakfast – I would miss it when I left Vietnam. I had just 1 week left until my visa expired and I would be flying out of Saigon airport, heading for Rhodes!
At 6am it was less than 30°C, by 8.30am it was hotting up but I really seemed to be finally getting a little more accustomed to it.
I had a fruit salad with muesli and sugar free yoghurt before cycling home in 37°C, almost unfazed!

Here’s my bill from The Villa’s for my breakfast and lunch;

Jasmine tea 30,000
Fresh coconut 50,000
Pho Ga 75,000
Fruit, muesli, yoghurt 95,000
Total cost 250,000vnd (£8.25)

I worked from home in the afternoon but then got ready for my night out with several friends. I decided to wear Carol’s white dress again (no one noticed the pocket last time) and I popped Steve’s sunglasses in to my bag as I was off for sunset at the Phong Nha Farmstay. Bich, the owner, had booked me a taxi, for 200,000vnd (£6.60) each way, to pick me up at 5pm from the Glass House, I then picked up Kat from her house and Tatas from her’s. We’d all wore dresses so we looked nice and we were excited for sundowner cocktails at the Farmstay. This was my first visit this year so it was nice to be back and see everyone, including the lovely staff.
Melissa and her family were there and it was great to see them again, the last time had been in Hoi An over a year ago. Bich came to join us and I got to briefly see Michael and Howie, Ben (their dad) was back in Australia. Andrew, Trang and a couple of extra kids were there to say hello and Hawk was visiting from Hoi An too. It was great to see everyone while drinking our 2 for 1 cocktails but I did feel like I couldn’t give everyone my full attention. I didn’t know it at the time but this was probably the last time I would see most of these friends this year.
Gin and tonics were 50,000vnd (£1.65) for 2, my rum and coke was a little more at 65,000vnd (£2.15) so we had a few before going on to the wine.
I ordered my favourite dish, the beef in bamboo, Tatas had a chicken salad and Kat chose the sausage sandwich and chips. Kat had a carrot cake for dessert and I had a spoon of it, Tatas had a chocolate brownie with ice cream which I resisted. Even though I’d put some weight back on, my new clothes still fit fine and I wanted it to stay that way.

For those wondering, here was our bill at the Phong Nha Farmstay with the prices in Dong;

4 X 2 for 1 G&T 200,000
2 X 2 for 1 R&C 130,000
Sausage sandwich 145,000
Chicken salad 120,000
Beef in Bamboo 210,000
Carrot cake 70,000
Brownie 120,000
1 bottle house wine 400,000
2 bottles (not house) wine 1,040,000
Total bill including service + tax/vat came to 2,812,425vnd (£92.81).

We didn’t leave until gone midnight, it had been a brilliant evening which would actually turn out to have been my leaving party!

Photo credit – some photos by Tatas

Phong Nha – 21st June

Wednesday 21st June should’ve been a weigh day but we have no scales in Phong Nha. I did do my measurements and found the results not to be too bad;
Bust no change,
Waist +2cm,
Hips no change,
Right Thigh +0.5cm,
Right Calf -1cm,
Left Thigh +1cm,
Left Calf no change.
My thighs now measured the same as each other but my calves had a 1cm difference. I watched the sun rise from the bedroom window, watched some cookery show on Netlfix then got ready for a day away from the heat of the Glass House. I was more used to the hot room now but it was still unpleasant once the sun heated up the roof.
I decided to cycle to Victory Road Villas to work there and had pho, fresh coconut and jasmine tea for breakfast.
For lunch I had the chicken, lettuce and bacon sandwich with french fries which was very tasty and filling. This meant I wouldn’t need any dinner so, when I finished work around 8.30pm, I just had an apple and some peanuts.
I’d spent 400,000vnd (£13.20) and I’d not used the pool as I didn’t have time. This holiday I had not been swimming very much at all and I did miss having a pool. I had an early night because tomorrow I had plans to meet up with friends and go out out! The Wiringi’s, our New Zealand friends, were back in Phong Nha for a visit and they were staying at the Phong Nha Farmstay.

Phong Nha – 20th June

On Tuesday 20th June Captain Caveman was off back in to the cave for the last time while I was in Vietnam. We were obviously up before the Casio watch alarm and I was replying to a message from my sister just after. I had booked us all in to a music bingo night at Lukka bar in Dalyan for when we were all there next month.
We went to Oxalis Home but didn’t have any breakfast as Captain Caveman often just has a coffee. I went to see Captain Caveman off from Ho Khanh’s homestay and say hello to a few of the Oxalis team, including Yen who is due her third child in 4 months time. Captain Caveman left, I went back to the Glass House and had a cereal bar and yoghurt for breakfast. I got on with some work and had a cheese spread sandwich for lunch. Tonight there was another meet up of the Lazy Ladies Club (LLC), I finished work at 4.45pm so that I could have a shower and get ready. Unfortunately the bread at lunch, which is sweet, hadn’t agreed with me and I had a bad stomach!

Chung met me at Bamboo Cafe (now called Bamboo Chopsticks Restaurant) as she’d cycled to work today and was already in town. Kat also joined us and had to walk because her caver boyfriend, Buu, had accidentally taken the motorbike keys with him and wasn’t back from work yet. We were now the current CWAGs (Cavers Wives and Girlfriends) and had lots in common where our other halves were concerned.
I still had a bad stomach and spent the first 10 minutes in the toilet at Bamboo and then just ordered water to drink to take my imodium with. Chung ordered fresh pork and prawn spring rolls, Kat ordered the veggie volcanoes and I had sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice. The food was great and I managed to enjoy the dinner. Buu arrived with the keys and Kat had to leave for an appointment before 7.30pm. What should have been a Lazy Lady Club healthy Tuesday evening should probably have come to a close then, but it didn’t!

I was about ready to call it a night and cycle home, when Chung suggested we go for one drink at Central Backpackers Hostel. At 7.30pm we cycled there, narrowly missing an overtaking bus and parked up in the busy car park. The first thing I noticed was that there were no fans and it was very hot and humid! Could I survive a drink in this place? We went to the bar and Chung ordered in Vietnamese for her drink and I couldn’t decide which healthy drink to go for. I asked for fresh coconut which they didn’t have so I ordered a Huda beer! Chung laughed as she had a soft drink and I was already on the booze. As we went to sit down outside, where it was just as hot as anywhere else and had mozzies, we noticed there were a lot of tourists here. Then we spotted it; it was Cocktail Night and happy hour was 8.30-9.30pm with buy one get one free. We waited until 8.30pm then tried the I Love You and a Mojito. It was a bargain at 70,000vnd (£2.31) per cocktail anyway and then we got a free one! So it was 8.36pm and we had 2 cocktails each and they were really good! The I love You was like a White Russian and the Mojito had enough alcohol in it!

By 9.01pm Chung had bought us another I Love You and a Pina Colada each, by this point the bar staff had started to give us plastic cups. By 9.15pm I was back at the bar, taking photos of the staff, Chung’s friends, and at 9.18pm I came back with a Cosmopolitan and a Blue Ocean each and we’d still not spent 500,000vnd, the equivalent of £16.50!
We proceeded to drink through our triple parked cocktails after happy hour finished and were grateful we weren’t there on a Wednesday, for Bucket night. It’s worth mentioning we thought we were fine for cycling home, just a little merry I would say. The chef thought differently and decided to accompany us home, even stopping at Chung’s work to pick up a bag and riding her motorbike super slowly at the side of us. At one point it was too slow for me and I needed a pee so I overtook her and zoomed off on Bluey. I waited once I got to the Glass House to say bye and thanks for a great night and then realised the chef had to ride back to where she lived. No doubt, while our Cavers were away, we’d be the talk of the town as it was after 11pm!
When I got in I was peckish and ate an entire bag of marshmallows which I didn’t remember doing, Chung got in and cooked a whole meal as she was starving!
I lay in bed thinking it was genius to name the best cocktail ‘I Love You’ so that the bartenders were constantly hearing this!

Chung can recommend the cocktails!

Phong Nha – 18th & 19th June

I’d intended to work on Sunday 18th June but Chung, fellow member of the Lazy Ladies Club (LLC) had invited me for an early lunch. Phong Nha Vegan restaurant was having their monthly all you can eat buffet for 49,000vnd (£1.62) and I’d never been in town on the right day before.
I met Chung there at 10.30am and it was already pretty busy. In fact, there were so many familiar faces there and I got to say hello to quite a few friends and neighbours.The vegan food was amazing and I was so surprised at how the fake pork was like belly pork. I had 2 lots of food but then was stuffed.

In the afternoon, Chung and I discussed a plan to get ourselves doing some exercise, she was doing a clean up litter picking mission but I couldn’t make it. We decided we would cycle out for drinks and dinner later tonight and arranged to meet outside the glass house at 8.15pm.
We cycled down the street to Jungle Boss pub where we had a couple of cocktails and some food.
Here’s our bill;
1 Tequila Sunrise 100,000
1 Margarita 100,000
Fresh spring rolls 60,000
Veggie fried rice 75,000
2 apple ciders 110,000
1 pineapple cider 55,000
Total spent 500,000vnd (£16.50)

While we were there, we got to speak to an ex Jungle Boss Colleague who was in Australia and then Kat, Buu and their friends came to join us. We had a good night and the locals were surprised to see Chung riding a bicycle. As we rode off, Kat and Buu went past on their motorbike chanting LLC. It was a fun night and I enjoyed my leisurely Sunday with Phong Nha friends.

I started my week with a cereal bar and a sugar free yoghurt for breakfast on Monday 19th June. For lunch I had my leftover rice from last night and I worked in the afternoon.
Captain Caveman came back from Hang Son Doong but was rushing about as he had to speak to a colleague, meet up with a couple of friends from up North, and go to his briefing. Our friend Lucie and her family were leaving to go back to the Czech Republic so we said we would go to have a goodbye beer with her at The Villa’s. I cycled to Oxalis to meet Captain Caveman, who was saying hello to his friend, Josh, and his fellow cavers. We arranged to meet them later if Captain Caveman’s briefing finished in time for a late dinner. After hurrying to The Villas we sat and had beers with Lucie, her mom and son. They were sad to be leaving but hoped to be coming back to holiday in Vietnam soon.
I had a couple of shandies with Captain Caveman as we both had work to do and we said a sad goodbye to Lucie – perhaps we will see them in Prague.
I was peckish so had some veggie spring rolls and a jasmine tea before getting the bill. Four beers, 1 7Up and the spring rolls came to 300,000vnd (£9.90) which was cheap by both UK and Turkey prices.
I finished work at 7.45pm after learning something new and cycled to meet Captain Caveman, we both cycled to meet Josh and his friends at Ganesh.
We had a lovely evening and the food was as fantastic as always, we even shared another Sagwala but I forgot to take photos as I was too busy chatting.
We were still awake at midnight looking at air fryers, they were much cheaper here than in Turkey.

Phong Nha – 16th & 17th June

Captain Caveman was off in to the cave on Friday 16th June and he would be doing 2 tours back to back over the next 8 days. I was looking forward to some quieter, less active days. In 2 weeks time I would be arriving in Rhodes to stay at Steve and Michelle’s house in Lardos.
Captain Caveman and I ate left over pizza, from The Villa’s, for breakfast and then I saw him off from Ho Khanh’s homestay. I worked 10am to 7.15pm but with a couple of gaps for breaks. I ate cheese, biscuits, fruit, yoghurt and peanuts and after work I had a cheeky can of Huda beer from the fridge then watched Netflix. It felt cooler or was it because I was acclimatising after cycling in sun the last 3 days!?

For a change of scenery on Saturday 17th June, I chose to work from Victory Road Villas. I sat in the AC room of The Villa’s restaurant at the back and decided to go off piste on my breakfast order. I thought I’d try the recommendation from Captain Caveman of Bo Ne (without eggs) which was a little on the pricier side to my usual breakfast. When it came, it was different to what I imagined it to be; instead of sausage it had pâté, which I don’t like and the dish was in lots of tomato sauce, served with cucumber, which I don’t eat either. The bread was also sweet so I didn’t eat it all but I enjoyed the little hone made cookie served with my pot of Jasmine tea.
I worked from 10.15am to 1.15pm then ordered an orange juice and some fresh spring rolls with prawns in. Lunch was very tasty and I washed it down with another pot of tea and got back to work.
I finished around 4.15pm as I had planned to meet Lucie, who had returned from the new Jungle Boss tour. I had a soda, a lime juice and some peanuts while I waited for Lucie to get ready.
Her son, and Lucie’s mom also joined us and we all ate together, we should have ordered a bottle of wine as I had 3 by the glass. The Showstopper pizza was as good as always and we had a lovely evening.

Here’s my bill at The Villa’s restaurant for the whole day;

Bo Ne 170,000
2 pots of jasmine tea 100,000
Fresh orange 60,000
Soda water 25,000
Lime juice 30,000
Fresh prawn spring rolls 100,000
Peanuts 35,000
Showstopper pizza 240,000
3 glasses of wine 270,000
Total 1,030,000vnd
Discount of 206,000vnd
Total spent 824,000vnd (£27.19)

I cycled home and slept very well that night, having the bed to myself.

Phong Nha – 15th June

‘Once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern’ is one of those quotes you read on a friend’s Facebook status. On Thursday 15th June I thought of this quote when I foolishly ended up on another outing I’d not properly planned for!
Captain Caveman had to be at work at 6pm for his Oxalis briefing so we had a last free day to have more Phong Nha fun.
It was before 8am when I suggested that Captain Caveman and I go for a walk to the hidden lake and take a picnic, the forecast looked like it might be a bit cooler. I knew the way but, as we didn’t have a cooler bag, Captain Caveman suggested doing the walk then coming back to eat food and perhaps opening the champagne we bought at Chiang Mai airport. We got ready for a walk, the sun was shining but there were still some clouds.
When we got downstairs, Bluey was there and I couldn’t walk too well so I suggested it would be quicker to cycle, especially as there is no shade whatsoever at the hidden lake. Of course we cycled the long way round and Captain Caveman seemed unsure of whether I would get us lost but I remembered the way. It was scenic, steamy hot and further than I’d remembered, plus Bluey seemed sluggish after the last 2 days of exertion.

Just as we had finished admiring the view and I set off back, Captain Caveman decided to cycle round the lake. It’s fenced off on the far side so I tried to call him back. He was having none of it and carried on, I couldn’t stand the heat and cycled towards the ‘road to nowhere’ hoping for shade. There was none and I was getting a bit moany! When Captain Caveman caught me up I was hangry so we called at the Winmart for some extra provisions and we planned to cycle back for a picnic brunch on the bed.
Here’s what we bought;

4 oranges 17,077
4 sugar free yoghurts 25,600
6 apples 151,585

Total spent 194,262vnd (£6.41)
I was that hot that I didn’t realise how expensive those apples were – more than the last lot I bought.

I got a bit crotchety and needed a break so we stopped for a coconut at a roadside cafe by the river. It took me less than 30 seconds to polish it off and the cute dog came to check on me.
Back home we enjoyed our picnic and a rest in the AC but we didn’t bother with the fizz as I was too dehydrated once again. I had double Oresol and did an hour of work while Captain Caveman packed for his tour tomorrow. He left at 5pm to go to Oxalis and I worked for a few hours.

At 8pm I met him and Tatas at The Villa’s restaurant where he and I had pizza and we all had red wine.
We cycled home and I was actually looking forward to working from home tomorrow, I told Bluey she could have a well earned rest. We had cycled another 10km or more today so over 60km in 3 days – that was a first for me!

Photo credit – some photos by Captain Caveman

Phong Nha – 14th June

A question I often get asked is ‘Don’t you ever learn?’ Judging by my actions on Wednesday 14th June, I think it is fair to say that I don’t . Captain Caveman and I were up early to find that the weather was cloudy and the forecast predicted thunderstorms. I think I may have been over ambitious but I suggested another outing, it was Captain Caveman’s last full day off and I wanted us to make the most of it.
I quickly took my measurements after my shower and was surprised that I didn’t ache much from my cycling 23km yesterday. I measured everything and here are the results;
Bust -1cm,
Waist -1cm,
Hips +1cm.
I suggested we should visit the Pub with Cold Beer as the owner had been following all my updates on Facebook since I left Vietnam, she’s a lovely woman and I’d missed her family and their place. Captain Caveman offered to drive the motorbike and, looking back, I should have agreed. I said we should cycle because Bluey would miss me when I’m back in Dalyan and it was cloudy. I drank rehydration tablets for my breakfast to keep from having any issues as I’d been getting a bit of cramp.
As soon as we got out of the door I had to put on my sun hat as the sun came out! We pretty much did the same route as yesterday but I managed to cycle all the way to the Duck Stop without a break. When we got there Quynh, the owner, gave us a free drink and peanuts – I looked like a beetroot and was beginning to wish we’d gone by motorbike.

Captain Caveman hates it when I moan, in fact he says I complain a lot, so I had no choice but to soldier on. Even Bluey was having trouble and I had to push her up the hill from the Duck Stop until I could get back on for the downhill bit.
I arrived at the Pub with Cold Beer in blazing sun, another drippy mess, any sun cream I’d had on had definitely sweated off. Nhat and her daughters were so pleased to see us, they got Captain Caveman a cold beer and me a water straight away. We decided to order chicken, pork, rice and morning glory because we hoped our friends, Chung and Uy, would join us. While Nhat killed a chicken and I rested in a hammock, Captain Caveman cycled up to the Wild Boar Farm to see Cuong. I couldn’t manage any more and was regretting cycling 13km away from home, not knowing if I’d be able to make it back.

Uy and Chung couldn’t make lunch but we arranged to meet tonight for dinner as it was their 6 year wedding anniversary.
For lunch we had an absolute feast, including 2 bowls of the famous peanut sauce which we both love so much. Captain Caveman said it was only 10 minutes more to cycle to the Wild Boar Farm and wanted me to go after lunch but I decided another 10 minutes in the opposite direction would be foolish. Instead, I suggested we have a swim, seeing as there is a lovely swimming pool at the Pub with Cold Beer. I went to the toilet and, as I flushed, a frog jumped up from the bowl, I’d peed on it’s head and it wasn’t thrilled. I shouted Captain Caveman over to bring a camera as this wasn’t the first time I’d been startled by a frog in my toilet, in fact it was the third! (Once, while camping in India and the other while on Safari in Kenya).
When it got to 3pm we decided we had better start making our way back, we had really enjoyed our time and food at the Pub with Cold Beer. We said our goodbyes and Captain Caveman and Bluey had already decided we would go the other way back, over a narrow, grid floor, suspension bridge which I was scared to cross. At first, Bluey was going to ride us across but I had to get off and push because I was having a panic on.

We cycled back through the valley and some of it was shaded which I was grateful for, some of it was steep and I had to push Bluey uphill. We soon ran out of water and I knew I wouldn’t make it back to Phong Nha in one go so Captain Caveman pushed Bluey for a bit and suggested a slight detour. Half an hour later, we were sat in Multi and Diem’s kitchen at the Pepper House being offered rice wine. I declined and had loads of much needed water while Captain Caveman had rice wine and beer (he’s an animal)! There were kids’ swimming lessons going on in the pool and I’m sure they were laughing at my red sweaty face.
We finally left Multi’s to cycle home but I was a little tender on the undercarriage. Captain Caveman could tell I might not make it home so he suggested we cycle past where we used to live in Khuong Ha and stop off at a new place, he even got another video of me and Bluey.

Captain Caveman’s video of me and Bluey, in Khuong Ha

Phong Nha Funky Beach is a new venture owned by our friend, Mo (ex Oxalis colleague) and the previous owner of Greenfield Homestay. We arrived and sat overlooking the river on one of the platform style seating areas. It wasn’t particularly comfy for my achy legs but Mo was pleased to see us and was with another colleague of Captain Caveman’s, Nu, so they joined us. We had a cold beer, Mo brought us some vegan spring rolls and Nu gave us some vegan Banh Ep. Both were lovely but I was a bit distracted as it was already gone 5pm, it goes dark around 6pm and I hadn’t brought any lights. We said our goodbyes after a brief overview of the various activities that can be done there and set back off.

Our next stop was a quick nip in to Jungle Boss HQ, the boss was still not around to say hello to, but it was a good place for me to stop off to rest and use the toilet.
We were due to meet Chung and Uy at 7pm but I was a sweaty mess and needed to go home for a shower. I’d drank all of the water we had between us so we had to stop for a coconut at Tree House Cafe on the way back home. I had a shower, then a naked lay on the bed in AC before rushing to get ready to go back out for dinner.

Captain Caveman and I met Chung at the Bia Hoi BBQ duck place, next door to Victory Road Villas. Uy was still on his was so we ordered the Bia Hoi beer which was about 60,000vnd (£1.98) for a small keg. Chung ordered food without Uy as it got to 8pm and he still wasn’t there yet but he arrived, a bit merry! It certainly was one of the more unusual anniversary celebrations I’d been on and turned out not to be much better than our own last year!
Uy just drank and smoked but didn’t eat and another keg of cheap weak beer was consumed, mainly by the fellas. By the end of the meal, which tasted fantastic by the way, Uy was telling Chung she needed to do more exercise because she was fat. Luckily, the events of the last 2 days meant that Captain Caveman couldn’t possibly say the same about me today. Somehow, the birth of the LLC came out right there and then as Chung and I pledged to cycle together as the 2 founder members of the Lazy Ladies Club.
The BBQ duck, veggies, noodles and beers came to a total of 400,000vnd (£13.20) which was a bargain.

We said our goodbyes and then instead of going home ourselves we had a sneaky bottle of red wine (also 400,000vnd) in The Villas to finish off our night. It was a good job, so that I could stop moaning that my bits were on fire from the 28km I’d managed to cycle on Bluey today on a very hot day! That was 3km more than yesterday, the furthest I cycled since before my injury and we did it in the height of summer. On the way home, I spotted a snake in the Stick or Snake game and it was alive in the Dead or Alive game, so I shouted to Captain Caveman behind me to stop so he could take a photo. It was heading back to the river after a spot of sunbathing and was slithering across the road, it was beautiful.
I was glad to get in bed that night and at least we could have an easy, restful, quiet non-cycling day tomorrow, couldn’t we!?

Photo credit – some photos are by

Phong Nha – 13th June

The realisation that I had only 17 days left in Vietnam, hit me on Tuesday 13th June. Not all of them would be with Captain Caveman as he had to go back to work and I might even have less than 2 weeks left in Phong Nha. I felt like I needed to make more of an effort to enjoy it before I had to leave! I’m not sure whether it was the heat or just insanity but I started to have some very foolish ideas that I might come to regret. Captain Caveman was quite addicted to playing Bridge on his phone so, in an attempt to do something he would enjoy which did not involve being on his phone, I suggested something outdoorsy! Bluey, my bicycle, loves a trip out (even in the hot sun) and I decided we would cycle over to Greenfield Homestay. In fairness to Captain Caveman, he offered to drive Trigger, the motorbike, but then it would mean he couldn’t have a few beers so I said we would cycle.
It was almost 11am when we got to Coffee Station and I was concerned if I ate anything I would get a dodgy stomach and not make the rest of the journey. Captain Caveman shovelled a bacon, egg and tomato sourdough sandwich down while I had a ginger tea. They used to do a lovely herbal tea but not any more so I sat and worried I’d bitten off more than I could chew with this cycle ride. On our way, we decided to call at Jungle Boss HQ, which was now relocated to Sy’s Homestay. We wanted to say Hi to my old boss, the owner, he was in the jungle so I only got to say hello to the marketing guys.

I managed to just about keep up with Captain Caveman for the rest of the journey but I arrived at Greenfields a sweaty mess. René and his wife gave us a nice welcome and Captain Caveman had a few beers. I got some delicious iced herbal tea and a big water then René treated us to some Toblerone. The place looked great and they had installed a big pool since I was last there, not that we went in it – we seem to have a habit of not swimming when there is a pool. After a couple of hours we decided to head off and I had the bright idea of cycling to East Hill for chicken, one of my favourite places in Phong Nha. Of course Captain Caveman knew a shortcut which involved cycling on grass and between buffalo, which I was a stranger to. I got a bit moany as it was a bit too far and hot but I made it in the end.

Captain Caveman ordered the chicken combo and we had a couple of drinks – they sell Strongbow cider and it’s very cheap in Phong Nha so I had those and Captain Caveman had beer. After an hour, there was still no chicken so Captain Caveman went to check, the girl hadn’t put the order through so we had to wait another 45 minutes. This was lucky as it meant we could invite Tatas who came after she finished work. The chicken was as delicious as it always was and worth the wait but then I had to cycle back.

I managed to get as far as The Villas so we stopped off for red wine and peanuts as a reward for cycling so far today. Back at home we were chatting about the route and how whizzy Bluey was. I was saying that I couldn’t believe I had managed to cycle a total of 23km in this heat when Captain Caveman fell asleep on me. I think I was going to hurt tomorrow and it was still over 30°C in the bedroom with AC on after 10pm!

Phong Nha – 12th June

I’d decided to work later in the week, while Captain Caveman had free days, so I wasn’t working on Monday 12th June. By the time I’d got my breakfast I was beginning to wish I was working, as Captain Caveman and I had a row.
He was cheesed off at me for not booking my flight home yet, but I’d not decided on which route to take. He was telling me to do it ‘now’ so I ended up having cold jasmine tea and noodle soup for breakfast while I looked up all the permutations from The Villas. I don’t know why he was in such a mood – I didn’t have to leave for another…oh, 18 days left! Maybe he had a point but I needed to decide whether to go back via Rhodes or Istanbul. I messaged my boss to see if I was needed for any work related meeting up in Rhodes, if I did decide to go that way. The Istanbul route was working out shorter, with less lay over time but was more expensive. Maybe a pit stop in Rhodes on the way back would be a good idea and I could always stock up on some pork.
For the rest of the morning, Captain Caveman was playing Bridge on his phone and being a bit grumpy. I told him I would book the flights as soon as Steve replied and we could go for an Indian at Ganesh tonight, hoping that would cheer him up!
Steve replied, I was going to add on a week in Rhodes on my way back and I booked the flights as below;
Saigon to Doha,
Lay over in Doha for 12.5 hours,
Doha to Frankfurt,
Lay over in Frankfurt for 7.5 hours,
Frankfurt to Rhodes.
I would leave before the sun came up on a Thursday morning and land in Rhodes as the sun went down on a Friday night! It cost £520 for the entire one way journey because it was summer. I would get the ferry from Rhodes to Fethiye after a week at Steve and Michelle’s. I was happy with that and Captain Caveman perked right up. Off we cycled to Ganesh and we had a feast; Captain Caveman even let me share his Paneer Sagwala which I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to. Back home, we started chatting about our plans for tomorrow as we both had a non-working day in Phong Nha. Unfortunately, we didn’t get very far as Captain Caveman had fallen asleep.

Dong Hoi & Phong Nha – 11th June

Bravely, I stepped on the hotel scales on the morning of Sunday 11th June in the Melia Vin Pearl hotel. I had put on 4.3kg since I was in Sapa 18 days ago – that’s almost 9.5lbs if the scales were accurate! My measurements weren’t too good either, with 1cm on my bust and hips and another 3cm increase on my waist.
Captain Caveman and I, undeterred by my weight gain, still went to the all you can eat breakfast in the hotel and had lots of delicious food. Looking out of the hotel window, it looked cloudy outside but it was deceptively hot and sunny, very humid. Captain Caveman and I had a walk to the pharmacy and Winmart to pick up some essentials, I also wanted to buy contraceptive pills as they were increasing in price in Turkey and often unavailable. Unfortunately, the ones I wanted weren’t available at any of the pharmacies near the hotel.
We bought Oresol from the Medicare shop for 17,300vnd (57p) but they don’t do medication, it’s more like a Superdrug type of place.

Here’s what we bought at the supermarket:

1.5l water 9,300
200g peanuts 22,600
100g dried mango 33,600
Pack of 12 toilet rolls 57,000
1 Tupperware tub 65,200
Total spent 187,700vnd (£6.19)

We checked out from a lovely stay at Melia Vin Pearl hotel at midday and asked to leave our bags. Although it was Captain Caveman’s second day of not working he was asked by Oxalis if he could pick up some guests from the train station later. He agreed and we planned to while away the afternoon hours in Dong Hoi. I was also fine with this as it meant we got to visit some new places and a couple of old favourites while there.

Captain Caveman had been recommended by our friend, Phuong (now in Canada), that The Ayatt Coffee cafe in Dong Hoi was a pretty relaxing place to pass a couple of hours. I ordered a pot of rose tea and Captain Caveman had a coffee and a smoothie. It wasn’t cheap but it was rather good and I’d definitely go again.
When a coach party of Vietnamese families with loud kids came in, we left.

Here’s what we paid;
1 black coffee 35,000
1 passion fruit smoothie 40,000
1 pot of rose tea 120,000
Total spent 195,000vnd (£6.44)

I really liked this place, it was close to the physio I spent so many hours at in the past but, as it was a Sunday, Thuy wouldn’t be there to go and visit. It was also a walk, which felt longer in the sun and without a sun hat, to the hospital pharmacies. They did have an alternative contraceptive pill which was double my dose. The engineer in Captain Caveman came in to force when he suggested I buy double the amount but take one every 2 days to counteract the strength. I decided to buy it and they cost 492,000vnd (£16.24) for 6 packets of 21 tablets, which by Captain Caveman’s calculations would last 9 months. In Turkey this would have cost me over £50 but, granted, still cheaper than the cost of a baby at aged 50!

Next, we decided to get a taxi to 7th Heaven restaurant, the driver wasn’t a registered taxi and he looked either drugged or like he’d been crying (maybe both). We got there unscathed and Captain Caveman just gave him the usual amount when he tried to ask for more.
We ordered beers and sweet potato fries to start us off. I love the sweet potatoes in Vietnam, they look like normal potatoes but taste amazing. For main, I thought I’d try to go a little healthier with a chicken breast salad, Captain Caveman had a steak baguette. When mine came it was covered in mayonnaise, I hate mayonnaise so couldn’t touch the salad at all but the Vietnamese love mayo, they even put it on pizzas with sweet chilli sauce! The chicken and roasted garlic was very nice but Captain Caveman enjoyed his lunch more than I did.

Our next stop was Tree Hugger for one of those iced mint and lime drinks which are definitely my new favourite.
At 5.30pm we went back to the hotel to retrieve our bags and wait for the Oxalis pick up car. While we were there, the message came that the train was delayed by 1 hour. The train ended up being 2 and a half hours late so we had to wait at the train station for far too long. Luckily the temperature had dropped to below 30°C and there was a squat toilet to use.
We met the guests who were the very last people off the train and drove to Phong Nha while Captain Caveman did his introductory chat. We dropped them off at Son Doong Bungalow where guests stay before their big cave trip and we got dropped at Oxalis. The car park where our bicycles were, was locked as it was gone 9.30pm so Captain Caveman had to get the security guard to unlock it for us. Bluey, wondering where we’d been, was rather whizzy on the way back to the Glass House. It had been an eventful weekend and I was ready for bed. I’d given up wishing for a lay in and looked forward to one of those back in Turkey next month!

Phong Nha & Dong Hoi – 10th June

Captain Caveman was not scheduled to work for the next 5 days so we had a busy day planned on Saturday 10th June. Of course, a day off would not be a day off without the need to go to Oxalis to sort some work stuff out! While sat by the river, I noticed that our neighbouring apartment in Dalyan was being advertised for renting out, using old photos. It looked like the Russians who’d been there for months were no longer there or were about to move out. It was likely I’d have new neighbours when I got back to Dalyan!
By 9.40am I had ordered myself some breakfast at Oxalis Home and was tucking in to a Bo Ne without the eggs, forgetting I didn’t like the sweet baguettes.

It was Stu’s 50th birthday celebrations in Dong Hoi tonight so we had decided to make a trip of it and stay at the Vin Pearl hotel, another of my favourites. We got the Oxalis staff bus and were dropped off near the town centre where we then had to get a Grab taxi to the hotel. It had changed to now be a Melia hotel and they had made a few changes.
As it was the weekend, the cost of the room including breakfast for the 2 of us was 1,650,646vnd (£54.47) but, given its 5 star like status, that was not a bad price.
They let us check in early, we had a good welcome and a note from the manager, which I always find nice. We decided to go to get some lunch, given that we knew we would be getting on the booze later.
Captain Caveman and I both chose the pork place but it turns out we had different places in our heads. We ended up at the one Captain Caveman and Stu recommended where we ordered 2 pork dishes a lemon juice and a beer for a total of 131,000vnd (£4.32). We also got a free winter melon soup included so that was a bargain but I wasn’t a fan of the soup. My pork, rice and salad was very good though and I’d eat there again if it wasn’t for the 4 staff all being on their phones on full volume, one playing games!

Back at the hotel, we decided to have a bubble bath, the robes that I used to love so much had changed! Gone were the brightly printed ones, that Josh had once attempted to go to breakfast in, and they were replaced by the white thick towelling ones – too hot to wear. There was a knock at the door and I had to leave Captain Caveman in the bath while I answered it, still covered in bubbles, to an embarrassed young staff member. She had brought us a welcome cake and delivered it in to the room while I shouted to Captain Caveman to lower the bathroom blind.
I got dressed, even dried my hair and popped on Carol’s white dress with the marked pocket. We were about to go to an unconventional 50th birthday celebration!

Stu had told us to be at the Ra Khoi bar on the beach at 5.30pm. We arrived late on account of me eating cake in the hotel but we were the first to arrive. There were some shirtless locals in the bar but they were nothing to do with Stu. We got a beer each and sat overlooking the beach until Stu, Max and Jack arrived. When they did, I was clearly overdressed and, not long after, I found I was the only female attendee. It was going to be one of those parties, as the rest of the motley crew of guests arrived and headed on to the beach. Captain Caveman and I agreed a password for emergency evacuation, just in case. We decided the first 2 items on the shopping list, used in tandem, would be the signal for us to leave if it got too lively for us!

Dong Hoi airport is very close by

By the time I’d had 6 of the small Huda beers I was getting peckish so Captain Caveman and I decided to get a taxi back to town for dinner at Tree Hugger. We both had burgers, shared some fries and had a cheeky White Russian, again the diet was clearly on hold. The food was lovely and it wasn’t even 9pm so we took a taxi to rejoin Stu’s 50th birthday celebrations, which had now moved on to his own home. One of the cool dudes from the beach was DJing, it was very hot, I had 1 more beer and danced, mainly by myself. I noticed all the guys were disappearing upstairs but not many were coming back down – it was time to wang out the safe word to Captain Caveman. I’d forgotten the first 2 things on the shopping list but then managed to get ‘Broom Crackers’ out over the music. I was surprised we had lasted until midnight on just 7 beers and a White Russian. We’d had a great time but when the fan had to be used for the decks instead of the makeshift dancefloor I was just too hot to function – I was getting old!

Phong Nha – 9th June

Captain Caveman was due out of the cave on Friday 9th June so I had only scheduled myself to work in the morning. I had a sugar free plain yoghurt with a banana and an apple for my breakfast. I was starting to miss my Yorkshire tea and a nice bit of toast. I put a load of washing in and it would dry here very quickly but I noticed the white dress from Carol (of Dalyan’s Fat Club fame) had a mark on the pocket from where it had rubbed on the metal washing line.
I worked from 8.30am to 3.30pm but with a long break for lunch. I ate my left over Indian food from last night and it was just as delicious. I didn’t need to reheat it as I left it on the bed for a bit to warm up.
My sister got in touch and we spoke of plans for her forthcoming holiday to Dalyan, her and the family would arrive around the same time as me and my eldest niece really wanted to go horseriding. It looked like I might be about to agree to it but only if Gayle was going to do it too.
Captain Caveman was back late afternoon and he had a couple of hours before he was getting picked up for his Gala Dinner.
I arranged to meet Tatas again for more wine and we went to The Villas for dinner.
I had one of my old favourites of confit duck leg on a bed of lentils, Tatas had a pasta dish with extra chillies and (there was a theme forming here) it still wasn’t spicy enough.
It was my turn to buy the wine which was a reasonable 400,000vnd (£13.20) and the duck was 300,000vnd (£9.90). Captain Caveman joined us after he’d finished work, we had another drink, Tatas had a pho and then we cycled home. Tomorrow we had some exciting plans to go to Dong Hoi as Captain Caveman had some days off.