Dalyan – 20th to 22nd August

I woke up in an absolute panic on Tuesday 20th August, having had one of the worst and extremely vivid dreams. Captain Caveman was due back from his holiday with Andrea in Cambodia and I had dreamt that he had become a heroin addict and was in a really bad way. I felt really out of sorts and couldn’t even eat any breakfast – maybe it was triggered by the fact that I hadn’t spoken to him for a few days and was just worried he was ok.
After a few hours work, I decided to take myself to the shops, here’s what I bought and the prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Mung beans 22.95
1 fig Quark 24.95
1 pineapple Quark 24.95
Spring onions 26.95
Red lentils 33.95
2 plain Quark 47.90
Total spent 179.65 (£4.18)

Şok Supermarket
Wholemeal loaf 44.95
250g Butter 72.00
562g chicken breast 98.63
578g chicken thighs 132.36
Total spent 347.94 lira (£8.09)

I returned home and had a cheese sandwich for lunch before getting back to work. After I finished, I was really tired so decided to have a little nap. Unfortunately, I had another bad dream where I lost both of my legs in an accident. I was screaming, which woke me up to find I had my legs wrapped up tightly in a bed sheet! For dinner I ate some curry which I had batch cooked and it was certainly better with chickpeas, instead of beans. Tomorrow was weigh day but it was not looking good for weight loss!

Wednesday 21st August was another weigh day and Fat Club, which I was not looking forward to those scales of Carol’s. I’d had over 300 syns this week, a third of them on Sunday! I did my measurements and had put 1cm on my bust and waist, while my hips had stayed the same. My parents don’t have any scales at their apartment so I had to wait until 3pm for the weight results. For breakfast I ate overnight oats with peach and some grapes. I worked all morning and at lunch I made a tasty chicken noodle soup, with bean sprouts.
The weigh in at Fat Club was not as bad as I’d anticipated – I had only put on 0.2kg (0.4lb). I ordered a 1.5l bottle of water for 50 lira (£1.62) and drank as much as I could as the fancy new app told me my water levels were low. Oh, how I missed the free tap water of Sheffield! The app also told me that I had the body of a 61 year old and I was most perturbed! Especially when the ladies around me rated much lower on that aspect of the stats.
After Fat Club, I called in to the supermarket for more essentials, here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket

1 plastic bag 0.25
Pasta 10.75
Egg noodles 14.97
Cheese spread 29.50
Wraps 54.95
Mushrooms 67.95
3 plain Quark 71.85
572g of chicken 102.93
Total spent 353.15 lira (£8.12).

Another couple of hours of working was squeezed in before I made some chicken and veg stir-fry which I had in a wrap for dinner. At 7.30pm I met a friend at the Kefal tea gardens where I paid just 105 lira (£2.44) for 2 teas, a diet coke and a lemon soda – a bargain. I’d had a message from another friend to ask if I fancied the Yellow boat trip tomorrow but, as I had very limited funds, I decided to say no. I didn’t want to be tempted to overspend, especially as I could soon apply for my residency renewal appointment and I wasn’t sure what I would need to pay out. I’d asked my go-to residency contact about updating my passport number before applying, as the law dictates that a change of passport number must be updated at the nearest Government office (mine was in Fethiye), within 20 days of returning to Turkey. This meant that I had until the end of the month to do this, but I was advised not to bother and do it all at once when doing the residency appointment. He also suggested that I needn’t apply for an appointment until the end of September as the appointments were coming through very quickly these days. The advice from the authorities is the earlier the better in case there are any implications or changes to the requirements but it did mean that Captain Caveman would be back for if I needed any further evidence or signatures from him.

I decided that in the interests of saving money, I was going to have a zero spend day on Thursday 22nd August. Captain Caveman was back in the cave for 4 days, some of my friends were on the Yellow boat and I had a day of work to get through. I had a cup of Yorkshire tea and wholemeal toast with cheese spread on for breakfast.
At lunch time, I settled for something quick and convenient with cheese on cream crackers, 2 plums, some grapes and a pineapple flavoured Quark.
In the evening, I finished work and ate a chicken casserole that had been tempting my taste buds with its smell all afternoon. It was a Slimming World friendly recipe and was delicious – I was so grateful that Mom had a slow cooker I could use.

Dalyan & Köyceğiz – 19th August

I scheduled myself to start work later on Monday 19th August, mainly as I thought I may have needed a lay in after the 60th birthday for Debbie (Darling), yesterday. I also was meeting a friend at 9am in Jiks to go suss out the accommodation at the aparthotel her friends run. I had a look around and was really surprised at the ground floor studio apartment that I was offered. It would be £40 per night and had 1 bedroom with AC, a bathroom, and a living room/kitchen with a decent dining table for me to work at. The plug sockets were conveniently placed (which is more difficult than you’d expect here) and there was free WiFi and access to the hotel’s pool. They even agreed that Captain Caveman would be able to pay for it with a foreign bank card. I was extremely happy I had somewhere in mind that could accommodate me if and when I needed it. Of course, friends had also offered but I needed to be prepared for all eventualities.
Back home, I ate buttered toast, a peach and some grapes for breakfast, followed by a Yorkshire tea. I worked for the rest of the morning, only stopping to shovel some mushroom pasta down me. I finished working at 2.15pm and quickly got ready. I noticed I seemed to have a load of cash in my bag so I popped over to Jamie and Drew’s to work out what had happened. We cleared up that Drew had misheard the amount for the pizza and given me more than he should’ve so I returned what was right. I apologised for drinking too much – evidently I can’t keep up with the fellas. I said farewell and rushed off for my first boat trip of August. I was going on a Moonlight Ladies Only boat trip with Captain Fuat on Adil Boat. The price of the trip was £30 or whatever the going rate is in Turkish lira (currently 43) and included dinner.

We met the boat outside Saki restaurant, ready for off at 4pm. Onboard were a great bunch of 12 ladies and we sailed over to Köyceğiz, with it being market day. I had a little walk with 2 of the ladies to the plant pot shop as they wanted to look at some tat. The off-licence where Kate and I often buy cheap fizz had now been converted in to a completely different building so we walked to Carrefour where I bought the following;

2 tins of chopped tomatoes 38.00
2 bottles of Prosecco 799.80
Total spent: 837.80 lira (£19.48)
The tomatoes were half the price of those in Dalyan too!!

The Captain fed us grapes, courgette fritters and hot chips before the evening meal. There were swim stops at sunset and stargazing after a delicious dinner. To cater for all the different dietary requirements, the Captain made a vegetable noodle soup which I really liked. For main course the Captain had cooked a selection of mainly vegetarian dishes and just one dish with chicken in for the meat eaters. There was rice and salad to accompany the gorgeous food. Even the skipper had now been promoted to chief photographer and was doing an excellent job.
I managed to polish off 3 rosé wines as well as some fizz and the whole trip cost me just 1,800 lira (£41.86) which included a tip! We were back before midnight and I had thoroughly enjoyed my evening out with lovely company.

Photo credit – various photos taken by others on the boat

Dalyan – 17th August

While Captain Caveman went on holiday to Cambodia, I had a very busy day on Saturday 17th August. I had arranged to meet Michelle who had been growing her own bean sprouts and had loads to give away. We met at the market and I was really chuffed with them, I also did my market shopping and bought the following, prices in lira;

Stall 1
Potatoes
Onions
Courgettes
Peaches
Plums
Total spent 95 lira (£2.21)

Stall 2
Apples & Grapes 60 lira (£1.40)

Stall 3
Red and Green peppers 15 lira (35p)

Stall 4
Garlic 20.00 lira (47p)

I also called in to the supermarket and a bakery on the way back to my parents’ place. Here’s what I bought with the prices in lira, which was now 43 to the pound;

Şevikoğlu Supermarket
500ml Water 7.00
Sensodyne toothpaste & brush 49.90
Chickpeas 54.90
Total Paid 111.80 lira (£2.60)

Bakery
1 fresh loaf 10.00
1 Simit 15.00
Total spent 25.00 lira (58p)

I was grateful for how cheap the food shopping was compared to the UK prices, especially on fruit and veg, and I had managed to get most things off my list and avoid eating a gözleme (Turkish pancake) which were now priced at 80 lira (£1.83) upwards, depending on fillings. The toothpaste was a handy bargain too.
Back home I made a curry, this time with the chickpeas, chicken and sweet potatoes in the slow cooker and got back to work.
In the afternoon, I had arranged to meet a friend at the tea gardens for a hot beverage and a natter.
I’d read some Facebook posts about the tea gardens getting pricier but I was pleasantly surprised and here’s what we paid for the drinks we had, prices in Lira;

Kefal Tea Gardens Café
1 water 10.00
3 Turkish teas 30.00
1 Coke Zero 50.00
Total spent 90.00 lira (£2.09)

It was always good to catch up after being away for 5 weeks and I mentioned that I had read some good reviews for a new restaurant, La Befana, which used to be My Arancia at Doğa Hotel – they moved to where M-Eatery used to be! Jamie and Drew had also been recently and had recommended it. We decided to try it and were met with a nice welcome from the owner. My friend and I sat on the roof terrace and ordered the special which was either a fish or chicken dish with appetisers and beer included. We decided to do one of each and would share, I don’t normally eat fish but it was really good and I was impressed with the prices and the service.
It was just 450 lira (£10.47) for half of 2 beers, 2 mezes, bread, 1 sea bream with chips and salad, and 1 chicken breast with chips and salad – we couldn’t fault it. We enjoyed the view and saw some sights walking past, some women were walking through the street in just bikinis and, although it was warm, it didn’t warrant that at 6.30pm!
After the meal, we popped over to the corner shop to check out snorkelling masks, only around £15 so about the same as back in the UK but saved taking up room in the luggage. I’d had a lovely Saturday and had spent less than £20, around the same as I had spent in Kent last Saturday but this included my weekly shop!

Dalyan – 13th & 14th August

By 9.30am on Tuesday 13th August I was in the supermarket getting some essentials, having been to the bank to deposit more cash. Here’s what I bought with the prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
3 onions 4.48
Fresh bread 10.00
Pasta 10.75
Milk 28.25
Chickpeas/beans 31.90
Tinned Tomatoes 40.95
Carrots 49.67
Cheese spread 54.00
400g Mushrooms 59.95
Total spent 289.95 lira (£6.77)

Having read some Facebook posts about how expensive everything was in Turkey now, I was pleasantly surprised to have got a bag of shopping for less than £7 and was definitely not seeing a massive increase, yet. For breakfast I had some fresh bread with cheese spread and a cup of Yorkshire tea and then for lunch I had a cheese sandwich without butter. I was going to put a wash on as I realised Ma & Pa had a washing basket of stuff that could do with putting in the machine and I had quite a bit to do too. I popped to the A101 shop and bought 1.5kg of washing powder which was on offer at 62.75 lira (£1.47) which was pretty cheap. I spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and washing, then I popped round to Jamie’s to pick up my cases. I met the nephews who were very polite young men as well as having a quick catch up with Jamie and Drew. Of course, I got to have some love with the dogs, Norman and Edna, who seemed happy to see me and Edna wanted to know if I’d got any wine!
Back home I made a simple mushroom and tomato pasta, using a bit of pasta water and a cheese spread triangle for the sauce. It was Fat Club weigh in tomorrow, after several weeks in England, and I knew it was going to be bad so I ate some cheese and crackers before bed. My total syns for the week were 393 so I really needed to get back to the Slimming World plan in an effort to shift some of the weight I had so clearly put back on.

At 8.30am on Wednesday 14th August I was at the bank putting in the rest of the lira required in my Turkish bank account to maintain my residency. It had taken a bit of effort but I’d managed and had a little bit at the ready for next month. By 9am I was in the supermarket again getting more shopping now that I’d had time to plan a bit, for what I would need. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Potatoes 5.58
Red cabbage 27.53
2 tomato puree 31.90
1 tin chopped tomatoes 40.95
Sweet potatoes 41.86
2 Quark 59.90
Chicken thighs 121.97
Chicken breasts 148.54
Spray olive oil 149.90
Total spent 628.13 lira (£14.68)

There was a definite increase in the price of meat and Quark since I’d last been here but it was still very cheap in comparison to the UK. I called round to see Sonuç, of Dalyan Airport Transfers, to pay him for my taxi which was £30 but I gave him 1300 lira.
Back home, I did my measurements to find I had lost 3cm from my bust, my waist had stayed the same and I had put 2cm on my hips. I had Yorkshire tea and some chocolate for breakfast, which wasn’t ideal, then cracked on with some work. Today marked 2 months of working for this employer which meant it would be pay day tomorrow. It would be given to Captain Caveman, so I still didn’t physically have it and I had to be ultra-careful with money until he arrived in October.
At 3pm, I was at Fat Club to face Carol’s new scales and a funky new app that tells you lots of information about your body. I had put on 1.6kg (3.5lbs) in the last week but 4kg (9lbs) since I was last at Fat Club 6 weeks ago. I had a small water which now cost 25 lira (58p) and a good natter with the girls who were all looking fabulous and had lost more weight while I had been in England.
After Fat Club, and feeling motivated to get back on the wagon, at least until the weekend, I called in to the supermarket again for some fruit. Here’s what I got, prices in lira;

Migros Supermarket
Plums 20.55
Nectarines 32.07
Curry powder 39.95
Oats 47.95
Frozen berries 99.95
Total spent 240.47 lira (£5.62)

For my very late lunch I had more mushroom pasta followed by nectarines with Quark then got back to work, but not before throwing a few ingredients in to the slow cooker for a chicken casserole.
After work, I ate some crackers and cheese spread while I waited for the casserole to be finished for dinner. Captain Caveman called, he was on holiday from the caves and had a trip to Cambodia planned. Instead of a glass of wine, I had a cup of Yorkshire tea, unpacked my Clinique moisturiser and had an early night.

Otford – 5th & 6th August

Monday 5th August at Claire’s was really nice, I had tea and toast for breakfast and gave Reg, the dog, some attention. All the kids were away now and Mark had gone to work so Reg was finding the house rather quiet. Both Claire and I had work so she took to her desk in the office and I used the dining table. I called Herdy back about my broken Herdy bag and the nice person asked me to email photos and organised a new one to be sent to Claire’s address this week. I offered to post the old bag back but they were happy with just photos and didn’t want me faffing around. I was very impressed with their customer service so can highly recommend them if you happen to be in the Lake District any time soon.
At lunchtime Claire and I broke off from work for a quick trip to Sainsbury’s. I needed an adapter plug for my Turkish laptop to charge it up and Claire had found a pack of 3 for £11.99, they didn’t do just one. For lunch Claire made us a rather lovely chicken caesar salad and we had strawberries, blueberries and raspberries afterward. I was being good until tea break when I had a cup of Yorkshire tea and 4 biscuits. I was already on over 350 syns for this week with a couple of days to go to weigh day so I was not doing too well.
After work, we walked Reg and I saw how pretty the village of Otford was, then Mark and Claire cooked an absolute feast of a BBQ and we sat in the garden with a cider or 2. I had chicken legs, vegetables and rice and it was so tasty. In the evening we lounged, chatted and ate some chocolate.

Claire had very kindly booked me in for a class on Tuesday 6th August, first thing in the morning. She regularly does a class in the nearby park and had invited me along. Claire’s also training to run another marathon so, as you can imagine, the class was way beyond my (lack of) fitness capabilities. There was a beep test and floor exercises and running – quite frankly, it nearly killed me for about 45 minutes. I also ruined any good work I had done by having a sausage sandwich with my cup of tea for breakfast as soon as we got home. Even in the shower my legs were like jelly and I knew I was going to ache tomorrow. I did a couple of hours work before Captain Cavemen called, he was doing his next Oxalis briefing in a few hours. For lunch Claire and I had chicken, cheese and sweetcorn pittas followed by a chocolate rice cake and another cup of tea. More work was done before getting ready for an evening out in Bromley – it had been a while since I’d last visited. Upstairs I found a new friend in Dave, the cat, who had been napping on my bed after I had left the bedroom door open. He did not want to move so I left him there while Claire and I nipped off to the cinema.
Bromley did not look like it had changed too much and we managed to get parked on a side street and find a supermarket to get our cinema snacks from. Tesco definitely had a better choice of Meal Deal items and I treated us both to ‘dinner’ for just £6.80 as Claire had paid for the tickets to see Longlegs.
I opted for a Katsu chicken wrap, a Naked Blue Machine smoothie and a Wall’s pork sausage roll while Claire chose a spicy bean wrap, a protein bar and a chocolate milkshake. I’d been reading tips from a money saving expert about how never to buy water or crisps on the meal deal as you’re not getting the best value. It was an absolute bargain as the non-deal price was £13.30. We had really good seats which reclined and were super comfy. The film, starring Nicholas Cage as a nutter, was pretty scary and jumpy. I’d say worth a watch but don’t have a blueberry smoothie open at the scary bits! We didn’t have any popcorn but we did take a packet of Minstrels in from Claire’s and ate a few but were full from our lovely meal deals. I had finished the week on 450 syns and was quite glad that I would not be going near Carol’s Fat Club scales tomorrow. I was intending to face them the following week, though.

Sheffield – 2nd August

I got up really early on Friday 2nd August so that I could do some work before Mom got up, as she had kindly offered to take me shopping to Aldi before I left. I’d had to amend my shopping list as I didn’t want to be struggling to carry everything. At one point there was a suggestion from me that the wine bucket in my hand luggage was perhaps over ambitious but I feared that if it didn’t go this time, it would be at the charity shop or tip very soon. We didn’t stop out long as I needed to be out in the afternoon because I was having some leaving drinks in Sheffield later. There is a new Aldi near my parents’ house so we went there and I was very impressed. Here’s what I bought, prices in pounds;

Aldi Supermarket
1 packet mix £0.36
Cream Crackers £0.49
Garam Masala powder £0.75
Sandwich bags £1.15
2 packs of vegetable stock cubes £1.30
Antihistamine tablets (2 packs) £1.58
Marmite £2.99
Yorkshire Teabags £5.49
Total spent £14.11

On the way back, I was going to pop in to say bye to my sister, brother-in-law and nieces as they were off on holiday this weekend, but Gayle was at the gym. Instead, we went back home and I had a cheese sandwich and some pickled onions for lunch.
That afternoon, I caught the bus in to town and wandered via the bank to put in the £50 I had been told I needed to do to close my bank account. Unfortunately, the guy at the counter told me I was mistaken and that the charges had all been removed and left the balance with £2 something in. I made him print it out and check 3 times because I didn’t actually believe him. The print out showed it was no longer in a negative balance so I asked to close it. Unfortunately, the man at the counter couldn’t do that as Jeff does that job but only works Monday to Wednesday. I was fuming and left, knowing another charge would be on it later in the month of £13 which would make me overdrawn again! I was told to come back Monday but I knew I would be in London so made a note to find a branch down south to try again.

I’d arranged to meet friends at The Grapes where they still operate an old style boozer; the bar staff chat pleasantries, add up in their head, top your drink up and let you pay by cash – marvellous. Becca and Steve, who make my face ache from laughing so much, were already there, Steve got me a cider and we went to the beer garden at the back. Before long we weren’t absolutely howling with hysterics as I confused Steve about anything to do with my itinerary. They had just moved house so none of us were familiar with bus routes round that area and weren’t sure of the last bus back. They don’t use cash much so I gave them some and they transferred to my Wise account to make it easier. Next to arrive was Holly, who I knew from when she worked at Easy Tiger in Phong Nha, Vietnam, and had recently moved to Mosborough – what a freaky coincidence and good to see her again. Paul & Natalie arrived and they were shocked at the no card rule so I got the drinks in and they could get the next one in my second venue choice.

We met Louisa, Linda, Martin, Adam, Kerrie, Paul, Nikola and Tom at Fagan’s as I thought it would be a good place to go before our curry. It was so good to see everyone and I didn’t even realise that some of the crowd from the old Aviva times, I hadn’t met up with for almost 10 years! We even established that I’d known Natalie’s Paul the longest and I was a bit gutted that I couldn’t see even more people while I was back but it was the school holidays and people were already busy with other plans. I needed to appreciate more that it’s not all about me, sometimes!

The time went so quickly that I almost felt bad that I had booked a table for a curry at Butler’s Balti for 8pm. Everyone was invited but most people were only able to come for drinks. I didn’t know if it might be my last proper Indian meal for a while. I said my goodbyes but not without some amazing photos in front of The Snog – a Pete McKee picture with Frank & Joy and one of my favourites. It was only right that Kerrie should take the photos as she has a connection to Pete.

At Butler’s there were Louisa, Linda, Martin, Adam and later Rachel joined us, after getting the kids to bed. The meal turned out to be quite pricey but delicious and I did have a bit left over for tomorrow. We had 2 poppadoms each and a pickle tray, I had veggie samosas to start, a chicken tikka masala for main, shared some rice, a garlic naan and I had a glass of the bottle of red wine. We nearly got another bottle when it didn’t stretch to 8 glasses but I still had to get the last bus home so was happy with the one. We were quite a walk from Pond Street bus station and I was bound to need a wee. As I was due to leave, the usual shenanigans of it not being enough money to cover the bill occurred and it took a lot of faffing about. I put £32 in which should have covered the tip as well but it didn’t and Rach ended up putting £15 in for a chicken pakora starter and a pint of lager. After saying final farewells and legging it for the bus with Rach, we reached Norfolk Street out of breath and desperate for a pee. We decided we would have a swift half and a pee in the Brown Bear, while I called Mom to tell her I had missed the last bus and might only be able to get as far as Birley or Halfway and to not lock me out of the gate if they went to bed. The Brown Bear was now a Digital Detox Pub with a strongly upheld No Swearing Policy! FFS! I couldn’t believe it and I got told off for using my phone! With a water bottle full of cider we headed for a bus, dodging the Spice heads on route. I made it to the bus station unscathed as I looked like a mental person carrying a bottle of piss! I finally got home, phone on silent so had not noticed Louisa checking I was home! What a great Sheffield send off and tomorrow would sadly be time to say bye to my parents.

Sheffield – 23rd & 24th July

While Captain Caveman had gone back in to his next Son Doong cave tour on Tuesday 23rd July, I did a morning of work.
I had Shreddies and a cup of tea for breakfast and cracked on until just before lunch time. My Mom had kindly offered to take me to Crystal Peaks so that we could do a bit of shopping.
We called at the Charity shop for me to drop off a load of old CDs which I was getting rid of from the loft stuff. When we got there, one of the boxes was of my own photos – it was a good job it was spotted and I put them back in the boot.
Our first stop was Asda supermarket where I bought the following;
2 packs of Ibuprofen 0.78
Pickled onions 1.00
Crisps 1.35
Midget Gems 1.35
Posh crisps 1.50
Dairy Milk 1.75
Birthday card 2.28
4 packet mix sauces 3.05
2 blocks of cheese 5.50
Sleeveless play suit 10.00
Total spent £28.56

I would have bought more clothes there but there were no changing rooms and I put most of the stuff I’d picked up, back on the shelves.
Next, we drove to the Crystal Peaks shopping centre and had some lunch. Mom chose MacDonald’s for the quickest and I paid as a treat, seeing as my parents had been feeding me and putting me up for almost a week now. I’d also dropped the bombshell that I was planning to stay another 2 weeks too.
I was surprised that it wasn’t more expensive to be honest as it was only £12.78 for a chicken sandwich meal and a Big Mac meal. I was able to order at the counter and also was successful in getting Mom’s meal without mayonnaise. My diet was already screwed and I actually enjoyed my meal which had hot chips.
With full bellies, we went to look at clothes in Sainsbury’s where Mom and I picked up loads of bargains. Again, there were no longer any changing rooms so Mom and I decided to try stuff on over our clothes on the homewares aisle so that we could look in the mirrors. This was a great idea until halfway through our activity, lots of customers suddenly needed the mirrors and book sections of the store! Mom and I couldn’t stop laughing. Here’s what I bought at Sainsbury’s, prices in £;

Single cream 0.99
400g strawberries 2.00
1 vest top 3.00
Socks 3.50
1 mouse (for laptop) 5.99
Printed long sleeve play suit 6.00
Blondie T-shirt 9.80
2 bottles of Prosecco 13.50
Total spent £44.28

I was pleased with my purchases and even had some size 12 items which actually fitted. The next shops were to look for a birthday gift for my niece’s 18th birthday and I had a bit of an idea. On the way, mom and I found a 2025 diary in the market for £1 and bought one each. I took my G-Shock watch to the jewellers to see if they could fix it and the nice young man in F. Hinds said they would have a look. I bought a couple of trinkets in Card Factory for £3.49 and then found a useful gift for April. I decided an Air Tag with matching key ring so that she can connect it to her keys and track with her phone. I did keep the receipt in case it wasn’t suitable.
Back home, Dad was out of sorts and moody but I’m guessing it was because we had been out having fun without him. We had invited him but he didn’t want to come and even when Mom cooked a nice dinner he was being a bit odd and wouldn’t speak to us. I did more work in the afternoon while mom chopped the vegetables. Dinner was amazing and we had pork with vegetables – I was on 558 syns for the week, though, so I was definitely going to have put on weight tomorrow.

I got weighed on my parents scales on Wednesday 24th July to find I had put on just 0.15kg (0.3lb). This was amazing, given the amount of eating and drinking of unhealthy proportions I had been doing. My measurements were not quite as lenient but still not what I was expecting or deserved;
Bust and waist – no change, Hips +3cm!
I sang ‘My Hips don’t Lie’ by Shakira and decided the prawn fried rice I’d forgotten about yesterday would be an ideal breakfast choice. I also calculated my spending and really needed to reign it in a bit. I’d got some foreign currency but I really wanted to save that to meet my minimum amount for residency in to my Turkish bank account. I knew August was going to be my tightest month in a while and September would be the highest for paying for stuff. I worked from 8am until 1pm as Ma & Pa had invited me out for a walk with them. Compared to when they are in Dalyan, they don’t really go out to pubs much so this was going to be a nice treat for them. They had suggested we go on a walk, as the weather was still fairly nice, to Ridgeway and have a late lunch at The Bridge Inn. The walk there was lovely and when we got to the bar I ordered a Guiness but the pump wasn’t working, so I asked for cider and that was off too. Remembering I had tried Madri lager before, I had that and we sat down to peruse the menu. I chose unwisely for my Slimming World plan, with a steak and ale pie, Mom went for steak and Dad plumped for salmon. When the food came, it was so delicious and I loved that pie! We were joking about fitting in a pudding as I was stuffed but Mom ordered me a sticky toffee pudding and Dad an apple pie. I thought she would share mine but she didn’t but I did manage to eat it all – it was amazing! The prices weren’t bad either; my pie was £12.95, Mom’s steak was £19.50 and Dad’s salmon £16.95. The puds were £5.95 and £6.50 which were the most expensive desserts on the menu but they were huge portions and really should’ve been shared. The pump was back on so Dad and I got a cider to round off a brilliant lunch which my parents very kindly treated me to.
Back home, we rounded off the afternoon with wine. At dinner time, I was too full for anything proper so I opened the pickled onions I’d bought and had them with some cheese and a mini sausage roll. Tomorrow I had more excitement planned as my friend, Briony, was currently on a flight from America and we had planned to meet up in Sheffield.

Sheffield – 19th July

It was crumpets for breakfast with a hangover on Friday 19th July. Last night had really been so good, I had no regrets and I was a bit sad to be seeing Captain Caveman off today. He decided it would be a good idea for us to go into town early so we could get some lunch, our last meal together before I met him in Turkey in just over 10 weeks’ time. It was time for him to say farewell to my parents but they would also be in Turkey when he returned. My Mom mentioned that there was some global IT system outage and we dismissed her when she suggested that the buses may be affected because of it. Leaving me with a suitcase half full of his clothes and shoes, we went for the 10.55am bus in to town. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn up until 11.22am and then it had a driver being trained by a gobby woman from Chesterfield who was doing nothing for my hangover!
We’d gone about 6 or 7 stops and when we had to stop at Birley and wait for a mechanic. The Chezzy trainer shouted to us all that we would just be 2 minutes as they needed to fill up the water. Unfortunately, this was not true and 2 buses, which we could have got on to, sailed past. Captain Caveman’s National Express bus to London Victoria was leaving Sheffield at 12.45 pm so now we didn’t have time to go anywhere for lunch. Instead, when we got to town we rushed to Marks & Spencer’s – our first walk on Fargate and we were shocked at the state of it. Captain Caveman got himself a Roast Beef sandwich (£3.90) and an Orange & Mango juice (£2) but we didn’t have time for me to choose or even fathom what you can get in a meal deal these days. Captain Caveman was determined to have a coffee from Macdonald’s on our way back to the bus station. It was £1.59 for a double Espresso and you buy it by touching a massive screen and paying on card , which felt weird to me. Then you still went to the counter to collect it but there were staff stood around and no customers at the till. On the way to Pond Street there were a few too many obvious druggies around and it was so noticeable.
At the National Express bus, it was busy with the driver faffing about with a ramp user who he had left to sit in his wheelchair in the bright sun for too long. I said my goodbyes to Captain Caveman and he did remember to give me a kiss and a hug this time, which was nice! I waved the bus off and then went to get my bus ‘home’ which was meant to be at 1pm but was late. This was fortunate as I had time to buy my lunch from WH Smith where I took advantage of the meal deal, thinking I was getting a bargain. I had a chicken wrap, some salt ‘n’ vinegar Walker’s crisps and a juice for £5.99 and it was nowhere near as good as a M&S sandwich. The bus finally arrived at 1.14pm and the young chirpy driver explained that my Mom was correct and the world had come to a bit of an IT related standstill. He had a giant sippy cup of Yorkshire tea and was ready for the abuse from all the passengers he was late for.
Back home, my parents decided it had heated up enough for some outdoor lounging, drinking and eating. I helped Dad move the garden furniture and put out the cushions, a job that would become more frequent over the next few days. Ma made a curry and Dad got the wine out, but not the Chardonnay that was in the garage fridge – he was saving that. The chicken bhuna was excellent and Ma even surprised us with a couple of naans and some onion bhajis. The Pinot Grigio went down well too and it was nice to be out in the garden still at 8.30pm in a summer dress and not complaining I was cold!

Dalyan – 1st & 2nd July

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

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

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

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

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

Dong Hoi – 10th June

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

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

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

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

Dong Hoi – 9th June

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

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

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

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

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

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 – 18th April

I was feeling partially human on Thursday 18th April and had decided I was never drinking again. Captain Caveman was off in to the big cave so we were up early, having had a good rest at our latest accommodation, Phong Nha Homestay. We had 2 big double beds and a small balcony, overlooking the mountains and some wriggly tin. The bathroom was small but very functional and the place was super clean.

We went to Oxalis for breakfast where I had an orange juice and a bacon sandwich as I was hungry after hardly eating yesterday. I said goodbye to Captain Caveman who would be back out on Sunday afternoon. Almost instantly, I had a bad stomach and had to cycle back to the hotel. Luckily, I’ve found you can’t shit yourself on a bicycle so I was ok while ever I rode Bluey but it was touch and go in the supermarket. I had to leave promptly after buying sugar free milk, 5 Grains savoury biscuits and more tissues (I was still suffering with that cold from Hanoi) at a total cost of 90,000VND (£2.77).
That afternoon, I had a wedding to go to and the heat could not have been much hotter if it tried. I spent a couple of hours resting and blogging before I had to go but I really didn’t relish the temperature and humidity out there. Tatas had also arranged for a car to take the Aussies and her over to Phong Nha Farmstay for a pool afternoon and I had agreed to meet them there for dinner after the wedding.

Chung offered to give me a lift to the wedding at 3.30pm from outside my accommodation and we went with Ca Chua from Lantern restaurant and Moon from Funny Monkeys. On arrival, we met with Pe Map and Giang and we formed a girls only table. Lan looked fantastic and I was surprised that she wasn’t sweating as much as I was! I also didn’t have a nice dress to wear as they were all in the laundry at Oxalis so I wore one that had a nice colour, orange!
I was determined I wouldn’t be eating at the wedding as the outside temperature is certainly not conducive to the safe keeping of the food usually offered. However, with me being the only white Western woman on a table of friendly Vietnamese women, most of them mothers, I was not going to be able to do that! I was given prawns, chicken, beef stew and sticky rice, I voluntarily took a bread roll but managed to avoid any chillies or mystery food. I generously counted it as 10 syns, half expecting it not to stay in that long. There was no beer at our table, only water and Super Horse, until Hoan arrived and did a cheers. Chung took one for the team and I left with Moon, shortly after Giang had left. Vietnamese weddings are exciting for the first few times of going but I was really struggling to cope with an outdoor wedding in a mild heat wave.

Moon very kindly dropped me off at Phong Nha Farmstay and I headed over to the pool, where Tatas and the Aussies were having a dip. We all chatted and caught up with all the goings on, before ordering some dinner. Greg had got so drunk on Raki in Istanbul with our friend, Murat, that he was also never drinking again, Amanda didn’t drink but Tatas had a G & T for happy hour and a beer with dinner. I stuck to soda water with my beef in bamboo, Greg ordered the Nem Lui, Amanda thé Tofu curry and I think Tatas had a salad. The food was great and we had a good night, getting the taxi back around 10pm. My meal and drink came to 235,000VND (£7.24) but at the Farmstay they add service and tax on to the total bill. I spent 400,000VND (£12.33), which I gave to Tatas for my share of the bill and my taxi ride back with them. It had been an expensive but fun day and Tatas was off in to a cave tomorrow for 4 days, leaving me and the Aussies to have some fun until they left on Tuesday.

Hanoi – 10th April

I slept in until pretty late on Wednesday 10th April and my cold had got a lot worse. Captain Caveman and I walked to the nearest shoping centre for breakfast and he had coffee and a cheese and ham toastie. He bought me a croissant and an earl grey tea but I could hardly taste it and kept coughing a lot. I was running out of underwear so we went to Rico where I bought 2 pairs of sensible knickers for 200,000VND (£6.38) and Captain Caveman thought it was a bit of an unnecessary expense. I rarely spend any money on clothes and when I do it’s always for practical reasons, but these were essential. I’d had my eye on one of the cute dresses they had for 400,000VND (£12.31) to take on our trip to Thailand but I was too sick and the budget didn’t include clothes to make me look pretty. On the way back to Aisha hotel we called a the shop for more essentials, here’s what we got and the prices in Dong;

Winmart Supermarket
1.5l water 10,600
Revive isotonic drink 11,800
Lays crisps 12,100
Japanese Crisps 19,000
Fridge cost 500
Total spent 54,000VND (£1.69)

Once back, I decided I needed to get back in bed and Captain Caveman was going to meet a friend for lunch, without me, but bring me something back to eat. As it was weigh day, and the 5th Fat Club in Dalyan that I’d been away for, I did my measurements. We had no scales but I’d put 1cm on my bust and waist, my hips had remained the same – maybe I didn’t need clothes in a smaller size if I was going to fill my baggy clothes again!
When Captain Caveman returned from a nice lunch at a yoga retreat with Cuc, he had brought me back a beautifully presented takeaway box. He told me they were fresh veggie spring rolls with a pesto dip. I bit in to one and it was super slimy and I had to spit it out. Unfortunately, he had brought me avocado rolls with some guacamole dip and had forgotten I hate avocado. Instead I ate crisps but I was still hungry.
That evening we were meeting our friend and Vietnamese teacher, Lien, for dinner but she had to rearrange plans and we met at Oriberry cafe. They do food but there was nothing I liked on the menu so I had a herbal tea and a slice of banana bread which Captain Caveman had half of and it was more like cake. It was only a brief meet up with Lien but it was good to see her, she looked really well. Captain Caveman decided we were going to go to an old favourite, Dalcheeni Indian restaurant, for dinner but Lien didn’t want to join us. I was a snotty mess and took ages to decide what to order. My eyes were streaming so I could hardly see the menu. I wasn’t having a good day where food was concerned as the samosas and my chicken tikka were too spicy so I ate the rice, naan bread and some of Captain Caveman’s chicken starter. Luckily Captain Caveman was able to eat what I had ordered without any complaints.
We walked back to the hotel, via the same shop where we bought the following;

Winmart Supermarket
1.5l water 10,600
Tissues 30,500
Total spent 41,100VND (£1.29)

Strangely, there was no extra cost for drinks from the fridge this time. Back at the hotel, I took some medication and went to sleep, hoping to feel better in the morning.

Phong Nha – 21st March

I slept in until 7.30am on Thursday 21st March and went for the homestay breakfast at 8.30am. This time I requested the vegetable noodle dish without butter and a green tea. The views of the river were good, the temperature was cool and the rain had gone. I felt a bit out of sorts and couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong. My skin had started to itch again and I thought either my eczema was coming back or that I had ring worm. My stomach wasn’t great and it took a lot longer than I’d expected to buy a bus ticket.
Captain Caveman had instructed me to purchase my Phong Nha to Hoi An bus ticket from the Diep Le Homestay so I attempted that. We used Google translate and I thought I’d booked the 7am bus on Tuesday at a cost of 400,000VND (£12.62). I thought that seemed expensive but I had no reference point, having not bought a bus ticket since before Covid. I am also not a fan of the bus journey which takes 8 hours, changes in Danang and the drivers can be a bit iffy.

I cycled on the borrowed homestay bicycle to the pharmacy as I wanted to get some medication, it cost me 75,000VND (£2.38) for imodium and fungal treatment which would have been 5 times the price in Europe or Turkey. In the queue, I started to feel unwell so I popped next door to Lantern restaurant for a green tea and to be near a toilet. When I recovered, Tatas joined me there for lunch and we both had vegan pho, her’s with extra chillies and mine with random pineapple in it. Lunch was cheap at 60,000VND (£1.90) for my tasty soup and drink, which Tatas paid for.
My next stop was to call at the supermarket, here’s what I bought and the prices in Dong.

Winmart Supermarket
Goûté biscuits 30,100
3 cereal bars 34,000
6 apples 105,512
Total spent 169,612VND (£5.35)

I’d completely forgotten how expensive apples are in Vietnam, compared to Turkey and the UK, so I bought them without thinking. At 55p per apple I probably wouldn’t be buying them very often.
I headed back to the homestay and had a video call with Vanessa. We had a great chat and she was still making good progress on her recovery.

After an hour I had to leave to go meet Veronika who had yet another treat in store for me. She’d only brought her own quality red wine with her to The Villa’s and had put the grandchildren (who she was in charge of) on a separate table so we could have dinner and wine together. We shared a green salad and a Momma D pizza which was lovely and before we’d hardly started, we had company.
Aussie Pete arrived and proceeded to commence his ritual of asking the staff for a cold Huda and a glass with ice. As we were getting on with our evening we had another visitor; Marc (from Germany), had decided to surprise us. Once Veronika and I had got settled in to our dinner ‘date’ with Aussie Pete and German Marc, there was a call from Bich, Veronika’s daughter-in-law. She wanted to check on how the kids were doing and what they were up to. Unfortunately, they weren’t supposed to have been left to their own devices in the room watching Netflix, so Veronika had to resume babysitting duties and leave us. Tatas arrived in time to save the dodgy looking soirée and another bottle of wine was consumed. Before 9pm Aussie Pete fell asleep (standard practice) and we got kicked out at 11pm, an hour after closing time. As Veronika had provided wine for 2 nights running I paid for her meal too, a total of 595,000VND (£18.90) including tip, which was reasonable.