Team 'nam - part 2)

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4) Phong Nha - bikes, wires, miles

The sleeper bus awaits back in Hanoi. Whilst Nicki and I inhale chicken rice at a sidewalk stall (this was definitely a spoon occasion) and sourced an ATM, Michelle was off hunter-gatherer style on snacks (crisps, waters, diet cokes and classic chocolate bars). A hold up on the minibus was then on - the agency had kindly offered to dry our shorts and Smiles' guns&roses* tee (those still wet from Hanoi room washing!) whilst we'd been away, but now they were lost. Together we searched about (knowing shorts were not in abundance with one pair locked in a bag with a wet dog aroma, see part i). No luck, but the agency would send them down on the next bus - they were probably at a launderette.
So off we went and met our night's accommodation. Funky lights, rows of single adjustable chairs and blanket, shoes in bags, we got spots together. It was again a surreal moment, having seen pictures of the buses, to now be right in them with these two.

Our sleeper bus experiences this trip (they'd be another to Hoi An later) could be summarised as follows - books and podcasts downloaded ready, podcast episode listening and before the credits start me and Nicki dozing off; stop offs for wees and hot dog rolls. Mims still awake reading away and fiddling with the display light above her head, then telling the anonymous offender above to stop dropping his shit down- 'that's four times now'. Then a bus collision, leaving a broken bumper and the drivers jumping out to argue, and me remaining asleep the whole episode. Mims waking to a scene of animal slaughter out the window, Nicki restarting serial episode 7 for the 4th time, me asleep. Passing about our snacks, having quiet mutterings and giggles, readjusting seats once the day light came up, me asleep.

The day light would not come up on this bus journey however, with our arrival time 4am. But rather, the second driver would come down the rows calling Phong Nha? Phong Nha? (Thong nahh? Thong nahh?) to each passenger, and poking people awake. Mims turned back awoken with a face of complete confusion - yup, Phong Nha is us. I'd then get a particular prod so the bus runner could cross over my seat to the next row, further confusion. Bodies wearily up, big bags lifted, over the street to our stay in the dark, quiet morning.

On arriving to our national park hostel Easy Tiger, all national flags and happy hour signs (classic traveller haunt), we ventured out back and got into the hammocks I'd heard about. 'Why does mine keep rocking?!' asked Michelle - sleepy responses. Our morning was of divided tasks and sleep patterns. Michelle took the first watch, wide awake to shower, wander about and suss surroundings; Niks was not far behind, I was deep in rocked dreams. Then an official changeover Mims->Nicki over museli, who then gets us sorted for the day and attends the information talk on motorbike risks, park routes and cave sights; Mims back in hammock. And me? I selflessly took the late shift (9,30am) and um put our laundry in (wet dog shorts kept separate) and checked us in.

So onto a plan for park day 1!
We got three bikes and Nicki would start with a Vietnamese driver. Helmets on, suncreamed, ready to go to the botanical gardens. I was in a mood this morning to be honest (and I couldn't blame lack of sleep). And I was not best impressed by my flopping wing mirror, and the empty fuel tanks of our bikes - 'not cool man'. But once we got going, Jees it was bloody brilliant! Forehead furrows and misplaced cobwebs blown open and away.

We passed a stunning river - green risings up karsts, wooden boats being bamboo steered and fished from, waters fiddling downstream. The glorious textures under an early blue sky. Mims' guns and roses tee was flapping as I had a look behind to my biking buddy (*it was the Ramones tee still in Hanoi after all!). Nicki was holding on tight to the seat, taking in the sights around us and already noting river side food spots for later. The ride was luscious, up hills, rolling round corners with jurassic scenes. Indeed going through a grand rocky gateway and under a steel lever (where we all ducked elaborately on our bikes) brought the Jurassic park theme into focus. Layers of green rippling below us, smooth grey curvings ahead.

And we got there. Botanical gardens. As we knew them? Well, a caged peacock who enjoyed Pringles?-tick. Areas of careful plant arrangements? Smooth lawns and clever patterns? Labels and neat pathways? Nope! As we'd read, it was more a wild nature reserve. Diet coke refresh, off we begun our walk about. I'm not sure how I ended with the map here, especially given we had hard copy map lead (Niks) and phone map orienteerer (Mims) - but it meant we'd go against the 'recommended' routes. And rather than be followed by, we'd meet the 30 or so uniformed Communist Party members later on. It also meant we'd scamper ourselves down the waterfall, more fun for sure! Holding onto ropes, we trekked down the bolders, looking up to a sun winked run of water falling within luscious linings. Me and mims had earlier tested going downstream, in a scene akin to the new forest of home, moving over rocks of the stream 'mind this one', and going off piste. Niks would be looking back from the bamboo bridge, waiting for her stubborn pooh sticks!
It was hot, and tough on the legs, energising. A very modest lake, complete with token rubber tube, and the peacock 'farm' later, and we marched up the scores of steps past the dozens of green uniforms standing to one side, the occasional hello from behind a clip board. A good venture indeed.

Back on the road and we took a detour ride on the way back.
I saw the puddles, the narrow sandy ridge between them. I saw Niks' driver go to one side. But, revving, I took the middle high ground.. Bike slip. Over I went in slow motion. It shocked me! I got up quick and luckily wasn't hurt at all, though, just a little wee had come out (new twist on a tena lady advert?). Mims behind saw it all and if her bike stand had of worked (it was tied up with her hair band!) she might have even got to the fall in time. Niks and the driver ahead looked back in pause, 'I'm okay, I'm okay!'
The detour gave us beautiful views of rice paddies, of such bright greens, of catching a young girl riding a water buffalo. A gorgeous ride, one of imagination-esque brightness and yet scenes unique from anywhere actually seen before.

We got back to the bike rental place, the driver was now off. But, thrilled in Phong Nha's offerings so far, we wanted to be off again! So, it was a great chance for Michelle and Niks to double up. Nam-mobile. To the river? Yes! Mims might have been the smart driver choice given my failed gamble earlier.
We rode down and stopped at a spot (nice one Niks) by the river sands, where sun setting pics would soon be collected over yummy tofu, tuna and smoothies. Ahh. Delightful. We felt lucky and energised; realising our feeling of free in a far away adventure. Mims went to explore the river - tepid, we could definitely go in. We'd watch the boats, squint to the tiny marshy island in the middle upon which children ran about, to the houses over the other side burrowed up into the karst, kids splashing about our river side. As it was we'd dip into the pool back at easy tiger, before taking advantage of the beer happy hours.

Day two, time for the caves!
Now it gets real. Phong Nha is home to some of (and indeed no1 of) the world's biggest caves, most only recently re-discovered. Today we'd get into two of them, in very different ways. Day two, two bikes, three slick movers. We wound up through the national park area, pit stopping for snaps a'taking and maps a'checking. It felt a very nice settledness into our Nam adventures here in Phong Nha; well versed in our formations and the surroundings were so beautiful and rich as to keep us riding the feeling of being away.
Our first stop was Dark Cave.

We knew this was the adventurous one, talk of zip wires and mud.. On pulling in on our bikes we had little time to wait around, it was pretty much straight off with garments, of buckling ourselves into those utility belt nappies, of helmets fastened and our stuff being squished into lockers. We were then walking up the turning steps of a tower, at the back end of a group, to meet with the zip wire running between trees, over a lake and to the cave entrance.

I would find out in a little bit that these were steps of denial, of ignorant movements up as I laughed (in hindsight a little elaborately) with Nicki and Mims. And it didn't hit me till right near the moment. Nik was first up, up on the box to flick the belt's clips over the wire and theoretically swing forward off the edge.. the guide did a joke of ohh not like that as she started to defy gravity (couldn't help one reference!). A slightly nervous laugh but our girl was off, flinging forward, wayyyyy, as we heard the zipping slip away from us up at the tower. I swallowed, scrunched my nose, turned to Mims behind and said matter of factly that I felt a bit scared now. 'Me too babe, it be fine.'
I was then an undercover agent, in my case not giving my fear any eye contact and yet shielding it from the world - it was an uninvited guest to the party (is probably what Jillian Micheals would say), and we had history. I robotly stood up very quietly, and meticulously looked ahead. I looked and felt at the ropes, put the clips on, slid them forward, back. I grasped the clips.. then, I broke my cover, sliding the clips off with a flick forward motion. As if prooving to myself that the physics didn't seem natural here, as if I could pretend this was all a rational argument above the drop. I looked at the guide after easily slipping those clips back off (as they are designed of course), with the attitude of a class smart Alec trying to show up their teacher.

'I just, don't feel right with this.'. - 'Gravity Lee, you'll be okay.' Of course, I went. I'd done zip lines before and loved them, and I had to get in those caves now! But I had really needed some coaxing, from Mims the guide and myself to feel okay in this today. Once zipping off, I rolled my eyes at my delay, ah Lee! Weeee... Feet to the ground, a scramble, an unclick and down into the water, hoorah. Mims comes shooting quickly behind. 'Yeh I'd been feeling nervous too'. We're reunited at the water's edge. Dark Cave ahead.



This cave journey was one of glorious, teasing cave twistings and characters overhead - ghosts, jellyfish, dusty mosquito nets. Then of bizarre new movements (avoid, avoid another defying gravity line), soft skin and tribal markings (bear with me). Dark cave quickly satisfied its name, as we walked by head torch light. Walking through narrow muddy alleys in the caverns, squishing bottoms along, twisting to fit and our feet not hitting a bottom for a long while in our forward steps. Then the mud really arrived, in bottomless buckets about us. Cold, stodgy, satisfying! Like we were in a vast bowl of nutella (Nicki), or an overcooked stew (Mims). Chocolate icecream, we were the wafers! Our legs and arms and bikinis dripped and caked in dark candle wax; then in sitting we'd slurp in and be floating! Before long we were covered in mud, hiding those tribal markings (inspired by a certain podcast) and thrown splodges we'd added to each other before! Very cool. Drawing into our mud outfits, feeling our skin so soft, slopping in bottomless mud. We'd also crawl through a narrow tunnel, sliding forward on our tums, heads down, and into a cave pot where all the lights were turned off.. Nothing but floating in mud. Bizarre, fun, and a little creepy. It was expansive, we slipped through arteries of the huge body.

In coming back out we'd see the burst of light at the cave's huge mouth, tree roots hanging down, caught in the cave's teeth. The rock ghosts, jellyfish and twisted mosquito nets are back. And we're out into the cool refreshing water outside. Ahhhh! Breast stroking out as the mud wiggles free from us.
We'd then kayak out and over to a watertop adventure playground. A Vietnamese water wipeout. Though we'd first take diversions to go collect Nicki from another kayak (hang on, they can fit 3 afterall) and into ours, and got ourselves off course through badly coordinated paddles, but we did get to inspect the lake's plant life and sandy banks.



Here lies the 2nd fear challenge of the day, the water zipwire to swing along, and drop in before you hit the spot to chuck you off. Two of us step up on the blocks, reach up to the handle bars. Me and Smiles swap blocks so she can actually reach one of them! I ponder, argh, and step back, f*ck I can't do it guys. Niks up, we count down and they swing out, keeping hold, arms stretched up and ready to ping at any moment.. my friends getting smaller and closer to the drop, who will go first? Bashing down into the water, Niks then quickly Smiles. They were smiling, laughing now down in the lake in their life jackets (we had to keep them on or get whistled at!) Right.. I wound the handle back up. Step up. Face in my shoulder I give myself a pep talk. I didn't like feeling unadventurous for sure. Pep talk, firm, a mental thigh slap. I'm off. Aha, okay! - 'I'll let go guys?', dropping in, beside the two champs. Thank gosh (well thank fuck i really mean) I did that! We awkwardly scramble-swim about with our life jackets double chinning us. So refreshing, arms ached, smiles bobbing.



Back on the bikes, and a very needed pit stop for food. We fueled up, and I wrote up, at this really lovely little bamboo restaurant by a small river. Peaceful, and the food was a feast.





Back on the bikes and off to Paradise Cave. This one is very well reviewed and mentioned a lot about Vietnam. It is one of the biggest, and arguably beautiful with its stunning colour spectrum and rock varieties, creating a fantasy land. It extends for over 30km into the earth, where visitors can take in the first kilometer or so.
We were pushing for time a little once we got there but opted, as the honed athletes we are, to do the walk to the cave rather than the jeep link. Obvs. But blimey!, a cursed decision at times. The first part was an unknowingly long walk, but flat and with a relative breeze, we'd soon discover. The next set of signs and pathway ropes would keep leading us up, and up, and up some more! Seriously tough on the thighs. The most positive walker award goes to Nicki, no scowling or effing there.. And a shout out to the littler legs (Mims) that persevered behind the long legs! 'No way is this an 800m walk'. Looking out though, wow. A few huge trees were making themselves known within the vastness of the forest. Mist, low clouds, vast nature making us mere dots in sweaty tank tops. We'd point the hugest tree out to each other when we had a break and looked out to see how much more we'd moved.. there he is. A zig-zagging horizon of forested karsts, with pronounced heartbeat lines up from the few tree giants.

Despite the pain and amusing bugger of a walk to get to the cave entrance, the next chapter of vast walking, of acute steps up and down, would be softened and healed, ignored and lost because of the sheer beauty and unique glory of what was now around us. It was the most stunning thing I'd seen. Close looks and the cave's insides would draw you in with the ornate organ matter, of cells transforming before your eyes into bedazzling patterns. Wider, unfocused looks would draw you out to the vast bellies of the cave - the dripping rocks, colour kaleidoscopes - rolling your head around in such wonder. Star wars, the never ending story, lord of the rings, narnia.. - fantasy land creators must have been here? Of walkways through hundreds of rock cities to the meet the land's Queen.. past dozens of animal guards and through eery, bygone empire ruins.. not making the scowling gargoyles suspicious. The light, the colour, the flickers off rock, out of rock. Water drops dazzling. Ah. Just amazing. Unforgettable. You could get lost in here a long time just by the paths your eyes took; you could stand still and be gone.

It was strange to exit. Into heat, into our known surface worlds. Moved.

We took the jeep link back.


Phong Nha had been a truly spectacular stop in our trip, it also had the easy free feeling of being so embraced by the wide, swallowing nature. Big and small - the ants making pathways along the tree creepers for long, long stretches; the 360 degree views to wild plains out for the horizon and up to the clouds.









5) lanterns, lanes and La rues in Hoi An

Well, it’s got to have a window! A homestay would be lovely huh.. Michelle is scrolling through her phone to pick a place for our next (and final) stop. During our last night in Phong Nha, sitting out on the hostel’s candle-lit tables with a few pints and already reminiscing on our brilliant trip middle, we got some very pleasing news - a package arrival at the easy tiger front desk: the Ramones tee and the missing shorts! Hooray. Mims clasps the package in reunion (just in time) and is up to complete packing. We had a very early rising to meet that 4am bus stop, disco lights and night-time blanketed roll-overs awaited. Others were getting a little edgy at the time, then at the queue to get on the bus (easyjet eyes, but it’s never okay to get ahead of older passengers or parents carrying kids). Off to Hoi An we go.

There’s a stop off break in Hue, we sit out in the early morning beam, the heat on our sleepy eyelids. We order in baguettes, and as the well-oiled machine we’ve now become, 2 get slots on the new bus, 1 grabs the food and pays. A solid team, high five. The journey was great, now sitting up we look out the windows and listen away, excited for new scenes, to a bustle.

Into Hoi An, and we arrive at a café which seemed in the middle of little but it would soon become a well-known corner of our city patchwork and walks out. A coffee in, a taxi to Leo Homestay in the Northern area of Hoi An. Quiet streets of bicycles and open homes, little cafes playing old kung-fu movies, plant towers outside homes, a gym to mark our road home. Leo was such a welcoming, lovely place to stay. Up to our balconied room we got to unravel after the long journey. The balcony would become a hub of clothes drying, sand shaking, beer can drinking, chatting and chilling. We’d get to know the homestay family and those who worked there, they made it feel a home, a peaceful and friendly place to awake and return to. Like the young guy who’d be there at night time to get the door whilst teaching himself English and revising his studies, and the lovely mum who cooked the perfect omelette or pancake breakfasts to set us up for the day. Sitting in the little front garden patio we’d plan our ventures.

Hoi An – a Unesco heritage town, once a major port. A patchwork of old town delights, grand architecture, colourful traditions, alluring sights along the water, cute bridges and a real tourist boom. Away from town there are long sandy coast lines, stretching rice fields, meandering lanes, big communist party posters on roadsides.

Where to start? Let’s go to the beach, beach. Naturally, we’d unravel and roll out of Leo on their bicycles with baskets and we knew where we’d start, by the sea. The cycle was a lovely one. Green fields, and bicycles stretching along the long sea road. Between seafood restaurants we parked the bikes and walked to the golden sands and rolling waves. So fresh. Sand under feet again! Upon the beach were big round fishing tubs, we imagined they’d swirl like tea cups about the crashing waters. The waves were really fun, in we shyed, stretching torsos until we conceded defeat as the cold water rushed over shoulders and flicked our cheeks. Jumping up waves, arms up, waheyy. Salt eye, ayyyy. Running out for a salt eye towel fix and then back in. The sea was delightful. A continual loop of destruction, sun reflections. The sun on our skin, so different from the drizzled, rushing streets of Hanoi where we started. Food in the seaside restaurant. Scuffing our bamboo football along the seashore, kicking and throwing it off. The sun comes down.



Our first evening and our first venture to the hanging lights and yellow narrow alleys of the Old Town, and we’d return the next afternoon. There is a preserved legacy of Japanese merchant buildings, Chinese temples and ancient tea houses; and a modern throw over of bars, hotels, craft and souvenir shops and a real glut of tailor shops! Local businesses by law have to hang lanterns outside, and motorbike use is restricted, helping to retain its old charm, in perhaps a little charmless way. And it’s without doubt a town that pulls a high volume of tourists, from backpackers to those in luxurious spa hotels with much dong to spend. But it is very pretty. Within, mustard walled lanes turn and trickle off as you wander a maze of sights - painters, makers, restaurant sells. From above, you can look down at the mossy roof tiles following the patterned streets; and out toward the river there are lit up arches and bridges, street sellers, wooden boats crowded at edges.

On walking down, under the pretty arches separating the old town lanes from the busy road turn, we’d walk out into the open courtyard. Michelle, with her camera out, urges us not to lose her! Us tall ones to promise we’d say which way we’d walk, no assumptions to be made that we’re all naturally following!

We’d wander, finding a cute spot down a side alley to drink La Rues – a really good beer (#2 in my beer awards) – and leave our bicycles.

Amongst the streets we’d also venture to have a birthday shirt made for a friend back home. Into a shop of fabrics hanging, small kids playing around and the businesswoman with great sarcasm and funny lines as she helped us explain what we’d like. Michelle became the flexible model, arms stretched (a little longer), chest out, as we ummed over buttons and vividly (poorly) described the bib we had in mind! We’d return and find the shirt we had in our minds, a brilliant place.

Nicki would opt to buy a classic red and yellow star tee, trying them on and haggling with a smile. Michelle a cute leather bag, chatting with the old, firm craftsman. I’d later get a cute Vietnamese style shirt. Chocolate scented coffee purchased from a packed shop, a local coffee whose process from plant to bag not found out until Nicki was back home (it involves animal poo.), and over the road we’d sit sophisticatedly with our own brews. Stalls to grab laughing cow baguettes on our way home.

Above a line of shops we’d venture to a restaurant terrace of trees and lights for our second night, with delicious Vietnamese food served on large bamboo mats in big bowls. Here, Smiles would cheekily ask for another set of chopsticks, again, and we’d all take-away a set in their restaurant decorated paper slips. Souvenirs.



Some of the best time about Hoi An would be our enchanting bike ride through the rice fields on a long country cut through to the sea. Michelle leading the way, we’d stop to look at temples, watch life go by. Leaning back on our bike seats to help sore bottoms, laidback scenery, fresh air. Stopping for sugar cane juice by the roadside, wandering into temple grounds to be greeted by stone lions, deciding which green-lined direction to take and follow the sandy lanes through the rice fields. Peaceful life, others cycling past, buffalos and farmers, ponds and white bird congregations. Smiles and jokes across bikes.

This was our little team. Laughing, open to new finds, appreciating ‘Nam’s delights - the pretty, messy, calm and the rugged. It was hard to accept our trip was coming to an end, 9 days of an unrivalled yet easy going pace. An energy to bound into each day knowing it would look quite different to yesterday. We’d done it, we’d marked off the points of Michelle’s pencilled zig zags on the scrap piece of paper. Hanoi, Ha Long, Phong Nha, Hoi An. All now so colourful; so twisted about our hundreds of funny, exciting, new moments; and expanded, painted out into our own created maps of the trip, from those pencil dots they started as.

Thank you guys, what a time!

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Photos

dark cave pool
no photos here, but darkness and mud beyond!