VIETNAM - Phonh Nha - Part 1

Now I am up further north in the National park called Phong Nha. This place is a treasure of Vietnam. Definitly need to come back here for more than 2 weeks. The town was pretty much shit down because it was the first days of Tet, so almost no restaurants were open except one place were a group of us from the hostel went to get breakfast. They had really cool food here! Not just bread and eggs but tofu scramble, parfaits, and western healthy food. This was nice. I had a yogurt parfait which was nice to switch things up finally. After that our tour was going to leave. So we all climbed on the buss and I sat next to Elise and talked about how much we loved the outdoors and how it’s nice o leave the cities. The first place in the park we saw was the 8 ladies Padoga. It wasn’t that special looking but I was a little shrine built into the wall. And the history behind how it was created was interesting. The drive through the park was amazing. I have never seen landscape like this before. Vines where sticking straight up and monkeys were jumping from branches and the birds sounded amazing! The huge limestone faces where so grand. The kind of feeling and awe I get from driving in Yosemite Valley. I was just thinking about my brother and how much he would love to climb this place. The next stop was Paridise Cave or “Thien Dong”. This cave is 31 km long but we could only walk 1 km in, otherwise you have to take a very special and expensive tour to go further. The stairs up to this place was a workout but once we descended down into it it was huge! I forget how high and wide it was but it felt like I was in a gymnasium. The rock formations where literally out of this world. After an hour in the cave we all met back at the top and while waiting we started talking with some Swiss guys, they were really funny. Next stop was the Dark Cave or “Hang Toi”. Here we had lunch and I sat at the vegetarian table and made spring rolls. Very good, and they we unlimited so I just kept making them and eating as I went. After that we got dressed into our swimsuits and put on some gear and helmets. Next up was ziplining! I was so full from lunch so the gear was a little uncomfortable but I had a blast. I went so fast and we crossed over the river to the other side where the enterance of the cave was. The only way to get in was to swim! It was cold but once I started to move it got better. Walking in it was pitch black and we used our headlamps to guide us through the shallow water. In the cave we turned to the side and scrambled through a narrow pathway for a while. In the pathway there was a fricking scarey unreal creature and it chased me! This was no spider or centipede but a weird combination of both! It stood as tall as my ankle and was the length of my hand and was black with purple spots on its back. It was standing still until I walked by and it decided to chase me! I ran and it scared the shit out of me. The floor started to get muddier and wetter. Then we finally reached the mud baths. This was a pool of mud in a far part of the cave. I dove right in and so did everyone else! I rubbed mud all over my body and face and just had a blast. The Swiss guys were having a little too much fun I think... drawing up surd pictures on each other. And then of course there was a mud fight... throwing mud. Not as fun. But afterwards we walked back and washed off in the clean water. I was shivering a little bit I enjoyed the dark cave. Then we all climbed in floor boats and paddles across the river back to the building. I shred a boat with one of the Swiss guys and we wanted to accidentially tip the boat so we started rocking it and we tipped it! So much fun. We had a little down time to go on more zip lines and ropes courses that hung above the river. Fun day I must say. Then afterwards we were surprised with free rum and coke! And the rum was so good! Best I’ve had. Sorry Cuba! But it was only 3 in the afternoon and everyone was already drunk! But hey, it was Chinese New Year so it was time to celebrate! The bus ride back everyone passed out from drinking and then we got back to get showered and make it down in time for free beer at 6. We invited the Swiss guys to join for beer and Kareoke so they came! Everyone was there and enjoy themselves to the shitty beer. Literally piss water. But after a few drinks, the Swiss guy and I decided to sing some kareoke! That was really fun. After drinking a little more we went across the street to get some dinner which was the fucking worst thing ever. The Swiss guys ordered burgers, Luca ordered egg noddles, Elise ordered pasta, and I ordered chicken vegetable stir fry. Exactly one minute, no joking, one minute after we ordered the burgers came out. They must have been microwaved. But waist was really annoying is that the rest of us haven’t gotten our food. Elise, Luca, and I were starving. One hour later Elsie got her pasta, 30 minutes later Luca got his noodles but they were literally the size of and iPhone. Barley any noodles! And there wasn’t even any egg in it either! I was just laughing because he started cursing in Italian and started yelling at the resturant, typical Italians... but then I had to wait 30 more minutes for my food. I was so hungry I started feeling sick because all I had in my stomachs was beer. And I don’t even think I got what I ordered. This was the worst resturant experience in my life. Next we decided to walk down the street to a roof top bar to watch some fireworks. We played so drinking card games and had a blast. Fireworks started to go off and to watch from above was cool. Almost got hit by a few though! Luca, coming from Italy, desperate craves a coffee, so did I! So I walked down across the street to fetch us some coffee and that made his night. I was getting tired and after the clock hit midnight and all the big fireworks stopped I walked home and on my way I ran into some kids playing on the street and I played ball with them and lit fireworks. That was fun. I passed out in the hoste and I was the first one back! Everyone was out partying. But I don’t want a repeat of Hue so I best be getting to bed.