No Fixed Abode: Laughs with languages

Mon 04 Apr 2016 - Phong Nha cave

Our last day at the Lake House Resort and our last day on a scooter in Vietnam. We spoke to the lovely Sa on reception who produced a rough sketch map of the area and showed as off the beaten track routes to take to Phong Nha cave, the original draw for the area. After we figured out how to open the hatch beneath the seat (it was in a different place to all the other scooters we’d had but fortunately the lady at the filling station showed us) we were off, cruising through rural villages along the riverbank, by now oblivious to the passing water buffalo.

Just as we entered the village of Son Trach we noticed a small cafe/shop so pulled over to grab a couple of drinks. The lady that ran it shly spoke a little English but with a combination of sign language, mime and a few words we made ourselves understood. As we sat down she produced a dog eared Vietnam/English phrase book and we all had great fun the next half an hour teaching each other a few phrases. Promising to return later for dinner we set off to the cave.

As this was the first cave found, and it can only be accessed by boat, it is much more geared for the tourists. We hung around at the ticket office for a while waiting for some other visitors to share the cost of the boat and after a couple of small groups arrived we were on our way. Luckily the guide of one of the groups spoke English and showed us which boat to board.

It is a 20min cruise down the river to reach the cave and it was interesting to get a different view from road along the bank we’d travelled several times. At the cave’s entrance the husband and wife crew cut the engine and started paddling us into the darkness. Although the features were impressive, particularly the huge stalactites and flowstone, and it was cool rowing down a subterranean river, somehow it was a little underwhelming compared to the amazing Paradise cave of two days ago. Our crew also seemed intent on propelling us to the end of the cave in record time and consequently crashed into other boats and, more alarmingly, some of the formations. They didn’t seem at all bothered.

At the end of the water based visit we were dropped ashore at an underground beach and given 40 mins to walk through a small amount of the cave, which took only 20 mins, even at our slow pace studying everything, and then we surfaced into a large area with people selling food, drink and tat, We politely refused the constant harassment of the vendors and waited on the steps for our return boat journey.

Once off the boat we returned to the shop/restaurant we’d promised to. In truth, the food wasn’t the greatest but we had more language fun when our host produced a childs poster book with pictures of everyday items in English and Vietnamese and we felt good putting some money directly in the hands of a local.

Back on the scooter we returned along the riverside trail then took a turning up a track that we’d also been recommended. Everything was going well until we got the section Sa (the hotel receptionist) had described as “a bit bumpy” - somewhat of an understatement. With the recent rain, the track had turned into a quagmire of gooey mud with bumps of over 30cm. We gave it a go but after a few hundred metres and a big rear wheel slide that almost put us on our side we decided to give it a miss. Bumping and sliding back the way we’d come, both us and the bike now covered in mud, we returned to the hotel to, rather sheepishly, return the scooter. Luckily we were able to use the showers for the pool to wash ourselves and we found a hose to wash our sandals then it was into the waiting minibus that would whisk us off to the station. Once there we filed into the waiting room and waited with the mass of chatting (shouting) locals and awaited the arrival of our sleeper train, which chugged slowly into the station more or less on time. With no platforms and two trains in at the same time the compound (for want of a better word) was amass with people getting on and off and passengers jumping out to buy food or have a smoke.

Fighting our way down the corridor we found our four berth cabin and were relieved to see two young asian women in the lower bunks trying to get to sleep. We hauled our bags up to the stowage area, climbed into our bunks and settled down for a quiet night. Then the large French contingent down the way found their voices and began shouting and singing. Evidently they had been aboard a while and had set about drinking themselves silly. Although they were rowdy to begin with they did eventually settle down and so did we.