Waking up in Phong Nha, the plan was to see the caves that made this region famous three years ago. Apparently before then, foreigners didn't frequent this entire area.
Riding along in the National Park, we stumbled upon two locals signing they wanted a lift. Before our wheels had even come to a stop, these lightweight ladies jumped on the back. Both of us double checked our pockets were zipped, and our hawk-eyes turned on. Something seemed odd. Within 100m, Blandy's rear tyre was flat. Hmm! So we pointed to the flat tyre, said 'ah oh, sorry' to the ladies and thankfully they popped off. We quickly started our roll down the hill, not wanting to be scammed or taken to their 'brother' or 'friend' for a special price repair job. If there's a feeling that's not fun, it's being scammed.
Turns out Blandy rode that flat-tired bike for 12 kms, to the cave entrance. There a dude helped us by calling his friend, and we paid more than normal to him instead!
All through the National Park there were butterflies. Mini bright yellow ones. Purple beauties. Flickering royal blues. Monarch butterfly cousins, but of the sky-blue variety. They were everywhere, and danced around us as we rode! Actually, what do you call a group of butterflies? ... A flock? A throng? A herd? A crash, parliament, hoot, coalition? Those are all other animals ... But what about butterflies?
With the tyre sorted, and our pockets significantly lighter, it was time to head in to see those famous caves.
Phong Nha's Paradise cave is colossal, has colours that remind you of the golden yellows of the ceilings of Italian churches, and we only saw a snippet! We walked a long way in to the entrance (buggy would've been a better option!), and then walked uphill for another 600m. The cave has boardwalk for the first kilometre, which we enjoyed. If you're keen to go a bit further, ya need to take a guide, and you can explore the rest of the 31.4km cave at your leisure. It's enormous!
To save you googling ... A group of butterflies is a kaleidoscope. Or a swarm, or a rabble or flutter. We'd guessed flutter as we rode along, but only as a joke. Which reminds me, dinner was to be shouted by the last person to see a snake today. Neither of us saw one (but Bry could wash her mouth out after saying she saw four), so looks like we'll go without dinner tonight.
(Jokes, that'd never happen!)
Thoses caves look so similar to the ones in Slovakia. ...stunning! So is everyone out to make money or steel money there? Have you got eyes in the back of your heads constantly and sleep with one eye open or do you feel pretty safe? Maybe you need to make yourselves look more like locals and buy a crate of live ducks and pop them on the back of your bike.,..ohhhh and maybe a spare tyre xx
ReplyDelete