So we decided to get the hard seats (more like benches) on the train up to Dong Hoi for Phong Nha, a) they were cheaper, but b) it was only for a few hours, so perfect for a more 'local' experience. Before we even got on the train though, one of the locals leaned out of the window trying to tell us we were queuing for the wrong carriage! I guess not many travellers slum it with the locals?! They were ok for a few hours, but certainly couldn't do any longer than about 4 I think. There was a rather pregnant lady across the aisle from us who had laid a mat down on the floor under the seats and was asleep under there - don't want to think how far they were going, but it didn't look particularly comfortable.

We had planned on walking to the bus stop once off the train, but it was considerably warmer than we'd had in Hue, so jumped in a taxi. The taxi driver dropped us off at a bus stop with a sign saying 'Dong Hoi - Phong Nha' so it was obviously the right one, except there was no timetable, so we sat down and waited. Thankfully it wasn't that long before a minivan pulled up and shouted the destination we were after. Just the 2 of us as well, it was going to be a comfortable ride!

…after about 10 minutes and only one more pick up, that was dropped off about 5 minutes later, we pulled into a petrol station - nothing unusual there. Except, the number 2 on the bus got us 2 chairs and we were asked to leave the bus with our bags. There was no clear explanation, so we assumed maybe he needed to get something on the bus fixed…an hour passed and still no bus! We were beginning to think of a new strategy - we'd mostly ruled out that we'd been ripped off as the number 2 guy was still with us - but still, with no idea where the bus was or whether he was even coming back, we needed to think of a way to get to where we needed to be. Eventually, the guy said that the bus was coming back - except this time, it wasn't our bus, it was the next one (they run hourly) and it was full to the brim!! We squeezed in, just about, and settled in for the 90 minute journey…that ended up taking about 30 - so all was not lost! Hannah, Elliott, Frewen and Juliet were all due to arrive in town that afternoon, so we went for a walk through town and grabbed an early dinner and waited for them.

It wasn't until about 9.30pm that we finally heard from them, after trying not to worry and think the worst (they were biking about 220km with very little in the way of villages etc along the way), so we went out and met them for a late beer and find out about their journey. Thankfully nothing too bad, a puncture and a snapped chain, we were just glad that they were all together as it meant that at least there was someone to push on ahead and get a mechanic!

So while the boys got their bikes fixed up and cleaned, we spent the morning…and then the afternoon relaxing by the pool the hotel they'd booked into. Just what was needed!

James and I rented some scooters again to join the gang on a loop around the national park and it was a pretty awesome day. A lot shorter than the other day, only about 50km, but the roads were amazing. Clear, empty and stunning views (lots of limestone karsts - or as Elliott calls them with his Hull accent - kasts!)! We stopped off a few times, had a hike through some botanical gardens, went to a war memorial where apparently there was a cave, which we didn't manage to find. Then up a little bit of the Ho Chi Minh highway where we found a nice little spot by the river for lunch - although it wasn't exactly easy for us less sure footed girls to get to…but worth it once we managed to get down! We picked up some random little trails, I think most of them we had to backtrack along though, one especially was not suited to being on a scooter at all!! Then stopped for a beer at the end of a random little suspension bridge - I just pointed my bike and went as quick as possible…I'm not a fan of bridges that wobble! It's probably one of the only times I've really wished we had a GoPro, every road was stunning and great fun. All rounded off with a dip/clean off in the pool! Perfect day before we all went our own ways the next day.

We took a little while trying to decide what to do next so ended up booking our bus to Hoi An at about 10pm that evening…it left at 4.15am the next morning! Being the last time we were going to see Hannah and Elliott, we said our goodbyes and gently persuaded them to come and see us in Japan next year for a holiday. We'll see! There was just enough time to get back, pack and get our heads down for a few hours. We'd decided to stay in Hoi An for a while though, maybe a week or so…might even get a chance to unpack the bags!