Hmm, where did I leave off. I have been slacking on my nightly writing recaps. The medical mission group stayed at a very nice hotel in Saigon (Hotel Rex). We did one clinic at a deaf school and saw lots of kids. We had group dinner at a pho restaurant, and many seemed to have an upset stomach after. My stomach of iron was unaffected, as usual. The next morning, we headed to clinic at a place where the police bring street kids after they are arrested for selling lotto tickets or such. Not as many kids as the previous day and we also had some government official doctors helping out, as it was time for the kids yearly check ups. My favorite moment was when a 13 year old boy sat down at my triage station, took a hard look at me and asked where I was from. I said America. He immediately shook his head, and with a smirk said "NO." He pointed to his cheeks and then my cheeks and said "Vietnam... Same." I laughed and said yes.
The next day, I set off to Dong Hoi. The caving company, Oxalis, picked me up to transfer me to Phong Nha just in time for our safety meeting. I was pleased to find out that the group was half men and half women, as when I asked several months ago, I was the only female that answered. Our group also lucked out to have one guide, Howard, who was on the original survey team when the cave was discovered, as well as another experienced caver from Tasmania, John, who was also an ICU/ER nurse. I felt comfortable and the group all got along really well. Slept at Oxalis, the caving company's hotel in Phong Nha.
Cave Day 1, we had a group breakfast and took off around 9am. Nice to sleep in after weeks of early clinic starts. Bussed to the trail cave head with our group of 10 and our 3 guides/cave experts and met up with our porter and chef team of about 25. 
Set off down the mountain through the jungle full of bird and cicada noises, splashed through rivers over and over, went through a small village, crossed more rivers, entered the mouth of Hang En (the third largest cave in the world). We put on our provided cave helmets, gloves, and head lamps and climbed a rocky incline. 
At the top was a spectacular view down to a lake, sandy beach and our first campsite. Scurrying down, we each found our labeled tents the porters had set up and grabbed our gear that the porters had carried in. I blew up my thermarest I had brought for extra sleeping comfort and used it as a raft, floating in the lake and admiring the beauty of the cave. The chef made a fabulous meal with tons of food. 
At night, our guide Howard gave us some photo tips (he had taken some of the first ever photos of the cave) and we tried doing some light painting. Our group clicked really well and we all had fun. We stayed up chatting and watching the lightening storm visible out the cave entrance while listening to the sounds of the thousands of dragontail swiftlets and watching a few lightening bugs fly around in the cave.Cave Day 2, we woke up and breakfast was ready. My clothes and shows were still damp (but the driest they would be for the rest of the trip) and a little bit bird poopy.
I had ordered beef and egg pho, as it actually makes a great breakfast to give you energy. We headed up a steep wall of rocks, more river crossings and marveled at the cave landscape. It truly is another world in there. Stalactites, stalagmites, cave pearls, sparkling rock... Truly incredible. 
The group goes at a good pace, giving time for some attempts at photos even though clouds are continually rolling through the caves. Back out in the jungle, we hike up and have a lunch stop before getting our harnesses on for the descent into Hang Son Doong, the world's largest cave. 
I am continually impressed by the professionalism of the cave organization as they deal with a constantly changing landscape as rivers rise, trails wash out, or rocks crash down to change paths. It is an enormous obstacle course. The cave entrance is impressive as clouds roll in and out and the cool air hits my face. More bouldering about, waist deep river crossings and fun and we see our second campsite at the bottom of a steep, slippery climb down. Another excellent meal for dinner (I love that the Vietnamese seem to believe in eating as frequently as I do).
Cave Day 3, we hike to dolines, which are where the cave roof has fallen in and streams of light appear. Jungle vegetation grows under these openings. 
We had all heard a big crashing boulder earlier, and John runs ahead to check the safety of our route. We go in smaller groups, taking time for photos. The lush green in areas where light can break through is a stark difference to the cave landscapes. We eat lunch at an amazing spot, watching the sun illuminate the jungle and cave structures, with reflection in small cave pools. 
The cave is very cloudy, making photography difficult with the strange light reflection, but it is beautiful to watch the cloud formations roll past us. We hike through more rivers before hitting campsite three. We then head for the "Great Wall of Vietnam", a limestone wall at the end of the cave. 
We see a very large cave spider and a "scary hairy mary" which is some kind of evil looking, large, many legged cave creature. Both moved frighteningly fast, making for bad photos in the dark. We also get to see "fields" of amazing cave pearls. There are boats, as sometimes the passage turns into a lake. But the water is not enough for the boats, so we don life vests and start slogging through the narrow muddy river passage, surrounded by walls of mud. The water gets deeper and deeper until we can't touch the bottom any more and we are swimming in the cold water. We finally jump out of the water, slosh through mud that sucks your shoes in place when you try to walk. 
A slippy short walk takes us to the wall (where there is another emergency escape route placed by the cave experts). We take a quick "bath" in a less muddy part of the river on the way back to camp. That night after dinner, we play cards after dinner. There is the local rice wine consumed, as is every night, plus a bonus bottle of wine shared by someone in the group. We play some stacking card game that starts over a coffee cup and quickly moves to the wine bottle. I also try to teach the Vietnamese guide hearts, but not sure I was all that successful.
Cave Day 4, it is nice to wake up to everyone wishing me a happy birthday. We have our breakfast and head all the way back out of the cave in one day back to our first campsite at Hang En. We take a different route and hope for better weather conditions for photos, but no such luck. Still a blissful day being in the cave. 
At times, I feel like I am walking on another planet (actually, in our briefing/safety meeting, Howard said that until recently, more people had been on the moon than in Hang Son Doong). I love all the climbing around on harnesses up ladders and ropes. 
I spent as much time in the cave as possible, stalling until I am the second to last out. My request to just live in the cave and eat chocopies from visiting tour groups is denied. Lame sauce. We reach camp, go for a much needed lake bath and swim and have dinner. After dinner, I am asked to close my eyes. When I opened them, everyone had sparklers lit up and there were bottles of wine and a rose that the porters had been carrying that whole time. There was a happy birthday card made on the back of a chocopie box and the porters wrapped a little present for me and gave me a paper flower. A most memorable birthday and so appreciative for our awesome group for making it special, even on day four in a remote cave.
Cave Day 5, the last day, we get a little earlier start to try to beat the heat. The walk through the valley is still hot in the sun. Luckily, we have the endless river crossings full of colorful butterflies to help cool us off. We see a snake slither out of the river and I also narrowly avoided stepping on one as we hike up out of the valley. 
The exiting group crosses paths with the next entering group on the steep path out of the valley. We had decided the night before to play a prank on them, remembering how we our anticipation mixed with a little anxiousness of the unknown. 
So after the last river crossing, we use supplies from my first aid kit and a few of the Oxalis kit to put fake bandages covered in iodine fake blood and slings. I guess that is what happens when two ER nurses are in a group together. Of course, unknown to us, some bigwig Vietnamese head of park tourism is the first to pass us and he looks very concerned. John tries to explain it was a joke, but he did not look too happy. The next group got a good laugh, though. Back on the bus back to civilization, I realized how wonderful and relaxing it was in the cave, even with the strenuous scrambling. It seemed like reality was suspended in there for five days, and I could almost feel the weight of everything returning as the bus got further from the cave. We slept at a brand new company hotel/farmstay, Chap Loy, about a half hour from Phong Nha. They greeted us with champagne. It was a great place, but only opened a few weeks ago and they are still working out the kinks. But back to electricity, showers, non-rice husk toilets, cell service, and internet. We had a group dinner at the hotel and were given medals for completing the tour and took a group picture (only after donning the colorful rice paddy hats from the wall if the restaurant). After sharing such an adventure, I was sad to say goodbye to everyone.Today I returned to Ho Chi Minh City and had a long layover before my flight to Phu Quoc Island. I needed to find an iPhone charging cord. None in the airport, the information booth sent me to a mall across the street. They didn't have them either, but it was nice to get out of the airport and I grabbed a decent lunch at some food court thing on the top floor. Seeing a pilot who spoke English and had an iPhone, too (most Vietnamese use Samsung as it is cheaper). He sent me down the road and I walked for a while in the heat, but found nothing and no English speakers to be found. Stopped for coffee and managed to communicate with a guy that worked there who gave me directions and let me leave my big backpack at the coffee shop. Walked for a while and still couldn't find it. Returned to the coffee shop, and the guy offered to take me after he got off in half an hour. Super nice! Free motobike ride in heavy traffic with both backpacks is always a fun adventure. Then haggled for a motobike ride back to the airport (guy wanted 50,000 dong or about $2.50 and we settled on 20,000 dong or about $1... Getting better at my haggling skills!). Now in my beachside spot in Phu Quoc for some rest and relaxation. Used to be a quiet fishing island ten years ago and now tons of resorts and city shops to the point it is almost unrecognizable. Guess I didn't need to rush to get that iPhone charger before leaving the city after all. But I booked as far out from the busy area as I could and am on the northwest part of the island, which is more quiet and like I remember. My bungalow is super nice, and after a snafoo at the airport, they are now being very nice. I am exhausted and can use some mellow, quiet time.
Back in a week! Attached are a few photos I took with my phone in the cave. Hopefully there are better on my camera, or cameras of others in the group since we all agreed to share. Also, a medical mission person made a fabulous video and posted it, which you can watch on youtube.
Love,
Betsy
We had a free half day in Sapa. I woke up at sunrise and headed out to continue breaking in my caving shoes and get my legs ready for the climbing in the cave. I set out on a path through a calla lily field, meandering through dirt paths into the valley below. Crossing through farm fields and little villages, following paths and the Hmongs to get down. One family invited me in for tea, which was nice. Cat Cat village is now the start of many tours, and dirt paths are now paved and super touristy. 
Went the other direction, enjoying all the water buffalo on the way. I still want a water buffalo. They have the sweetest faces and are generally pretty mellow. Do you think I could keep it on my balcony and ride it to work? Maybe as some sort of a service animal?? Anyhoo, saw some village kids head into the valley to a beautiful river. 
They were fishing with plastic bags tied to sticks and swimming, so I joined them. After they ran off, I crossed the river on a bamboo bridge and climbed up part of the mountain. Afraid I wouldn't make it back to the bus on time, I scurried back down into the valley and straight up the mountainside on slippery dirt paths. Huffing and puffing, the little Hmong 80 year old women effortlessly passed me, offering their hands to help me up, or watching me to make sure I got up okay. A man let me even go through his house as a shortcut through the village. 
Made it back to town for a quick shower before boarding the bus for the six hour bus ride to Hanoi. Grabbed my favorite bun at a rest stop that is one of my favorites. It is like the Vietnamese version of a Hot Pocket filled with a boiled quail egg and rice noodles, minced pork and mushroom in a gravy. The Vietnamese mission people were worried it would make me sick, but my iron stomach wins again.
Our free day in Hanoi was pretty rainy. Our hotel was right near Ho Kiam Lake. I walked around the lake and then meandered the narrow streets, stopping for coffee or eating random things along the way. During the heavy rain, I visited the Women's Museum, which was very interesting. I liked the drawings of what young people thought "gender equality" looked like. One of a woman slaying a dragon to rescue a man in a tower and another of a few women sitting enjoying beers together while the man was at home watching the kid and cleaning the kitchen. 
People continue to speak Vietnamese to me when I am not with the group. At one point at the museum, an artist setting up asked her Vietnamese counterpart, "Can you speak with her in your language?" pointing to me. Ha! Continued to eat my way through Hanoi and practiced with my cave lens at night around Ho Kiem Lake. I love this city.
The next day was our free day in Hoi An. I went to wander the town early. Next, I hit up the market. Lots of hustle and bustle, even in the drizzle. 
Maybe I ate some snails picked out of the shell by this sweet little old woman with her dirty fingernails. But she wanted me to try them, and they were really delicious! I then set off for a long walk. I only make it a few miles before a group of people eating, drinking, and playing music invite me to join them under the jackfruit tree. They feed me and offer me beers, not accepting any money. Eventually, I excuse myself, signaling that I need to keep walking. 
They nod in understanding and I continue walking along the river. End up in some fishing/pottery village and find a place for afternoon coffee with a sweet grandma and her little grandson. Other villagers come by and we use Google translate to try to talk to each other. I stay a few hours and one of the guys offers to give me a motorbike ride back to the hotel. We stop for dinner and agree to coffee later that evening.
We load up our truck of medical gear with everyone's second checked luggage bins reserved for the mission and hop on our bus for about an hour and a half bus to a city called Viet Tri. We arrive at our hotel and unload all the medical bins. I meet my roommate Kate, who seems nice and is a Pediatric Resident who is about to start her last year in ER Peds. Dropped my backpack in the room and immediately headed out for a walk around the city for a little bit and checked put the local market. No one really speaks any English here, and everyone speaks to me in Vietnamese first, any way (and often continues to speak to me in Vietnamese, even when it should be pretty clear that all I understand is the Vietnamese words for coffee and ice cream).
Dinner was prepared for the group by the hotel. And then the exhaustion hit and I crashed out, too tired to care about the beeping motorcycle horns and cars under my window, or the super hard Vietnamese mattress (man, I forgot how hard these things are). Luckily, I have my thermarest with me for the cave trip, and it makes for a super comfy sleep if blown up and put on top of a hard mattress. May start traveling with it everywhere.
We head to nearby Kings Hung Temple as a group by bus. Fun few hours of sightseeing. It was a cloudy day, so not much of a view at the top. At least I got to walk a lot of stairs. Later, we visit the school for children with special needs. A few kids live there who were left at hospitals. Many are deaf and some with developmental delays. This is followed by a really yummy dinner at a local restaurant, as a treat from the school director.
Next morning was another bowl of pho at the 6:30am breakfast, and then off for our first clinic. I will be in triage, which for this is mainly vital signs and moving kids through to the doctors. There are two other Americans (both Physician Assistants) and two Vietnamese nurses in triage with me. The kids already receive their hygiene and teeth brushing lessons before getting to us. We send them over to the doctors and then they hit the dental area before getting to pick out a toy. 
Things seem to run relatively smoothly for Day 1 and with a half day clinic, I think we saw about 84 kids. Afterward, we head back to the hotel. I sit at the little stand for a bit, practicing English with the daughter (she brought her English lesson book and we point to stuff). Get another coffee and they fill my water bottle with tea, as I say goodbye and the group gets back on the bus for a 5.5 hour bus ride to Sapa. Some of the Vietnamese crew makes a pretty tasty dinner and serves us on the bus.
Nicer hotel in Sapa (but still unsure why this trip costs each volunteer about $125 per day plus airfare, with shared rooms) and I was a bit saddened by all the changes to the area since I was here ten years ago. Paved roads, lots of neon flashing lights for pizza joints, a tram to the highest mountain in Vietnam, and bars blaring Bob Marley music. This was my favorite place in Vietnam before, and while it was kind of touristy before, now it is way more so. But the scenery as the fog rolls over terraced rice fields and friendliness of the people is still near and dear to my heart. There is something unexplainable that really draws me to this area and people.
Our first clinic in Sapa serves 240 ethnic minority Hmong middle schoolers. There are three of us in triage (mainly just vital signs, as we don't have an interpreter). I also jump out of triage to do any wound care or splints that come up. Lots of head lice, a probable broken forearm/elbow, and a heart murmur with clubbed fingers. Long day, but lots of fun. 
A group of us want to walk back to the hotel, but are told "it is too dangerous", even though the Hmongs are trekking up and down the road all day. Ha! Whatever. Being told we have a totally free evening, only to find out it is another group dinner at some hotel restaurant is making me beyond annoyed. Having absolutely no alone time for days on end and a group leader, Raina, that is forever telling us we can't do things in our free time sucks. But after dinner, I find a meat on sticks place that you point to what they want and they grill it for you. Looks delicious! I tell my roommate (who is a kind of vegetarian) that I am coming back the next night for dinner. I peek inside, and there is some of our Vietnamese crew (truck driver, head nurse, and a few others). They invite Kate and I in and feed us more. "Vegetarian" they say to Kate, until I point out it is wrapped in bacon. They laugh and remove the bacon for her with chopsticks... Really good shredded mushroom wrapped in bacon. They also bought us each a beer. So kind... I feel bad that the Vietnamese crew and American crew seem to remain separate, other then the translators. I tend to stick withe the Vietnamese crew (even with the language barrier), trying to sit with them at group meals and help them when they "serve" the Americans meals and such.
The next day is another early morning, this time with younger kids at the Hmong elementary school. We carry our heavy bins of gear down 80-90 steep uneven stairs to get to the school, which is out in the terraced rice fields. Haven't heard the final numbers for today, but I think we only saw around 120 kids. They were adorable! These kids were very poor. You could tell they tried to put on their best clothes, whatever that outfit may be. They each received a bag with a few donated clothing items and toys. I found one little boy in tears, and found a translator to find out what was wrong. He either lost his bag or didn't get one. So sad. 
On a break, some of the girls went to go play on the rice fields and I went to sit with them. One of my favorite girls had been given a Barbie doll (which I know the donation came from a good place, but I and at least one other man on the mission found it kind of inappropriate to give a blonde hair, blue eyed, big boobed doll to an ethnic minority girl). She promptly ripped the head off and threw it down the hill, giggling and sitting down to play with her now headless doll. Totally my hero! We finally got to have dinner on our own... Well, on our own except we can't leave the hotel without a buddy. My roommate agreed to not tell anyone and I snuck off for a few blissful hours of alone time. 
I went back to the food on sticks place and ordered almost one of everything (including some tiny, unidentifiable bird thing). The owner and workers were really kind and also gave me part of their dinner they had made for their family. I saw our truck driver and another one of the Vietnamese men that bought us beer they night before walking past, and invited them to join me for a beer. Much needed night of independence from the watchful eye of the mission leader.
Woke up early and meandered through the French Quarter, looking at all the architecture. Halloween is just around the corner and lots of places had their decorations out. I tried to check out a cooking class, but the few I found while walking around seemed hectic, overcrowded, and overpriced. 
I happened upon the 
We head over to the nearby Westin Hotel, where the lobby is on the 11th floor. It is has great views of the Mississippi River and the French Quarter. Benjy then heads to work and I wandered the waterfront for a while longer, catching the sunset over the Mississippi River until it gets dark. 
I head over to check out the swank, historic bar where Benjy works. The city looks different at night with the buildings lit up. I walk down Bourbon Street and was instantly turned off...ugh. It is still early, yet there is already drunks throwing up and yelling far too loudly. Not for me. Arrive at Benjy's bar in a beautiful hotel. 
Just like old times, Benjy makes me a few delicious drinks at his bar. I enjoy them and then head back to the house for some shut eye. On the way back, I run in to a woman selling homemade hot food from disposable aluminum trays on a sidewalk. It smelled great and we all know random street food is one of my favorite things, so I of course, enjoy a plate.
I wake up early the next morning and head out. The street cleaners are hard at work, cleaning up after the city's previous night shenanigans. I catch the trolley to City Park with the help of some locals. Everyone seems so nice and chatty. I head to check out the 
It is a beautiful space, with a pond and fun trees covered in Spanish moss with art hanging from the branches. There is literally art every where you look and it works well with the landscaped natural environment. There are several famous pieces I recognize, and many artists I am unfamiliar with but fall in love with their work. 
Pretty sure this is the best sculpture park I have ever been in and if I lived here, I would be hanging out here frequently. I finally head back around lunch time and pass a very crowded muffaletta sandwich spot. I join the line and order a sandwich from the guy at the register, waiting for an open seat. Business is brisk and the sandwich is enormous and yummy. 
I head back and meet up with Benjy, after he wakes up. Benjy gives me a quick tour of Crescent Park, a nearby park that had recently been redone and runs along the waterfront with walking/biking paths and renovated industrial wharf space open to the public. We walk along it in to the French Quarter, as we had booked an afternoon swamp tour on an airboat with 
They came and picked us up in the French Quarter and off we went. The drive was only about 40 minutes away. As you get away from the city, it quickly gets less and less populated. We arrive at the boat launch in Lafitte, go over quick rules and head out to the swamp. Super touristy, but our group is nice and small. I actually really enjoyed just drifting along through the trees covered in hanging Spanish moss... there was something kind of magical about it. 
We see several alligators, ranging from a baby to large ones. We also saw lots of birds and a racoon (that hopefully didn't later get eaten by a hungry alligator). They drove us back to the city and as we walked back to the house, a wedding party complete with marching band danced past us. Because...New Orleans.
The next morning, Benjy and I get up and head out early to visit the 
We grabbed lunch and then headed over to try to find the parade route of a Second Line winding around the Treme-Lafitte neighborhood. I had read up about Second Lines prior to my visit and looked up on the 
People set up tables along the route and sell food. People pass by selling jello shots out of cooler bags or load bars or smokers full of BBQ in to the back of pick up trucks. I had a blast. we followed for quite a ways, but had to break off as I wanted to catch the last part of the free Crescent City Blues & BBQ concert for the evening in the Lafayette Square Park. 
It was the 10th annual festival and featured The Funky Meters (who included George Porter, Art Neville, Terrance Houston, and Brian Stoltz and Terrence Houston) and special guests Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas. We arrived to live music and the smell of BBQ wafting through the air from the numerous selection of food vendors. We grabbed a seat in the grass and enjoyed a beautiful sunset, amazing music, and a delicious dinner.
He even gave me a tour inside an abandoned house across the street of a friend who had since died and his house has sat empty. I had put my camera away, for the most part while walking around, but he said it was fine if I wanted to take some photos of the house. He told me of the owner of the house, who loved doing woodwork, and it still showed in all the care and attention to detail that survived. 
The elderly gentleman explained that he still watches over the house and keeps an eye out for people trying to break in and steal or wreck stuff. We sat and talked about some of the racial disparities in New Orleans, as with his age, he had seen and experienced so much. We parted ways, as he was heading to the food bank. He was such a kind, prideful man and he expressed his shame in having to use the food bank. I tried to treat him to breakfast as a thank you, but he declined and we said our goodbyes.
Needing a break from walking for a bit, I caught the bus from the lower Ninth Ward back towards the French Quarter and then connected with the trolley to head up to the the Metairie Cemetary I had read about. As New Orleans is built below sea level, the dead could not be buried in the ground. 
Large, ornate tombs and mausoleums were used instead. First checked out two older cemeteries across the street and then headed to the Metairie. It was huge... so much that it would be easy to get lost. Chatted with a grounds worker who said she used to sleep in the cemetery when she was a homeless youth. She knew it so well, she ended up getting a job there. After several hours of meandering and enjoying the solitude and peace and quiet, I headed back to the lively French Quarter. Met up with Benjy in a sports bar to watch a football game in a bar. 
We walked towards the main entrance and saw the faded Six Flags sign which still said "Park closed for storm" since, at that time, they had no idea how big of a deal it would really be. We immediately saw a security guard paroling the parking lot and there was a set up like they were filming something. We decided to head another direction. 
We walked the perimeter and found a path, but a big yellow sign announced "Dangerous Animals Present"(and maybe a no trespassing sign). As we had already seen one huge alligator, we decided against entering here and kept walking around the perimeter. We reached the back side of the park, where you could 
see the old roller coaster and ferris wheel across a lake that had several alligators sighted in it. Kept walking past the lake and found some strewn about old amusement park memorabilia amidst the grass (old signs, pieces of ride cars).
There was an opening in the fence, so we headed in. The park is currently a kind of a time capsule. Offices were left just as it was on the day the hurricane hit, and we found a newspaper from August 2005 still on the floor. Amusement park rides are left to rot. Roller coaster rides are being taken over by grass and weeds. 
Once colorful bumper cars are left just as they were, bright colors now fading away. An office stocked with employee uniforms had shelves and clothes scattered on the ground. Kids toys lay randomly strewn about the park and old ceiling fan blades saturated with water now drooped downward. There is complete silence, other than the occasional groan of things shifting in the wind. 
Some disrespectful people have graffiti tagged or damaged stuff (I wish people would stop doing this and ruining it for others). Mostly it has been left alone, exactly how it was when Hurricane Katrina hit. It was both eerie and beautiful. I am so glad Benjy went with me and that we were there on a bright, sunny day. I can't even imaging how freaky this place would be alone or at night.
After our successful adventure, we head back to the house. Benjy suggests heading to 
We found a great spot to spend the last evening, watching the birds and families having picnics as the sun set over the river. As dark falls, we head back and stop to grab dinner at Ignatius Eatery. We shared a sampler plate of alligator and boudin sausage and I had crawfish etouffe as my last dinner in New Orleans.