MInd Blowing Mui Ne

Right now I am fighting for table space with a pig in our resort's lobby.  I need to use the plug in for out laptop and the only plug in spot is right by this 4 foot cooked pig (randomly sitting here).  This pig looks absolutely delicious, very strange that it's just sitting there but I think might take it with us.

From Ho Chi Minh City we took a bus 5 hours down Vietnam's national highway to a small town called Mui Ne.  Vietnam's national highway is nothing like our trans Canada highway I can tell you that.  Here the speed limit is 40 km, but every one goes 140 km, the lanes are one way each way filled with people, cows, crashed scooters, and anything else you can imagine that acts as a obsticle for the bus driving to dodge.  To say the least it was one heck of a ride here.  Oh yeah and when you drive in Vietnam if you want someone to get out of your way, simpy lay on the horn!

Ho Chi Minh's busy streets

We arrived in Mui Ne, safe and deafend by the horn,  which is a coastal town that extends along side the South China Sea and is simply one 10 km white sand beach.  It is quite a nice place to go and simply unwind, relax and try to catch a few waves, although the season we are in now the waves are smaller.  

Missie Checking the view from our $15 a night resort

The day after we arrived we spent the entire day cruising around Mui Ne on a couple slick bikes trying to find a new place to stay because Reece Riopel was on his way to meet us.  These bikes were top of the line 1960's style with the basket in the front with a curve shape frame, boy did we look cool.  By the end of the day we were sweaty, near 3rd degree sun burns, each nursing a bloody toe, about 20 km biked (5 of them with our packs on) but successful.  We found an absolutely fantastic place for only $15 (shared three ways) right in the main part of town on the beach and everything else one can dream of. 

 

Missie modeling our sweet rides.

It has been a wonderful treat to be able to see Reece and spent some time with him.  Our trip has jsut begun, however a familiar face from home is very much enjoyed, especially when its a good buddy like Reece.  We spent the next fews days just eating our faces off at this extremely cheap, but good place, eating piles of food for next to nothing and then, boogy boarding and cruising around on scooters.  We sadly did trade in our economicly efficient bikes, for a little faster and cooler scooters.  Funny thing is that when we rented the scooters the guy told us that if we see any police to keep driving.  He told us  " you si poolice men, you go fastr, no stop".  We said ok and did what he said a few times.

Me and Reece eating Pho soup at a local food stand. (3 AM!)

I tell you this traveling stuff is pretty good! This right outside our room.

Reece filling up with gas.  Filling up with gas in Vietnam is pretty clever.  You have your big drum of gas and pump it into a cyclinder which has makers all the way up it showing 1, 2, 3,4 so on liters, then a drain in the bottom.  Once they open the drain gravity does its job and gas goes down the hoes into the gas tank, just like a big bong!

Relaxing on bean bags in our beach bar.

surfs up!

Hello Everyone! Shaun and I wanted to go at this blog entry together, he tells a pretty good story so I will try to keep it just as interesting for you! 

As Shaun has said, Reece decided to hop on a plane and join us over here from Thailand! What a surprise! One day Reece called up Shaun to chat and let him know he was thinking of Vietnam and before you know it they had it all perfectly organized and he was here!  We were so happy to see him, we all stayed up most of the night catching, laughing and hearing thailand stories.   Within a few days of Reece's arrival his traveling buddies Gail and Kevin hopped on a plane and joined us too. Wow, talk about unexpected great company!  From then on we have all been having a great time here in Mui Ne. In fact, we have been having so much fun together they have decided to come with Shaun and I to our next stop Da Lat.

Our traffic jam! Whats yours? 

Let me catch you up on all the latest, and all the fun we had here in Mui Ne:

We have spent some good quality time down at the beach; Reece, Shaun, Neno (german friend) and I rented boogy boards and road the waves all one afternoon.   The waves were so good that day we even thought of renting surf boards and giving it a real go.  We also though about trying out the kite surfing ( which looks very neat, somewhat like wakeboarding but you are harnessed to a kite, which pulls you like the boat would I guess. We would sit and watch them surfing for a while and if they do a jump or a trick and if  it gets them air they literally float in the air like 10 feet above water for as long as they want.) But we were really enjoying our boogy boards so we stuck to just that. 

We had another beach day when Gail and Kev were here, we hung out in the pool and spent a loooong time playing soccer and sepak takraw, of course I loved that! Shaun and I are now on the search for our own takraw ball so we can keep playing  when our friends leave. 

A few days ago when we had our scooters we took a nice coastal drive, it felt like we were driving  California's coast it was such a beautiful drive.  We really had a great chance to see Vietnam's country side.  And, what a beautiful country  it really is.   On our drive, we headed to the sand dunes, checked out a little canyon, drove by the at the local fishing villiage and stopped to talk to a local lady who was working hard in her field ( as she filled big bags up with cow poop and tossed the bags into big baskets which she carried propped up on her shoulders.) 

Gail, Reece, Kevin

Vietnam Coast

Grave yard

Canyon Pictures

The sand dunes did not even feel like Vietnam, we felt like we were in Egypt. They went on forever! We all climbed to one of the dunes peaks just to admire the view  and then did summer salts and flips off the top.   

At one sand dune we were swarmed by young children begging us to slide down the dune on crazy carpets, and I mean they would not leave us alone. They surrounded  Reece, formed a circle around him and would not even let him walk a foot until he finally said he would go for a slide.  AND Even then, they still followed us fighting among each other and poking at us wanting to know which kid we would pay to use their slide. We were getting so overwhelmed and frustrated by these kids, we even had to start to snap at them to give us some space and we promised to slide but only if  they left us alone for a few moments to enjoy ourselves. It was so sad to see how different children live here. I felt awful getting upset with them harassing us and begging ( I even offered free money to one little boy who then refused it and got mad at me because it wasn't enough and he asked for more ) I know they do not know any different but it is a definite test of patience. 

However, all in all the people are fantastic. The thing about Asia that you do not see in Canada is how happy the people are. They are just simply happy, they take the time to say hello, to smile and to enjoy the day as it comes, which is one lesson/experience (among many others) I wish to take home with me and incorporate into my life.  

So far, this trip has been nothing short of perfect. We are having a great time, staying happy and healthy. Have great friends and great weather with us right now.  We are lovin life, livin the dream! Carpe Diem!  Love you all.  

xo Missie