Sun Sea and Traffic Jams

Sun Sea and Traffic Jams

The people of this city are no different to others in wanting to make the most of a few public holidays. Trouble was, we were part of that throng of humanity that made their way out of Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday morning, planning a few days of sun and relaxation. A week or so ago we had decided to combine the two days of National Holiday with our weekend, joined with a day off from work, to create a five day break.

Catching the bus at 7.30 we joined half of the cities population at the bus station, before we found the rest of them a few miles down the track. Now, we talk about traffic jams but this was crazy. We traveled about 20 kms in just over 2 hours. The roads were packed with cars, buses of all sizes, trucks and of course motorbikes. The bikes had an advantage in that they could leave the roadway and travel along the dusty verge, creating another lane to the highway. Local buses were packed and the aisles full, a seat space that should hold two had six. People were perched on the window sills of the opened windows. We were going to Mui Ne, a fishing village come tourist resort at what is normally about a four hour drive from the city. This journey took us a little over seven. Mind you, just leaving the bus station was a challenge with 10 tour buses all going to Mui Ne that morning. Normally there are 2, one in the morning and one in the evening. No wonder we had trouble booking accommodation. Thanks to a good book and good conversation, the trip was enjoyable enough if not long.

We arrived at our water side hotel, settled in and took a walk along the beach. The sky was a little cloudy but the air was fresh. Shells of all sorts had been washed up on the beach and there were children digging in the wet sand and jumping the waves.

There are two towns close by here. Phan Thiet is famous for its production of fish sauce and salt harvesting. The stench that filled the air made no mistake of thinking you were somewhere else. Mui Nei, about 20kms further on, is a little fishing village which is well supported with tourism. Fortunately we were staying in Mui Ne, away from the fish sauce. I had been here before but it was James first visit. Oh, the other thing Phan Thiet is famous for is its golf course.

While James played golf, I lazed under the palm trees, watching the kite surfers playing in the wind. Before he was off the course, I changed hotel. No, not to get away from him, he knew about it. Because of the difficulty getting accommodation, we had to change hotels after one night.

Our second hotel was smaller but our bungalow opened onto the beach, so at night we were lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves. After dinner we would lie outside on sun beds but under the stars, listening to the water and the putt putting of the small fishing boats making their way out to sea. We watched their distant lights bounce on the waves as we consumed a bottle of wine and solved the problems of the world.

On our last day we hired a motorbike and had a look around. We stopped to look at the fishing village of Mui Ne, all of the boats anchored in a bay. Small round boats like woven baskets are used between the trawlers and shore and they are left on the beach filled with nets. Unfortunately, also left on the beach at the domestic end of the town are all types of rubbish, either half buried in the sand or lapping in the water. It is such a shame that this beautiful piece of coast is only kept clean in front of the resorts.

We rode the bike up to the dunes of red sand, children here with pieces of plastic trying to entice the tourists to slide down the dunes. They carry baskets of pearls and shells to sell, it is hard to resist their cute smiles and pleading eyes. I wondered why they were not at school but guess the little cash they get from the tourist justifies to their family the reason for them missing an education. Mind, you I have found these children to speak very good English, a little something extra gained from the tourists.

Further around the coast we stopped for a café sue da, a drink of coffee filtered into a glass, then mixed with condensed milk and topped with crushed ice. Just the thing on a hot day. Then back down for a drive through Phan Thiet before back to the hotel and a swim in the pool with cocktails delivered to the poolside. We had dinner with some friends, as I said everyone from Ho Chi Minh City was in Mui Ne.

The night skies were lit with an electrical storm so we sat on the steps that led from our bungalow to the beach and watched either the lightening or the crabs running sideways on the sand. It seemed a perfect way to end a holiday that was a relaxing respite. The next day we were on the bus but with less traffic, the trip unfortunately had us home too quickly.