21.02 Day 37 Mui Ne
Day 37 - Wednesday 21st Feb - Mui Ne
The fishing village of Mui Ne has sprawled to become a one road village spread along the coastline with hostels / guesthouses and waterfront bars interspersed with local businesses. One of them is the market I tried in the morning with fruit and veg sellers surrounded by (usually) older ladies selling a selection of fishes laid out on wider plates on the floor - the result of last night's catch.
Eating out or having takeaway everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner sometimes leaves you just wanting something simple (like the kids and their Cornflakes at our last place in Thailand), so I opt for just plain bread rolls from the market and some yoghurt.
Soon enough we’re all back in the tropical pool. After (10?) days of being sick and only getting slightly better, Kate and I finally visit a chemist and are given a cocktail of drugs including antibiotics. The afternoon follows a similar pattern to the morning, in and out the warm pool.
Whilst in the pool we notice a local guy wrap a piece of rope in a figure of 8 shape around his ankles and he’s using that to then hop up the coconut trees in the property. At 15 metres high, it's not for anyone scared of heights, or indeed a vague sense of self-preservation, but he is more than able to pull out a scythe and start hacking at the browning leaves and collections of coconuts, dropping to the ground with an ominous thud.
Dinner comes at a restaurant by the sea, before Sienna and I walk along the seafront to get an ice cream. The effects of coastal erosion means a sloping seawall has been built along the path above the beach and sand is only visible as the tide rolls out.
As darkness falls we can see hundreds of flittering red and green lights, each pair aboard the small circular fishing boats used in the area. No engine for the fishermen which means they can only go out as far as they can paddle before casting out their nets and waiting overnight.
Walking to the main road and along highlights another feature of Mui Ne; an over-index on Russian tourists. Unbuttoned shirts, short shorts, bum bag or sling chest bag and slip on sandals give them away before they even open their mouths. Plus, the foreigner menus are often written in Russian as well as English.
This more isolated location has allowed us some very nice accommodation, but has resulted in less food options - which, when needed for every meal, is a slight downside. We’d only booked one night at Mi Nonh Em and added a second on the strength of the pool, but tomorrow we’ll be on our way again.