Hairband & Champagne Party

---

---

Yesterday I had just woken up as Helen stretched and yawned and said "Happy Birthday Karen." Ah, I've reached 24. A knock on the door informed us that our bus had already arrived to take us from the cool and wet mountain climate of Dalat to the scorching heat of Mui Ne. After a quick baguette breakfast Helen, Julia and I boarded the bus - well really a delapidated mini van seriously lacking in suspension and of which we were the only passengers. We slept, bumped and sweated away the 4 hours to Mui Ne. At one stage a group of Vietnamese militants waved us down and loaded into the van, very smiley happy to be with the white western girls, chatting up Helen and taking photos of Julia. Eventually the rice paddies gave way to stunning red and white sand dunes as we descended into the 'aromatic' fishing village of Mui Ne. Arriving in the draining midday heat we traipsed around looking for a sea-front home and found a picture-perfect, secluded spot to step straight from the bedroom onto the sand. We didn't shower, just headed straight into the sea. Its warm like a bath here and the crests surge unexpectedly so that you're wet up to your chest when you are only walking in up to your knees.

Sunset was the time to begin celebrating and Helen brought champagne (present from Julia!) and a fruit platter to the beach. Donning brightly coloured hairbands we cracked open the bottle of what turned out to be Vietnam's finest, brightest, pink champagne and then Helen surprised me with some gifts - don't know how she managed it as we have spent the past 10 weeks in each other's pockets! After some texts from home we got ready for dinner. Julia, being the make-up guru she is, acted as resident make-up artist and so it was that 3 tanned beauties set off for the most expensive 4* resort in Mui Ne to spend the evening. It was divine. We drank cocktails, mmmed and aahhed at our meals and even treated ourselvers to dessert. It was dining paradise in one of those exotic garden under-the-palm-tree settings that you see brochures and it cost all but $40! I even had candles to blow out - on a delicious mango cheesecake. Absolute heaven.

Hopping on mopeds back to our resort we fell into our air conditioned luxury for a girly chat and peaceful, dreamful sleep.

What a great day!

---

Comments

[Mark]

Mango Cheesecake
Well Paradise seems like an okay place to spend your birthday doesn't it?! The new blog is much, much better ladies and your 4* adventures make me smile and move around in my chair a lot. x

[Briege]

jealousy
Couldnt be more jealous about your paradise bday if i tried!!! grr...