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Published: November 17th 2011
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As a solo traveller you experience the most tremendous highs and roughest lows. The places you go to can feed the soul with beautiful sceneries and fascinating culture but certain events can destroy your confidence and the people you meet can tarnish those moments or enrich them.
Muine was one of those good experiences, the people I met have contributed greatly to that enjoyment. The experiences we share with others clearly impact our perceptions of places and the way we choose to deal with them, either negative or positive, alter the way we remember them. Travelling alone is still scary, still daunting and leaves a female solo traveller vulnerable. I have met people who have been so affected by negative events, such as muggings, they become a shadow of their former self. One such example is a wonderful girl I met in Ho Chi Minh whom I stayed with for a few days in my hostel. On her first day, within the first hour of being in HCM she was robbed of the bag hanging around her body, ripped from her neck. That moment knocked her confidence, the experience terrifying her to the point of almost non-existence. She would never
leave the hostel alone, she never wanted to go far when in the company of others, and was so conscious of motorcyclists scurrying around her she was unable to enjoy the little time she spent venturing out of the hostel. After my experience there in the taxi I felt I could relate to her. We are vulnerable, places are immense and intimidating and the lack of language is restrictive. We feel powerless and we cling so tightly to controlling aspects of our lives it throws us when we find ourselves amongst towering neon lights in strange lands unable to comprehend how to complete the most menial tasks let alone how to communicate with others.
As I said, Muine was one of those good experiences. From the moment I stepped on to the bus I met two Australian girls to laugh away the long hours on the bus journey with. It could have all gone disastrously wrong, at one point I was desperate for the loo but the bus driver refused to stop and the tour guide ignored me. I found myself standing on the bus for just over an hour in desperate pain unable to sit. It took a
Vietnamese woman to scream at the bus driver for him to stop.
When I arrived at Muine I had no accommodation booked so the Ozzy girls invited me to stay with them at their hotel, only there was no room at the inn so instead I opted to stay next door. Here I found myself alone. At first I read a gripping novel by the beautiful infinity pool overlooking the choppy seas and then moved to sit outside my little villa when it started to rain (there was no electricity so had to read by what little light there was left of the day). I noticed the little Italian which was predictably called ‘La Taverna’, had lights on, so I picked up my book stuffed it under my waterproof jacket and ran through the pouring rain across the road to the little restaurant. I had resigned myself to eating alone with book for company but was not afraid to spend so much time by myself as I had spent all of Ho Chi Minh with people, wonderful people mind you, so I wasn’t feeling lonely yet. Just as I was about to sit, two girls at a table near
me asked me to join them at their table. At first I didn’t want to, I just wanted to be alone, but then thought, ‘why not?’, so I joined them. It’s amazing how kind people can be half way around the world. The next day I left the hotel and found another place which had been recommended to me by a girl I met on my last night in Ho Chi Minh.
Vietnam-Austria house was everything and more than I thought it could be. I booked for two nights but ended up staying six. On my second day I took the option of a guided tour run by the hotel which took us to fairy falls; a beautiful little waterfall which ran through red sand and orange cliffs, and the white sand dunes; a vast stretch of white dunes rising high against the contrasting greenery of Muine, and finally the red sand dunes; red sand piled high but unimpressive in size. Here I met Karina from Bulgaria, Siobhan from Zimbabwe/UK and Sarah from Denmark, three wonderful women who remarkably brightened up Muine. We traipsed up and down the steep dunes, well at least three of us did, Sarah decided
to roll down which turned out to be the more hilarious and vastly quicker option of descent. Back at the hotel I met Siobhan’s partner Stu who we found drinking at the reception/bar with John, the hotel owner. That night John took us out to a wonderful little place along the sea side away from the tourists. We were fed by a chef who had previously been head chef in a five start hotel – the food was good. That night we met Joel, a further addition to the group. And these were the people who contributed to my wonderful experience in Muine and so I stayed a little longer.
Muine is a quiet little beach resort notorious for sun, sea , sand, surf and a little night life. But although it gets touristy, it does not get as busy as some near-by bigger resorts like Na-Trang. Here it is possible to be the only person in a restaurant, or beach bar during the day. Most people stop for a day or two so there is a high turnover of people passing through but some, like myself, fall in love with the place and stay a little while longer.
I found myself not participating in the surf (I don’t like the sea – it scares me) but yoga which was run by Lex, a gentle ex-Australian rugby player. Here I would reluctantly attempt to bend my body in to awkward positions and breathing deeply until it hurt my lungs but I found it a most peaceful and enjoyable experience. After two years of marathon training, I felt for the first time I was properly giving my body the stretch it needed.
Days were spent laughing by the sea or at a beach bar called Sanskara (of which we were conveniently the only customers) complete with marble swimming pool and views of the sea. Nights were spent eating somewhere strange yet wonderful, sampling local cuisine followed by strawberry daiquiris and relaxing acoustic music at Joe’s cafe. The days passed in a blur until it came to the time my new friends Sarah, Siobhan and Stu were leaving for Dalat, Joel was leaving for Na Trang and Karina had already left us a few days earlier for Saigon. I was to be left all alone by the beautiful sea. So, I decided to tag along with my new friends to
Dalat. Why should the fun stop in Muine? Plus I felt sorry for Sarah as no one really liked her (Joke Ha Ha).
Next day, 7am, bus to Dalat: booked.
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GRACIELA
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Hi, from Argentina
I have very good memories of Mui Ne. Lovely place and lovely people. I recommend this place.