Vung Tau to Mui Ne

I woke up early this morning at the Huong Homestay in Vung Tau where I was booked for another 3 nights. I looked at options for moving to somewhere else in Vung Tau, going to Pham Theit or Mui Ne. I am already booked to stay in Mui Ne from Sunday 14th.

I also looked at bus options. Anyway to cut a long story short I researched all options for 2 hours and then booked a sleeper bus with Quoc Phu Yellow Bus to Mui Ne and an accommodation booking at Minh Khoi Guest House.

I wrote an explanation note to my Homestay host explaining that everything was good but I needed to go to Mui Ne today and would not return and then I translated that to Vietnamese and took it to her with all four days stay room payment. It was only $8 aud a night so it was worth it for me to just pay and move on.

She was still sad and confused and I tried to reassure her that everything was great because they and their home really were lovely but it was just too far away from anything and the address proved to be too obscure for taxi drivers to find. I am here for a stress free time and just don’t need those issues.

Anyway I got out of there past her sweet pouting face and walked to a local business in the hope of getting grab taxi to the bus station … I don’t even know at this stage if I am going to the right bus station but am winging it for now.

Ok the grab driver found me and took me to the correct bus station. I did have to ask around to find my bus but when I did they were more than helpful and even put my bag on with still an hour before departure. This gave me time to hunt down some food before the 5 hour journey.

I watched the world go by as I waited for my food at a street side restaurant … my bum firmly stuck in a little chair.

The food arrived and I started on the broth ... it looked like water with a few veges in it but the flavour was beautiful and so intense for a clear broth … the vegetables were cooked perfectly … it was my favourite part of the meal. The pork in the main dish tasted a bit funky but I enjoyed the egg and vegetables with some rice and the vinegar chilli sauce provided on the table.

Ok so back at the bus station I think I should find a toilet before getting on board. I have been trying to not use public toilets up until now … always not being too far away from my accommodation.

Ok so I find the toilet, the entrance area is a mess and there is a pile of flip flops on the floor and a lady on her phone. She gestures to me to take off my flip flops and put on one of the dirty pairs on the floor. She then asks for 30000 vnd $1.82 aud to use the toilet. She is sitting in a filthy environment on her phone collecting money for what … maybe she is saving up for new toilet seats … maybe she will find time in her busy schedule to empty the bin ... anyway it’s her life … hopefully she is enjoying it. For me it wasn’t a too bad experience … some of the food markets smell worse.

I am now on the sleeper bus, it took a bit of gymnastics (which I am not good at) to get into the low seat. I take up the full length of the seat so at 173cm or 5 foot 9 … you really would not want to be any taller than that to fit in.

We had a very quick stop at La Gi to use the toilets … they were ok and no lady there collecting money. By ok I mean that they were useable without feeling nausea.

I really enjoyed my bus trip to Mui Ne ... so much to see on the way … towns, temples, churches, bridges … well worth the trip.

Before arriving at Mui Ne the driver assistant came around and asked us for our accommodation details. I gave mine but also checked on maps for the address my accommodation had provided.

When we appeared to be in the middle of knowwhere and they were telling me to get off, I refused and said I was booked to Mui Ne and they should take me there. Oh fool me.

So I arrive at the Mui ne bus “place” and check my maps and decide to walk as I have not walked much today … despite many offers from taxis and bikes I walked 5km to my supposed accom with all my luggage to find that it is a burnt out building.

Despite the construction work going on I see some nice views on my walk.

I talk to some lovely neighbours who point me in a better direction … so some off road with my bag, dead end alleys, alleys that made me retch due to discarded fish waste, not to mention that I am in the back of beyond … solo female … I get back to a kind of main road where I might get some help … cos now I am needing help. It is now dark, my phone charge is low and I have walked way too much with still being 16km from where I need to be.

A motor biker offers me a ride but as he fumbles I decide that he is too dodgey so I tell him no and keep walking.

Ok so further down the road another guy asks to take me and he has a nice face 😀 so I say yes and ask how much.

He manhandled my heavy bag onto the bike and then I get on and he loses balance and I end up on the pavement with him and the bike on top of me.

He apologised profusely as I awkwardly pick myself up off the concrete. I have hurt my already bad arm and grazed my leg. Just some grazing with bruising showing already. So we go off down the road and I realise that I have no helmet .., he says no problem … I Am scared but it is nice feeling the wind in my hair.

I am not overly happy with the situation but I have run out of other options.

He drove very safely as I felt his vulnerability just as mine … he was just a guy offering me a ride and not a professional driver.

Anyway in the end we got to my accommodation. It was miles away so probably where the bus guy wanted to put me off.

This has to be the nicest place I have stayed .. lovely people and there is even a fridge in the beautiful room … I am loving this.

The lovely lady even wanted to treat my injured leg but I refused as really it is just nothing … very kind thoughts tho ❤️

I am just in need of vodka now and some chill out time before a good nights sleep and I will finish this tomorrow.

I feel better after a good sleep but my arm is sore.

I wanted to finish this today as I had another story to tell. After arriving here I went for a walk to get some food and drinks and I had my phone out as I was using maps. I must have put my phone down when I made my purchase as I did not have it when I got home. I still have my new phone but this was my old phone that I put a month of data on so that I could use it for maps etc when I was away from wifi. Anyway I will have to retrace my steps this morning and see if there is a rare chance that I can find it.

Not bad for 5 days away … my laptop is not charging and I have lost one of my phones.