Today was one of those 1000 picture days. In true Blue fashion we started our day around 11AM (I do like my sleep) with some yummy breakfast, fruit shakes and iced coffee! We also decided to rent a scooter and go see some sights.
After breakfast we headed out to see the famous sand dunes of Mui Ne. This place is known for having some sweet red and white sand dunes looking more like a desert than tropical country. We read the dunes were pretty far but we didn't mind since having a scooter means freedom and free A/C!!!! After getting slightly lost and seeing some really pretty countryside we made it to the white sand dunes. It took almost an hour but it wasn't a bad drive at all. Once at the dunes we're greeted by the normal tourist stuff: 'rent my ____ here' or 'buy my ____ here.' We gave them a smile and moved along to the dunes and saw some people renting 4-wheelers (ATVs) for $10/20 minutes. Sold! Carolyn and I both rented one and set out for some awesome sand dune shredding! It was $20 well spent!
On the way back home we got pulled over at a random police check point. Great!!! The cop told us to get off the bike and step away from it. He then asked for my name and where I'm from. I said 'United States' about 5 times with no luck. He then pulls out a note pad and asks me to write it down which I do. After writing United States he says 'oh, United States.' Yes that's what I've been saying. But I keep my cool. He then proceeds to ask a few more questions like where's my license and registration? What do I do for a living and what's my birthday. I'm a little concerned that they're going to cart us off to some torture prison somewhere since my our country perpetrated the 'American War of Destruction.' But after a few more questions he seems like he going to let us go. He asks what I do for a living. I quickly conclude that he's gauging how money I make so he can decide how much he's going to fine / scam / rip me off. Rather than saying engineer I decide on another much poorer profession: student. He gives me a quizzical look and then says we can go. Yes!!! Outsmarted the con artists!!!
Further down the road we stop at the fairy stream which is supposed to be this wonderful little hike through dunes and other stuff. We pay 5000 dong ($0.25) to park and are led to a crappy little stream and told to start walking. The water is only ankle deep and the bottom is soft sand. The sun was on his way to bed so it's nice out and not too bright. We walk a little way and come upon this amazing gorge with huge red and white mud walls. It was beautiful! Water seemed to be coming from the wall but we couldn't figure it out until we followed a little slot canyon up the wall. Seriously the water was coming from the wall. Like its seeping out of the mud walls. Not from the top but the bottom. Craziest thing I've seen. Needless to say we took a million pics. A bit further up the mud walls opened up and we got to a small waterfall. All in all a great hike!!!!
So for dinner we drove down to a Mexican place a lady told us about the other night. On the way we realized we're not staying in the heart of Mui Ne. We'd read that the buses drop you off far away from the budget places hoping you'll stay at one of their 'partner' hotels. Well this is 100% true. It's not all that bad though cause our hotel is super nice, on the water and has a great pool. Anyway, we made it to the eatery and had some of the best food on this trip so far! Neither of us like Asian food very much so of course our amazing dinner consisted of pizza, fajitas and guacamole dip!!!! DELISH!
Tomorrow we're gonna lounge around the pool and do a little planning. Got a trip to Italy to work on!!!!
Pics:
1) Carolyn on the ATV!!!
2) Local lady in the fairy stream.
3) Ostrich. There were places that you could take a rise on an ostrich. One guy did it although he said he weighed 220 lbs! The poor bird almost buckled under his weight. I couldnt watch so I left. Awful.
4) Us in the fairy stream.
5) looking down one of the little slot canyons at the fairy stream.
6) The view from our hotel.
7) looking over the fairy steam.
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