Day Sixteen

We set out for MuiNe this morning. We set a redundant alarm on our travel clock knowing full well that we'd be up earlier than our alarm compliments the roosters below. And sure enough - 5am. Boom we're up. Roosters going wild - this time less annoyed because we knew it was coming - and somewhat amazed. How do they know to do that at precisely 5am?! We headed to our severely mediocre breakfast, and then down to check out. In a hurry - we rushed thru the check out and headed down the block to catch our bus to MuiNe. Expectant of a big awkward and strangely comfortable bus (like we'd taken before), we were concerned when our bus pulled up into queue. Perhaps a little larger than a conversion van, 20 some odd seats we crammed into this thing. We ended up being a little early and got to pick our seats, which were close to the front (for Jaydee - so she doesn't get car sick). After the van thing was full we sat waiting. All seats were occupied, and the four seats in the back held all of our luggage piling to the ceiling. Jade and I wondered why the wait. Now 20 minutes later as we impatiently waited, another 5 people walked up. They were to ride with us, but I didn't see how. They piled luggage in any available cranny and then folded out our awkward arm-rests. Whoa, those are seats? Very small, very uncomfortable seats at that, covered tightly with textured fake leather sure to produce a sweaty butt in the 4 hour trip down the mountain. The late arrivers from the Czech Republic were stuck with the worst seats on the bus... By far. Jade leaned over - that's why I was so worried to get here early - I quickly agreed.

We got moving and it was smooth sailing for a good 20-30 minutes. After that, we could feel the road beneath us in steady decay. It wouldn't be long before we slowed to a 10 mile per hour creep dodging van size pot holes, and curious piles of large stones piled 6 feet high and taking up half of the corroded street. We were headed down the mountain, gradually, switching back and forth. This in combination with the dodging of pot holes started making me a little nauseous! Jade, strangely, took it like a champ. We made a pit stop about an hour in, and not again until we arrived in MuiNe. The ride was not my favorite 4 hours in Vietnam.

We arrived in a central location in MuiNe. MuiNe is one long beach, that is adjacent another long beach on each side. Dubbed to be less touristy than Nha Trang, we thought we'd try our luck here. We cabbed it down the several mile long beach to our resort - the Canary. A large resorty place with a huge pool - swim up bar, and beach front property. After our time in Phu Quoc, we knew we liked to sit and read on the beach, but much rather swim in a chlorine-y fresh pool sans jellyfish and icky toes. Due to space limitations we were upgraded to the next level rooms - deluxe, or supreme, or whatever their tacky rating scale is. Two (smallish) queen beds on the second level overlooking the palm tree courtyard leading to the pool - leading to the pleasant windy beach, and finished off by the somewhat choppy sea. Our room was very nice and we were anxious to climb into our swimsuits and sit pool side soaking up the sun (this time with plenty of sun screen). 

We did just that - and it was quite nice. 

I would later find out that I had become sick with something. First it felt like a cold - then a fever - headache - coughing... I always give Jade crap for being dramatic when she doesn't feel well - and here I lay, entirely convinced that I had malaria, or at the very least dengue fever. The two beds in our room which seemed at first to be absurdly lavish turned out to be entirely necessary as I sat sweating and shivering, moaning and coughing - dieing for all I knew. I had that weird sensation when you move your eyes and your whole body feels a tickle or a buzz. I was a mess, and Jaydee took good care of me. She went down to the computers and read up on my malaria diagnosis, and returned with a game plan. If it persisted we would head to a doctors for a test. Until then, she was to break my fever. She rotated cold clothes on my stomach and back and had me take a cold shower. After a while, my fever did break and I fell asleep early leaving Jade to channel surf between Nat Geo, Discovery Channel, HBO (circa 5 years ago), and 20 odd terribly cheesy Vietnamese soaps. I woke up a lot and so did Jade. 

We made it thru the night - and in the morning I would feel about 50% better.