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We woke to a glorious sun soaked morning with one intention only...... to spend all day at the beach. I had a very mediocre, overpriced breakfast at the hotel which had the most measly looking baguette you have ever seen. It did not put me in the best mood and the service in this place is terrible. You wait bloody ages for everything and normally you never get what you asked for.
I wouldn't let this bother me though as the golden sands awaited and as usual we had the whole place to ourselves. Again, as usual, the woman tried to overcharge me for the deckchair even though the price remains printed on the sign. They will always try it these crafty Vietnamese lot, honestly, it wears you thin!!
I enjoyed my haggled deckchair whilst Sarah soaked in as much sunlight as she could manage. It was very hot today and even she could only manage 15 minute intervals. The sand was so hot as well, you literally had to run across the beach if going barefoot. Even with flip flops your feet would slip off the soles and burn as you walked over the unevenness of the sand. I went on my mission to find cheap beer and succeeded after a brief negotiation, yes you do haggle for beer. The ice cold beer went down far too well and we both thought, sun, beach, beer, quietness....... equilibrium had once again been restored.
Our whole day spent on the beach and the only other people we saw as a couple of western lads who only stayed for an hour or so. This beach is a little gem and you don't even get hassled at all. Apparently on the more tourist ones more south towards Hoi An, you get hawkers approach you constantly. I appreciate these people are trying to earn money and I think it is noble. My issue is the utter pointless crap they try and sell you on a beach whilst your sunbathing. Why try and sell ornate wooden elephants and things now, trying and sell me a beach ball or a cricket set for Christ sake. Maybe even a bucket and spade..... anything beach related, something useful, honestly...... OK rant over for now.
We had a peaceful afternoon on the beach before heading back where Sarah spent a good few hours scrubbing our laundry in the bin... yes the bucket still hadnt appeared so she was using the scrubbed out bin. To be fair I have to give her credit... my clothes were pretty vile and somehow she restored them to fresh smelling clothes that were once again wearable. They were pretty toxic Prior to washing, not helped by me tying them up in a plastic bag. Once the mountain of laundry was done and as the evening set in our thoughts turned to our evening meal. We headed to the restaurant and ordered the "steamboat" which came out in a metal pot which was placed on a stove heated by a slow burning fire lighter. On lifting the pots lid there was an aromatic broth containing loads of vegetables and a succulent looking white fish. The dish also came with loads of fresh noodles which would add the much needed carbs. The fish literally fell off the bones and melted in your mouth and tasted amazing in the broth and went really well with the noodles. The pot contained all the fish including the head and some obvious entrails, but you could pick round them. We were proud of ourselves for being adventurous and our gamble had paid off as it was utterly delicious and so cheap at eighty thousand dong. We finished our meal before heading off back to the hotel.
Tomorrow we would be ready for another hassle free day of sunbathing on the beach..... too much to ask? More than likely........
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