Tuy Hoa - Where It All Began

I’m currently six weeks into an incredible adventure across Vietnam with my boyfriend, Toby. We've been working remotely whilst also packing in lots of fun activities and sightseeing.

The previous week to this story was a bit of a write-off for a few reasons, which meant we needed a bit of a break from the hustle and bustle and so found ourselves on the extremely peaceful beachfront of Tuy Hoa for some much-needed rest and recovery. We arrived at our accommodation in the afternoon, had a quick freshen up, then headed to the beach to soak up some sun.

A short walk down the beach and we started to notice lots of rubbish washed up (which to be honest wasn't too much of a shock at this point in Vietnam). We started to pick up a few bits, then found a plastic bag washed up and decided to fill it. While this was only a small amount collected in the grand scheme of things, it felt like a very rewarding and satisfying job.

Along the way I noticed some very pretty shells that I thought could look nice as a necklace and so picked up a few. I have always been a huge fan of handmade jewellery, especially when at small local markets in the UK, and when travelling too.

We all know the tongue twister - She Sells Sea Shells By The Sea Shore. Once that was said out loud (after many attempts), it turned from a funny joke into a moment of realisation... this is where the idea began.

That night when we walked into town I bought an onion & garlic container for 30p from the supermarket as it had a colander type thing inside that I thought I could use to strain the sand and find some pretty shells. The next day I began some deep research into shells. Who knew so many different species existed?! As a biomedical scientist, I can get a bit nerdy and fixated on things when it comes to biology - #sorrynotsorry

That day when we went to the beach I took my new handy shell collector and began to pick up more shells. This time I began to identify the key families, the stronger variants, and got my eye in for ones I hoped to make into my first pieces of jewellery. For the next 3 days while we were still on this stretch of coastline in Tuy Hoa, I was OBSESSED (sorry Toby). What started as a little walk down the beach quickly turned into a mini beach cleanup.

There's something so therapeutic about finding these gorgeous shells hiding within the litter, each with different markings and their own unique stories. It feels like the ocean’s way of rewarding me with these tiny treasures in exchange for clearing away the waste; a small 'thank you' for leaving the shoreline a little brighter than I found it. 

Whilst I couldn't collect all the litter (there was unfortunately just too much), picking up the bits the tide had pulled in each day at the front of the shoreline felt like the beginning of something much bigger. This is something I feel deeply passionate about and, especially whilst travelling, have noticed this is a huge issue worldwide. Coastal conservation needs more attention.

What is frustrating is the amount of people who will walk or swim past plastic pollution floating right by them and not pick it up, or worse throw their rubbish directly into the sea or leave it near the shoreline where it will get picked up by the waves. I hope whoever is reading this will make a conscious effort next time they visit a beach to at least pick up their own rubbish and dispose of it responsibly. Even better, if you do see any rubbish near you (plastic especially) please pick it up and put it in the bin - try to recycle if possible!

This is just the beginning. When I return to the UK, this mission moves into gear (literally!). Toby and I will be hitting the road in our "new-to-us" overlanding truck: a 1997 ex-army ambulance Wolf Land Rover, named Randy Landy. He’s going to be our home and workshop as we tour the coastlines of the UK, Europe & beyond.

My goal is to travel from beach to beach, clearing the sand of litter and scouting for the treasures that can be upcycled to become unique handmade jewellery for you.

By purchasing a piece, you’re quite literally putting fuel in the tank, helping Randy Landy and me stay on the road longer to clean more shores.

We’ll be documenting the whole adventure - the highs, the lows, the finds, and the Land Rover life - on our YouTube channel @randylandy1, so you can see exactly which beach your sustainable jewellery helped clean.

I look forward to the journey ahead and hope you'll join me in this effort to clean up our coastlines.

To cleaner tides and the treasures they bring,

Liv x