The best way to end the journey

Its soon to be two years since we returned from our travels, in that time many things have happened, but I feel that it’s a shame not to complete this blog as its something for us to go back and read if not anyone else. I shall give you my account of what happened once myself and Jaya parted ways with Manjit.

Well on 24th of June me and Jaya waved quite a tearful goodbye to Manjit (which involved a local as per usual taking the piss). Soon after we left Malaysia to get an overnight train to Thailand. The train had pull out beds like you see in the movies so I was most impressed, and it was the easiest border crossing that I’ve ever had.

We arrived in Thailand and I have to admit that we used it as a quick pit stop before we entered Cambodia, however what I did see of it did not impress me, the famous Kho sang road was too touristy for my liking and just didn’t appeal, a cab driver and a tout tried to rip us off (and we didn’t fall for it - so hopefully we’ve learnt something), anyway we managed to get a coach for a very cheap price 2 Cambodia.

The journey from Bangkok to the Thai town that borders onto Cambodia was pretty uneventful, but the journey on the Cambodian side was another story altogether. Our first stop was Siem Reap where the famous Angkor Wat temples are. When I reached Siem Reap I would quite happily have shelled out a grand for a flight instead, it was the crappiest road, in the dodgiest minibus that I have ever been on (there is a conspiracy theory that the airline companies have paid the government not to do up the roads, so that tourists will carry on using the air, but who knows.) On the plus side the guest house where we stayed had some of the nicest people that I’ve met so far, they really took care of us.

The next day we headed for Phnom Penh the capital of Cambodia, leaving the Angkor Temple unexplored so that it could be part of the last leg of our visit.

Myself and Jaya spent a month in Cambodia working for an orphanage, we met some of the most amazing people and kids that neither of us will forget. I don’t know if the kids got anything out of us being there but I definitely got something out of it, its one of the best things that I’ve ever done, the orphanage was fantastically run by this amazing lady from Peru who was living in Cambodia. The people who worked there were so sweet, and even though some of the care workers were unable to speak English, and we definitely couldn’t speak Khmer we managed 2 work alongside them without the slightest problem. I spoke to the kids in English, (apart from learning to say NO to them and looking very stern) and they would look at me as if to say whatever you say crazy lady.

We managed 2 get a routine going with several mishaps (it wouldn’t have been us without them.) We spent a couple of days taking moto taxi’s to work, before we realised that it wasn’t the wisest of choices that we’ve ever made. We had our regular café for lunch, and we visited a number of local places of interests with Kirsi someone that we met while working at the orphanage. Some of the places included prisons used by the Khmer rouge and Pol Pot!!! There’s so much that I could say on this but I just don’t feel like I have the right to comment but if your ever in Phnom Penh go!!!!!!!!!!! Then came the day that I had to say bye to Jaya, as she was going to stay on for a few days and then head onto India to meet her family, but my travels were coming to an end.

My last impression of my travels were signed and sealed by Angkor Wat, the greatest temple complex in the world. Whenever people said that to me, I gave a ‘oh wow’ without really feeling an ‘oh wow’. But when the motorbike (that I found myself on again - despite my best efforts) drove up and the temples came into view, I understood. It was defiantly an oh wow!!!!! We left so early in the morning I found myself alone in this temple and when you climbed to the top you were overlooking these trees that seemed to go on for ever!!!!!!!! I have to say it was quite eerie but amazing, I just stood there and thought OMG, after all the natural wonders of the world that we had seen (iguacu falls, uluru, the beaches in fifi, the great barrier reef) mankind had seriously pulled one out of the hat, to have built these kind of complexes especially without modern technology is just amazing!!!!!!!!! Again words fail me but even 2 years after having seen them, I still remember the feeling of when I saw them!!!!!!!! There were so many temples - big and small, intricate and plain, each as amazing if not more than the last!!!!!! This is how I ended my travels!!!!!!!!!!

These were the images that came with me as I made my way from Siem Reap to Bangkok to catch my flight back to London. I could not believe that we and especially I had done any of these things - but if nothing else I know that I have this!!!!!!
As I landed in London I was so happy I had a good run and I was happy to be home as well, (my parents didn’t know I was coming home - so I was soooooo excited). I sat on the bus and a lady boarded and asked the bus driver for directions she was answered with a shrug and a grunt and I knew I was home!!!!!!!

So that’s me done, I have finally finished my part of the blog!!!!!! Now its up to manjit and jaya!!!!

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