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Published: September 25th 2010
Cambodia
Hi Guys,
Ho Chi Minh City - Phnom Penh
7 hour bus trip, normal seats hooray. Horn - High pitched non stop hell!
The Cambodia border crossing hassle free. Visa on arrival ($50), with the assistance of the driver made it a breeze. We had been warned of fake officials who would try and fleece us at the crossing.
First impression on Cambodia. On entering the country there were lots of big casino's and impressive buildings. As the miles ticked by that changed to shack houses, rice fields and wet lands. There was lots of construction going on and new roads being laid.
Phnom Penh.
Busy city life, lots of cars,trucks and scooters. ( One scooter - with a dead chicken strung up by it's feet and swinging from the handle bars, you have to laugh )
Quad biking was great fun and a good way to get out of the city. The trip went through small villages and the kids came running out to wave and shout hello, it was wicked. We went over the most rickety bridge ever with planks of wood missing ( heart in mouth ) I tried
to get over faster than Paddy ( not hard ) I didn't think the bridge would take the strain of the two of us!!
From a high to low and very sad Killing fields and S - 21
We visited The Killing Fields and paid our respects to those that had died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. It is so hard to believe that horrific regime was in our life time absolute barbaric.
Because of this
41% of the population is under 15 years
Average age is 21
Only 3.6% of the population is over 65
When the Khmer Rouge regime seized power they had murdered approx 1/5 of their own citizens.
S - 21 Torture camp.
Horrific to walk around seeing the cells, tools of torture. There were hundreds of photographs of children, women and men that had died at the hands of the regime.
Siem Reip
We arrived by bus just for a change with a good driver. At the depot a tuk tuk driver was waitng to take us to the hotel. At reception we were told there were no rooms left but
there was room at their sister hotel which was more basic and on the otherside of town. The tuk tuk got us halfway to the hotel and his mobile rang it was for me. The fully booked hotel now had a room for us. A quick u turn back to the first hotel. Not much of an apology. The room they have is going to cost us more, as we had a long day, we gritted our teeth and agreed.
Angkor Wat - Very impressive I will let the pictures do the talking. Paddy was dissapointed no sign of Lara Croft.
Feeling on leaving Cambodia,
Extremly sad for what these guys have gone through in the past is heartbreaking.
Visiting as a tourist dissapointed in the fact every corner you turn someone is trying to rip you off. When tourism is fairly new economy here, they are going about it the wrong way to encourage people back. Giving them the benefit of the doubt they are a very young generation and maybe still have a lot to learn!
Final squeeze on our wallet when flying out $50 charge for leaving the country.
Back
to Thailand, Bangkok and the land of smiles.
Get in!
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Andy Bandit
non-member comment
What a wicked write up was waiting for that part of your trip Job well done