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Published: February 21st 2014
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Greetings, all friends and family, rusty or otherwise!
So off we went to Rabbit Island, meeting a really nice couple called Ann and Rod on the way – they were also staying over. Left big bags in the guesthouse (paid for room but woth it for luggage storage), hand luggage only for one night/2 days on the beach. On arrival, we were shown the hut I had foolishly paid for unseen the day before, and even more foolishly we started to unpack. Very very dodgy sheets, bathroom (haha!) even worse and 2 holes cut out for windows but no shutters of any sort. So anyone could look right in and see you in bed under the mozzie net. See pics! Bit horrified, off to the beach to think about it, and the Cambodian lady said ‘Check in later’. Check in? Why? All paid for! Oh dear – we had forgotten that you need a passport to check into any sort of stay over place, and ours were on the mainland. Yes, of course we had a visa but no idea of the number, or how many digits it would be. Remembered I had a copy of my passport with me,
and Sam has the details of her mum’s and Ann said we could copy her visa number, so we ‘checked in’ with more or less totally fictitious information, which will surely never be checked! As the lovely day wore on, we had huge misgivings about the room and as Ann and Rod had wisely chosen a much cleaner option, with shutters, properish toilet and a lock on the door we splurged another $12.50 and so ended up paying for 3 rooms that night and only staying in one of them. Hey ho!
Beautiful clean sea, crippling wooden sunbeds, excellent food and so great for one night – Ok for 2 or 3 probably. The showers were actually fresh water of sorts, so better than we thought. Sam was up with the larks and walked all round the island, not realising how far it was – the locals were very surprised to see her!
Back to the mainland and up early the next day for the last of the bus trips. Only 4 hours this time – doddle! We had to wait at the side of the road and it would apparently know we would be there and stop.
Also waiting were 2 French ladies from the guesthouse. They had no snacks for the trip and were keen to share our Laughing Cow cheese. Different looking tickets – shiny – oh dear, we thought, but when the bus stopped they let us on and not them. Different company - they were not happy at being left, with no idea when theirs would arrive – ours was 30 mins late!
Got to Phnom Penh in less than 4 hours (Sorya again – it was fine) and swiftly and ruthlessly negotiated for a tuktuk to takerus to drop our stuff at the hotel and then straight out to the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields. The roads are absolutely terrible – bad enough on the bus, but there are roadworks everywhere and with no protection the bouncing and the dust were unbelievable. Much has been written about Tuol Sleng and Cheong Ek on here – enough to say it was powerfully evocative and heart-breaking in real life, with so many personal stories to listen to. Everyone should visit and feel lucky. Much to learn about the history of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge – can’t think that anyone in the
country now has not lost a family member.
Our hotel, the Lucky Ro, was an unfortunate choice, as it turned out. For ‘in a poor area’ read ‘in the red light district’, very apparent by the noises from a nearby room, which went on for 1 ½ hours, starting 3am!!! At least the room was internal (no window), so otherwise quiet and clean beds. And the street, #110, was full of bars with very young girls outside, accompanied by older western men. Sad sad sad! Also, a lot of begging – again, young children and mothers carrying babies. Told not to give to beggars, and didn’t. The riverfront area was OK – some nice outside places to sit and eat and drink, but the Tonle Sap River – eugh!!!! What a stink!
The next day, after possibly the worst hotel breakfast in the world, we walked along the river to the Hotel Cambodia - $7 each to use the beautiful pool, comfy loungers, nice bar – thank you very much! Needed something easy and restful for the day, otherwise battling the traffic and haggling is too exhausting. Then up again at 5.30 for a tuktuk to
the airport ($10 through the hotel – a bit over the odds), and flight to KL, where we are now waiting for our onward flight to Bali. More from there! Not too sorry to say goodbye to Cambodia – we kind of got used to it, but the constant attention and traffic made Vietnam seem easypeasy in comparison.
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