Crossing the border

Your guna love this one guys!

Left Trat this morning to cross over the border to Cambodia. Hostel was nice, hot shower godsend, although we got well and truely screwed the next morning when our hostel was supposed to get us over the border and onto the boat (there's only one a day). We waited for the bus which eventuallt arrived just late enough to miss our boat!

Went through thousands of touts to finally get our visa's which took way too long!!

Crossed over the border into Cambodia by taxi having realised that we'd missed the 8am boat. Our only choice left (CONVIENIENTLY ENOUGH) was to get on a bus. Not too bad you might think until you realise that Cambodia only has one tarmac road in the whole country, and that was situated about the last 10 mins on the supposed 5 hour journey!!

What followed was probably the most harrowing journey of all time, Ive got the bruises in my rear end to proove it!!!! We spent a total of over 8 hours bumping up and down off our chairs over a dirt track, through pot holes and sand dunes and over 5 or 6 river crossings. The crossings themselves where an event as there was no bridges. We had to evacuate the bus which was then driven omto a wooden platform holding as many vehicles as it could cram on, trust me we were hanging off the end!! We were then propelled accross the river on this platform powered by what can only be described as a hairdryer!!! Where's the health and safety!!!

Anyway after barely surviving the journey, (never ever again) we found our beloved tarmac road and the Cambodian seaside resort of Sihanoukville.

Cambodia is quite simply stunning, the good side of our bus journey being that we got to drive over the mountains and see small communities of people in the jungle.

The people here are so so friendly which is even more amazing given the suffering this country has been through in the last few decades. People are much more down to earth here and smiling all the time as opposed to only some of the time in Thailand. You feel a warm sense of belonging and the Cambodians english is fantastic. The kids are the best of it all though./ Most of the cheeky little monkey's want to jump up and down shouting hello at you or waving and smiling. Got attacked by some crazy kids the other day who love to cling onto your waist and not let go! Im enjoyin the hugs though!!

I know that this has been a really overwhelming experience already and weve hardly got into Cambodia. - the other side to cambodia is the poverty, wherever you go u r aware that people are living without the basics and u feel a continuos sense of guilt when seeing how people have to live. it makes u feel guilty for having the money to travel for so long when they cannot support thier families. even so they are so open and friendly.

The hotel is really nice with cable tv, proper toilet and hot shower and balcony. Think we'll stay a while!!

Eating is great here as there is a wide variety. Weve tested out the two indian restaurants here already and the curry's are superb. Only downside is seeing the few beggars, some with prosthetic limbs or carrying babies who kind of shake your arm for acknowledgement and support.

Spending the day tomorrow on a trip to Ream National Park, we'll keep you posted on how it goes. Making our way in the next couple of days further inland and onto the Capital.

Really enjoying Cambodia, an incredible place!

Keep posting all your messages guys we cant believe weve had so many hits! Im thinking of setting up a sub site just to cope with all the fanmail!!!!

Luke & France

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