Sihanoukville

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Well, I am back in Phnom Penh after a short sting in Sihanouk Ville, the only port city in Cambodia and a place I never had visited before. Yes, I finally finished playing tour guide and can do something new for a change.

Allen left us on Tuesday to go to Siam Reap and see the famous Angkor Wat temples. The same day peter and Peter and I left for Sihanouk Ville as I wanted to check the place out for a long time.

The bus ride was pretty much as usual and the best thing I had was two seats for myself. Do you know how much luxury this is for a tall guy like me not to have the knees wrapped around my ears for 5 hours? Let me tell you, it is luxury.

When we arrived in SV it pissed down and we took a bike to the hotel we wanted to stay. Again, a real backpacker joint. Not bad.

Since it was raining I couldn’t do much at all. Peter was, as usual, in his room reading. He must have read about a hundred books and missed 3 quarters of all the day trips we have done. Shame really, but he is old enough to know what he is doing.

Around 5pm the rain stopped and I took a stroll around the beach. What a disappointment. The beach was crowded with bars and dirty as hell. Having just been in Mui Ne, which was more or less deserted, it was a shock to the system. Now I like a bar, but this was ridiculous. Between the water edge and the seats there was maybe 5 meters room and that was taken up by beggars, food sellers and other commercial one man bands. And then the filth!!! I am used to a lot, but this was out of this world. I couldn’t even take my sandals of because of all the rubbish around.

I was pretty depressed when I went back to room. But I was stuck there, so I made the best out of it and read a good book and relaxed.

The next morning I decided to have a stroll around town and again I was just depressed about the whole location. Just a medium sized city with not much to offer. The famous beach town of SV was turning out a big dud.

Around 3 pm I went back to my room and decided to catch the bus the next morning back to Phnom Penh. That was a day earlier then I planned, but I had enough of the shit hole. I was looking for Peter, but he was nowhere to be found. So I sat on my veranda reading when I heard these noises from the other bungalow across me. Man, it was like porn with no picture, these guys where going off. A girl next to my bungalow just looked at me and we burst out laughing…..

Anyway, I was looking for Peter all night and I couldn’t find him. We missed the dateline for buying the ticket and I was again not very happy. But the good thing is that I spoke with my bungalow neighbor which turned out to be Swiss and at the end of her 13 month backpacking time. As she didn’t have anything on we teamed up to hire a bike for the next day and visit some other beaches around the area.

The next morning I knocked on Peter’s door to ask if he wants to come along but nothing but a grunt. Well, I am used to this by now so off the Swiss girl and I went. For 6 hours we cruised around town, visited some rather nice, and clean, beaches and a couple of fishing villages. Nothing too spectacular, but at least I did get another picture from SV then I had before.

Í finally caught up with Peter in the afternoon and advised him that we are out the next day. I asked him what he did all the time and he said that he is tiered so he sleeps a lot, spends his time reading and is on the net. Well, everybody is different, but that is not my cup of tea when I am in a foreign country.

So this morning we hit the road again and went back to PP where I will take part in the Hash House Harrier run tomorrow afternoon. My first one with the PP Hashers and I am looking forward to it. It will be a bush run so it will be good.

The afternoon I was walking around PP which is always good. The city is just so different to all the other Asian cities I know. Being aware of the history of this town and the tragedies that happened gives you a funny feeling while walking down the streets and seeing the buzzing activities everywhere. And the people are just amazing. Not a threatening look; only smiles when you look people in the eyes.

Anyway, I will keep you up to date what is happening the next few days. The HHH run should be fun, as long as it doesn’t rain, Peter will stay in his room and read and I will enjoy myself to the hilt….

You can be sure of that………

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Photos

Sihanoukville
From the mountain

Sihanoukville
Now that was a clean beach

Sihanoukville
The roads in a fishing village....

Sihanoukville
Market stall

Sihanoukville
Market street

Sihanoukville
Monks and I. We nearly have the same hair cut

Sihanoukville
Just another temple

Sihanoukville
Bus station early in the morning

Comments

[Flavio Goncalves]

Just a quick hello
Just to let you know I've been readind the travel log often. Have a nice time.