Sun, Sea, Sand & Sihanoukville

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Our minibus trip was boring and uneventful, but Sihanoukville came and our hotel is the cleanest and most modern we have stayed in here, but with its limitations of no hairdryer and having to pay for Wi-Fi, still life goes on, ‘sell a vee’ as the Germans say.

Our beautiful beach is two kilometres of white sand with one kilometre of beach shacks and there are many more beaches in Sihanoukville. It is very much like Goa but with a town behind it. Most people now seem, not to be travellers, but Aussies or Russians on holiday.

Restaurants are plentiful and cheap, again beer is 50 US cents a glass, we could like it here!

Of course the beach has the procession of disabled beggars (including an atrocious blind singer led by a 6 year old girl) and sellers of bracelets, fruit, sunglasses, kebabs and everything else you may or may not need, also the ubiquitous “massage?” every two minutes. Terry, who was still wearing some old sunglasses which he had found at the side of a path in New Zealand, astounded Michelle by being interested in buying some from a beach seller. Soon he was wearing Polaroid Ray Bans. The beach seller assured Terry that they were real Ray Bans and not copies. Although Michelle doubted their authenticity Terry pointed out that they had a Ray Ban sticker on the case and, as he had paid £6 for them, they were definitely genuine.

Michelle decided to look at ethnic bracelets and was engaged in conversation with a cute, 7 year old girl seller, who challenged Michelle to a game of ‘noughts and crosses’. “I win, you buy bracelet”, this is really a ‘no brainer’ these kids are savvy and soon Michelle is committed to buying a bracelet. “US$3” is the claim but Terry advised Michelle 25 cents, which is then relayed to our cute little ‘savvy girl’. “In your dreams”, comes the reply, which had us both falling off our sunbeds laughing. Much to Terry’s disgust, Michelle gives cute seller US$1 for the bracelet, and then lost it on the way home!

We had booked to be here for 4 nights but because we, especially Michelle, like Sihanoukville we extended our stay first to 7 days then later because of Terry being ill to 9 days. Terry had a relapse and was ill again but managed to feel well enough at 4.00am to catch the 7.15am bus. However as the bus arrives Michelle started to feel ill. Luckily the bus had a toilet as Michelle was sick twice in the first hour.

We arrived in Koh Kong which is a surprisingly pretty town (by Cambodian standards) and we walked along at night both wondering what we could eat that would stay in our stomachs. Amongst all the noodle bars and rice shops (Nah could not face any of these) comes 'Fat Sams' and outside smiling at us was this huge 'chubby' white man about 40. Yes this was the man himself from mid Wales. The menu was for ex-pats and we are both ashamed to say that Michelle had a plate of chips and Terry had a baked potato with tuna mayo. It was just what we needed. Next day we rented a motorbike and drove around the town and to the casino on the Thai border. Next then into Thailand and the island of Koh Chang.

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Photos

Michelle on a Wii
Can you believe it? And we are in Cambodia.

Conference of the Fruit Sellers
Sihanoukville beach.

Comments

[chris]

what can one say...............
Hope you are feeling better, chips are so good for you.. We are having chips tonight from the chippy. must be catching. The beaches look glorious. Bet you don't want to come home. Chris XX