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Blogs from South, Cambodia, Asia
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May 17th 2013
Helloooo readers, how are y'all doin' today? Vanuit Siem Reap wilden we met de boot op de rivier verder reizen naar Battambang, maar door het droogseizoen staat de rivier leeg. Zon boottocht zou toch een stuk minder praktisch zijn, dus hebben we de bus maar genomen. Maar aan water geen gebrek, want het begint stevig te drashen onderweg! De gevolgen hiervan zijn toch iets anders dan in Belgie; het water sijpelt naar binnen langs het raam aan Anouk hare kant en vertragen doen we ook niet; de manouvres die al riskant waren in droog weer (camions, fietsers, brommers door elkaar op een enkele baan, voorbij steken aan 100 per uur ;) ) gaan vrolijk door! Als we toekomen worden wij en 2 andere Hollandse vrouwen belaagd door tuk tuks en hotel verkopers! Hardnekkig en vrolijk tegelijk ... read more
May 17th 2013
I didn't intend to add another entry before my trip to the temples at Angkor Wat but I visited the Tuol Sleng Museum in Phnom Penh this morning, which serves as a testament to the horrendous crimes of the Khmer Rouge. In the 1950/60/70's this was a school, which was taken over by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and then became a detention and torture centre for some of the most barbaric crimes in Cambodia's history. Many of the tortured men, women, children and infants were then taken to the Killing Fields extermination camp. This was one of the most eery and haunting places that I think I have ever visited and I feel sure will leave a lasting impression on me. I think it is probably the sheer ordinariness of the place that makes it ... read more
Snorkelling, Ho Chi Minh Trail, The Killing Fields & Angkor Wat - South Vietnam & Cambodia
Published: May 16th 2013Asia » Cambodia » South » Phnom PenhMay 16th 2013
** This Blog has no photos but I'll get them up as soon as I'm able to ** Onwards from the pure madness of Hanoi we visited a few towns in central Vietnam before arriving at Saigon. We spent a few days in Hue and then Hoi An both of which had wonderful sandy beaches - some of the first we'd encountered in Asia! - and all of the cultural intensities I've come to associate with Vietnam. From there we travelled to a town called Nha Trang, a very touristy place, filled, somewhat bizarrely with Russians. Which I don't particularly have a problem with but it was a little strange to not encounter a single Russian in months and then wham! they're everywhere, menus and everything in Russian too. Very strange. The beach here was wonderfully ... read more
May 9th 2013
I’m just getting back from three weeks of home leave spending time with family and friends in Houston, Florida and New Orleans. I arrived back in Phnom Penh on exactly the day I left the U.S. a year ago. Time is such a strange concept. We divide time into these random parts that on the surface appear to be equal. There are 60 minutes in every hour and 24 hours in every day but an hour spent listening to incredible jazz in New Orleans is not the same hour as the one I spend grading student papers. This past year in my life does not have the same quality or impact as the year I spent in sixth grade. It’s hard to describe what this year has meant and I may not know fully until I ... read more
May 5th 2013
Yet another week has passed by in Phnom Penh. Following my usual Sunday brunch get together with a group of English speaking people, I decided to have a long walk, not at the best time though in the scorching heat of the midday sun, through the city and along the river front to make my way to Wat Phnom, which is set on top of a 27 metre high tree-covered knoll. Apparently many people come here to pray for good luck and success in school exams or business affairs and when a wish is granted, the faithful return to deliver a gift of gratitude, such as a garland of jasmine flowers or a bunch of bananas. I also went to a lovely restaurant in the week, called Romdeng for a farewell meal with a very nice ... read more
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April 28th 2013
Since returning to Phnom Penh after my break on the coast for the Khmer New Year, the weather seems to have changed considerably and the heavy rains are falling quite regularly now, albeit rather early I think for the time of year. Phnom Penh doesn't seem to have a very good drainage system, if any at all, so the roads regularly flood and yesterday I was wading along in my sandals having just done some shopping in the local supermarket! Quite different from a trip to Sainsbury's! However, I have spent the last week going to work and the less said about that the better, as it has been unbelievably boring, continuing my regular lunchtime swimming sessions, pampering myself with a pedicure, which only cost 3$ and having some nice meals out with some of the ... read more
Phnom Penh, Cambodia - 6 to 8 April 2013
Published: May 2nd 2013Asia » Cambodia » South » Phnom Penh
April 25th 2013
It has been relatively easy and pleasant to write most of our blogs covering our travels since 2010 but this one has proved the hardest yet due to its main subject matter. Most of the places and events I write and chat about are happy, but I am afraid that this one is quite sad and distressing, however it is a part of our travels so must become part of our journal so here goes. We arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia after a short flight from Laos - we already had our Visas issued in the UK so thought it would be a mere formality to get through immigration. We went to two different desks and whilst I was photographed and had my fingers prints taken, Paul did not. They asked him for a copy of ... read more
April 21st 2013
I am eating fish cakes shaped like Angry Birds and deep-fried dumplings with my friend CJ at the night market in Phnom Penh. In an effort to get acquainted with the city, we’re trying to have dinner in a most Khmer way, sitting on a mat. Around us, families and young people are enjoying the evening straight out of work and school. A young woman sings on a stage nearby, her rendition of a Khmer pop song strikes with a sense of familiarity. I have heard this type of music over and over – on the hotel television, on the bus, in food stalls. I am still in Cambodia, I remind myself. Just a day before, I was in Battambang. I relished the serenity of the countryside, where I fell for the town’s colonial architecture, the ... read more
April 18th 2013
I have not done an entry for just over a fortnight, as up until recently I didn't have many new photos to add and the feedback from quite a few people is that they find the pictures interesting. The weather here is still really very hot and humid and even some of the locals are saying that it is hotter than usual for the time of the year! However the heavy rains are starting, which are typical of the monsoon season, although I think they are rather early this year. I have just spent the last eleven days with my daughter Lucy and her friend, which has been lovely but they have now made their way back to Bangkok to spend a few more days before returning home. They did some sightseeing by themselves in Phnom ... read more
Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly!
Published: April 14th 2013Asia » Cambodia » South » Sihanoukville
April 14th 2013
Sihanoukville is familiar territory to us. We had stayed here on our previous trip and had decided that this was the ideal place to ‘hole up’ and recouperate from our travels thus far. It was great to have a comfortable bed, cheap food and a lovely beach nearby (Otres Beach). As we arrived we could feel the ‘relief of the familiar’ and celebrate the fact that, for a while at least, we were going to stay put. The Mekong had taken a good deal out of us! Having visited the local pharmacy, for Janie, it became apparent that it was possible to buy ANY drugs, including really heavy duty ones, for a few dollars. In fact you can buy ANYTHING here for a few dollars! Our resort, The Beach Club, is a lovely friendly place run ... read more
