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Published: April 16th 2012
So much to tell you about! Sorry it's been a while but things got pretty crazy busy on the tour. I can't believe ten days of it have gone by already.
So to continue where I left off, we got the bus to Phnom Pehn and didn't get there until the evening so not much to report from that day. The next day in the morning we went to the Cambodian Genocide Museum and to the killing fields where the bodies of over 20,000 Cambodians killed during the Khmer Rouge regime were found in mass graves. It was a horrific experience - I can't hide that and I did cry at one point learning about how terrible everything that happened was but nevertheless I was glad to have gone and to have learnt a little more about the country I was travelling in. It was really strange to see our normally loud and chatty group becoming completely silent and subdued but the place demanded it and we had a pretty sombre lunch back in the capital.
In the afternoon the group split with me and three other girls, Neesha (from London), Joanna (from the Netherlands) and Kezia (from New
Zealand) opting to take in the local sites while the others went for high tea at a rather swish hotel. We looked around the museum, which has loads of buddha statues and finds from Angkor Wat in it and then went to the Royal Palace, the Wat Phnom (Hill Temple) and the central market. We visited all of these on a tuk tuk which was pretty fun. The palace was absollutely stunning - the colours were really bright and we saw a buddha statue which was covered in diamonds. It was shiny!
The next day after that (13th April for those of you that might be a little lost) was mainly spent on a bus again as it took us 7 hours to get from Phnom Pehn to Siem Reap. When we got there I discovered that the Barretts (my aunt, uncle and two cousins) were staying at the hotel next door to ours (what a coincidence!!) and we met up for a lovely chat about where we'd been and what we'd been doing. It was really nice to see some family so far away from home. I didn't get to spend very long with them which was a
bit of a shame but I had to get back to my tour group as we were going out for dinner.
The dinner was at a local school which is sponsored by the company I booked my tour through, G Advemtures. We were taken around the village and shown where they grow the rice which supports the village before sitting down in the classroom to an absolute feast of local food. We had chicken amok, ginger chicken, noodles with pork, fish soup, rice and a vegetable curry. It was so delicious and such a unique experience - we had to get to the village down tiny little lanes and it's certainly not something I ever would have done by myself.
After the dinner, some of the children who have lessons at the school came out to play with us and as it was Khmer new year we were completely covered in talcum powder by them (apparently a local tradition). After getting very messy, we played a catch game, a tug of war and a game which basically involved stealing a branch from the other team. We played boys against girls and it was great fun. I think we
might have enjoyed it more than the kids!!
The next day we were up very early (4:30 am) to get to Angkor Wat in time for the sunrise. I felt terrible but it was absolutely worth it as, when the sun came up, it was a stunning view. We left to go back to our hotel for breakfast before returning to the site to look around three of the temples and the ancient city of Angkor Thom. While we were looking around the temples, we got a ride on an elephant which was AMAZING! They were really quite cute for such large animals! The temples were an amazing site and some of the reconstruction work that has been done is really amazing. Hopefully the photos will explain more than my words ever could!
When we got back to Siem Reap we went out for dinner and then walked around the night market (Alice- I got some ice cream from the Blue Pumpkin and you were right - it was amazing!!). We also decided to get a fish pedicure as it cost 3 dollars for 30 minutes. It was weird to have fish nibbling at your feet but mine
definitely came out softer for it!
Yesterday we left Siem Reap for Bangkok at 7:30 and the journey took around 7.5 hours including the border crossing and a brief stop for lunch. Bangkok was rather quiet during the day as it was the Thai New Year so we made the most of having a swimming pool by spending the afternoon chilling out next to it.
The evening however was a different matter. After dinner we made our way over to Khao San Road which was where most of the festivities were taking place. We were warned we would get wet so only took the essentials with us wrapped in plastic bags. Even in our tuk tuk on the way there we had three buckets of water thrown at us and many water guns directed our way (probably didn't help that it was a tuk tuk with four screaming girls in!).
When we got there it was so busy and we were completely drenc hed within minutes. Apparently there are more points available for getting foreigners! We got completely covered in a paste made up of talcum powder and water as well. Apparently this is a traditional new
year's celebration! It was amazing but very very messy to be involved! One of the tour group members had a waterproof camera so hoepfully I'll be able to post some photos at some point. Afterwards we sat down for a cocktail (I had a very yummy Mai Tai) before heading back to shower and try to get rid of all the disgusting paste! I had to say goodbye to a t shirt as there was no way it would clean, but all in all a great night.
This morning I was up early to catch a flight down to Krabi, which is where I am now! Phew, done... x
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sue lawrence
non-member comment
go intrepid traveller!
Lovely to be able to hear all about your travels April. My hubby had such a great time on his trip to Camboia and Vietnam (on a bicycle) and has often said he'd like to take me....I am thinking I should hold him to this, having read all the exciting things you have been seeing and doing! I hope you keep on enjoying your travels. Sue