"You Buy?, Special Price For You"

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It feels as though not much has happened since we last updated this blog, but we go back through our diary and we have done a fair bit.

So it ends up that our driver did not rip us off to see the temples after all, because after we had gone back to bed and then got up, had breakfast and updated the blog, then we wandered outside at about half past nine, and he was waiting for us, asleep in his Tuk-tuk. He had been there since about 4.45 in the morning. We must have just headed back to bed when he arrived, and he waited nearly 5 hours for us! So we went out to the temples for the day, disappointed that we did not see sunrise over Angkor Wat, but it was still AMAZING. It is the biggest religious monument in the world and we climbed to the top. We couldn’t believe that people were actually allowed to climb the crazy thing, the stairs were so damn steep that you climb up them on your hands and feet. They would never be Brisbane City Council Approved!! So we walked around this massive temple, saw the stories in bass relief on the walls, and then headed back to the driver to see more temples, when we got absolutely swamped by children selling postcards, books and bangles! They were everywhere. They are not allowed in the temple, but the stand on the other side of the street and yell at you from there. When we couldn't find our driver, they followed and followed, asking us questions, where are we from, how old are we etc. They could tell us the capital of Australia, how many people were in our country etc. Even I didn't know how many!! No matter how many times you say no thankyou, they keep asking and asking. I just kept saying 'no thank you, I just want to find my driver' and one of them even said 'you know why you can’t find you driver? You not buy my sumsing' Hahaha. How funny, they could even be smart arses in a different language. Hahaha. So we then went of to other temples, got a bit bored after that though, because you start off with the most amazing one, and no others even compare. So we then got swamped by more children, (even some of them hiding in the temples) and Jen got in a fight with a local woman who saw her walking towards the public toilets, and jumped in the way saying that it was her toilet and Jen had to pay her to use it. Poor Jen had no money on her, was absolutely busting and this woman would not let her through. So we just traveled to the next temple, where the toilets were nicer anyway.

So after our day at the temples, we headed back to donate blood at Kantha Bopha, where we had seen Beatocello the night before. (Don't worry mum- they use sterilised needles!) Jenny unfortunately had slightly low hemoglobin and couldn’t donate. They only took 350mls of my blood (in Australia they take 800mls) and gave me a coke, packet of biscuits, and a shirt for donating. We gave the biscuits to a street kid, because its better off that they have it then us (and they were gross anyway).

We then went to the butterfly cafe for afternoon tea, and then to the funkiest bar in all of Siem Reap, Dead Fish, to see traditional dancers. This bar was unreal, it had so many different levels, like mezzanine levels, and suspended levels over water, except that it was a bit scary, because nothing in Cambodia is constructed particularly well, and true to Cambodia, the upper levels sagged when you walked on them. Still a good night, and we left when some guy came on stage playing a keyboard, with the worst keyboard music you have ever heard.

Then for our last day in Cambodia, we had to go back to the hospital so they could tell us the results of my blood test, (checking for HIV, Hep B and C etc) but they hadn’t yet completed mine, but I know that I am ok. Then some bastard at the guesthouse stole my havaianas! They left another pair behind, same colour, but I could tell they weren’t mine straight away, they were worn in the wrong places, and then I found out at just the wrong time (as I was walking the plank back onto the boat) that the plug between my toes comes out all the time because they are cracked. So now I have to wait 9 more weeks before I can even get more :( So for our final night we decided to pop into a gay bar that we had seen everyday whilst in Siem Reap, but hadn’t gone in because there were only ever Asian men there. But it was a nice atmosphere, $3.50 double vodkas or Jack Daniels, and got very boozed, and went home and packed.

So back off to the boat, a 5 and half hour boat ride, a 4 and a half our flight, which we didn’t know stopped over in Laos, and then finally arrived in Hanoi. During the drive back to our hotel, Jen saw a horrific accident with a motorbike rider and massive truck. I luckily was looking the other way. Our driver took us back to our hotel, where someone else was staying longer than they booked, so they had no room was available for us. They took us to their second hotel, just down the road, and gave us a bigger room for the same price. Only problem: 7 flights of stairs! Our packs are huge! The traffic here is similar to Cambodia, but people are less tolerant on the road, and ruder with their horns! Always honking their bloody horns, and apparently for no reason sometimes!! don’t they know that if they were more conservative with their horns, that each honk would be more effective?? Jen really does not like this city, too busy, too miserable (people have not been very nice - one Australian we spoke to said that it was because they still feel the effects of the war very much, and all his employees prayed every day for family members they lost in the war, so people aren't overly friendly to any tourists. He said every day they have trucks driving around the city with loud speakers still broadcasting war slogans out to the public every morning and afternoon. Another Australian we spoke to said that he was a wanker and that they broadcast where to get cheap eggs and things like that. But we think that she is a wanker, because they are police, and why would they be telling people about cheap eggs?)

We have done massive amounts of shopping here, planned to see the monuments and pagodas today (Friday) although it is raining, we found out that monuments are closed on Mondays and Fridays anyway. Viet Nam is not an educative experience for us, and just a shopping spree. We got trapped in sunglasses street for about an hour, and came out with 12 pairs of designer sunglasses for $3 each! We have also bought an ipod and a camcorder, and are trying to get a new camera today because ours stopped working and can only take photos during the day as the flash has stopped working. I also went to the international doctor because I was still sick from that dinner in Cambodia in the street about one week ago, and walked out $177USD later!! Thank god for insurance.

So apart from all that, we have just been shopping. My second favorite thing in the world after cuddles!! So I like it here, Jen dislikes the people here, and tomorrow we are off to Hoi An for more shopping.

Love your guts
Erin and Jenny xx
PS Mum love ya and we are safe :) xx

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