The P Family

Sunday 22nd August 2010 The P family conclude their 4 week trip to Thailand and Cambodia with a fair bit of travelling. After nearly 3 weeks in Cambodia, we decided we had seen enough and wanted to head back across the border into Thailand. We had planned to stay 2 days in Battambong, as it was listed in the Lonely Planet as the 4th most visited place in Cambodia, but shortly after we had arrived there we just felt we'd had enough. The poverty is fairly relentless. I do wish I could go back to Cambodia in 100 years' time and see for myself how the country changes after its terrible recent history. So we caught a bus to the border from Battambong to Poipet, which John cheerily informed us was known as the armpit of ... read more

Hello everyone, Here are a few piccies of our trip so far. Hope you like them. ... read more

13.8.2010, Siem Reap (by the way the name means 'Thailand defeated' (!) Here are some of the sights, smells and sounds that the P family has so far noted on our trip to Cambodia, in no particular order ... * Dinky little milk personal milk jugs with your cup of tea *Graceful cycle rickshaws with the driver almost standing at the back * Hotel signs - no durian, no radioactive materials / explosives *pedestrian traffic lights where the green man runs then sprints as time runs out to cross * recycling carts that hoot as they approach *ice cream carts playing a tune from The Pirates of Penzance (Chloë spotted that one) *Many million motorbikes all going in different directions all over the roads ( I recommend just shutting your eyes when travelling by tuk tuk) ... read more

Friday 13th August Siem Reap Here we are all doing well despite the date. You've got me back so enjoy the capital letters! We loved being in Phnom Penh so much that we decided to stay 3 nights. It just seemed to suit us well as there was always lots to do. Some of the highlights of our stay in the busy capital city: Visit to the Killing Fields and Section 21 - actually not so much a highlight in that sense, but something we won't forget. Ruby kept asking very pertinent questions which we couldn't always answer. The worst thing was that at the Killing Fields, bits of clothes and teeth etc are still being brought up to the surface after heavy rainstorms, and then there was the unspeakable horrors of the Killing Tree. John ... read more

HELLO! for a change chloe and dad are going to entertain you rather than mum (im very sorry i dont do all of the grammer and capital letters.) We are sitting in a huge hotel lobby with fast internet for a change in phnom penh which is the capital city of cambodia. Yesterday we left kampot for kep at midday. it was still raining when we arrived in kep. A very nice tuktuk driver took us round the town, looking for places to stay, and we ended up back where we started in a posh hotel by the sea (star inn.) With continued rain we decided to leave for PP next day. kep seemed a lonely and poor sort of place in the rain and we didnt need to stay there any longer. there was a ... read more

Here we are in Kampot, Camdodia, town famed (in France) for the pepper. We have been here for a couple of days now and we like it, apart from the wet weather. As Chloe says: Why are we here in the rainy season?? ! Our journey from Ko Chang involved a taxi truck, a boat ferry, another taxi truck, another taxi then a swish AC minibus all to ourselves, a walk over the border into Cambodia with touts and spivs all around, followed by a taxi into the nearest town... quite a logistic nightmare!! We ended up in the Asia hotel where all the NGOs stay. 4X4s outside for the Red X, save the Children etc etc.. It was a nice safe and secure hotel for the start to our Cambodia adventure. The US dollar is ... read more

Wednesday 4th August, Koh Chang. Am enjoying sitting in an air con Internet room with just me and Ruby. Chlo and John have hired a motorbike for the afternoon and disappeared along the puddly road. We have had a very adventurous and at times quite scary couple of days! We arrived on the island of Koh Mak as I think I mentioned in the last entry , though I'm beginning to lose track of times and days, sorry! Anyway we didn't like it there at all. We were staying in a little place called Monkey Island and it was just a bit too primitive for us. There were lots of scary dogs who would not leave us alone and followed us everywhere - which did come in handy at one time when I couldn't find my ... read more

Hello everyone, Just a very brief note as mr Man is closing up for the day. We are all well and have now reached the remote island of Koh Mak after a 5 hour bus journey from busy Bangkok then an overnight stay in Trat - we were the only farangs there! Got here today after one hour ride in very fast speedboat, hold on to your specs, cat and whatever else you may be with. Very quiet here, no other westerners around again, staying in Monkey island huts and off for supper now. Will explore the island tomorrow then write more. lots of love Jenn & Co xx PS thanks for our messages from you , we love reading them.... read more

Hello folks, John tells me I have 12 mins internet connection so I'll do my best!\ We are all really well, journey was long but fine, our hotel here In Bangkok is lovely - thanks to Richard and Camilla for recommending it. We are just about to stay our 3rd night here. The pool is great and we have been all over the place in the last couple of days. Nearly lost Ruby on Day 1 in a shopping mall close to the hotel - we went up the escalator, she didn't - and we couldn;t find how to get down again! She was fine! Had a fab time exploring the vast, vast city on the skytrain and the boats. Sky train is 10 years old so wasn't here last time John and I were here. ... read more

So here we are on the last night in england for 4 weeks! just had a delicious roast dinner cooked by dad with disgusting gravy but chloe, being the genious that she is salviged it :) today has been stressful to say the least... thanks to the eldest two members of the family but were all more or less packed now so its all good :P chloe xx Dad here, Actually we were only slightly stressy, mostly caused by Chloe and Ruby being in slow motion (and blind as well) when it comes to getting packed and ready. We are now starting a family game of CHEEEET so that I can show them who the boss really is! Next blog will be from Bangkok! Adios! D... read more