We definitely do not need a Tuk-Tuk, thank you please!!

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Hi all,

Just a quick blog to say we're extremely hot in Cambodia and despite everyone asking us, we are 100% positive that we do not want a Tuk-Tuk. For the mums and dads a Tuk-Tuk is basically a motorbike with two seats on the back, awesome way to get about town and quick and cheap but you can't go anywhere without being asked about a blumin' tuk-tuk.

We arrived in Bangkok after a 12 hour flight from NZ via Sydney. We got off the plane and was asked if we needed a tuk-tuk to our baggage, we said no thank you. We got to the taxi rank and did our first bit of bartering (not sure if that's how you spell it and jez is watching the rugby highlights on a another computer and cant help me) 'then we went on what can only be described as a death wish ride to the city. Bangkok, in a word, is insane! totally mental, it's just as busy at 7am as it is at 12pm and at night its just plain, well.... insane!! No sir, we do not want a tuk-tuk thank you, yes we're sure, totally sure!!

We booked into our room which was basic but had all we needed which was cold water for a shower and a fan, it's about 35 degrees and has taken a bit of getting use to but we're okay now. Hang on, excuse me a minute, no thank you sir we don't need a tuk-tuk right now, seriously we have legs. We spent the day around Bangkok, checking out the sites, drinking lots of water and generally being jet-lagged and hot, but we had a wicked time the shopping and food was great. We booked our train ticked to the border of Cambodia and were off the next day to our next destination.

The train journey was at 5.55am and was beautiful, we saw lots of Thailand that is well off the beaten track and we arrived at the border 4hrs later. We passed over the border without too much of a fuss, our plan was to catch a bus to Siem Reap which would take a bit of time but it would be cheaper. As we walked out of the visa place we were within seconds surrounded by taxi drivers telling us they would take us to Siem Reap, we were insistent that we were going to catch the bus so we walked up the main road in Poipet without really a clue where we were going, our guide book said it was around the corner from the border crossing which it most certainly wasn't. Anyway, this one taxi driver drove slowly next to us the entire time and telling us to get in. We eventually found the bus station, but all we found was 2 kids and a man in hammock, no buses, just us and persistent taxi driver. After a tiny argument we agreed to get in his taxi, he showed us his I.D and said his name was "So Phat"so we could not help but not 100% trust him, anyway...... We really don't need a tuk-tuk right now thank you, seriously we're fine, just go away ... sorry about that... so So Phat drove us to Siem Reap without any hassle and we arrived at our lovely guest house and here we have been for 4 days.

Cambodia is great, so many things going on and to see. We went to the temples yesterday at sunrise which were amazing. Our guesthouse gives us free use of push bikes and we cycled around the temples. The roads here don't exactly have rules or markings so we basically just keep as far to the curb as possible, trying to avoid all the motorbikes, tuk-tuks, children, people, cars, vans, buses. We obviously got a flat tire and the obvious happened.... uh Mr Tuk Tuk?? any tuk-tuk please?? nothing. The one time you need a tuk-tuk you can't find one... typical!! We walked as far as we could, before eventually spotting a Tuk-Tuk. So Jez, me and the 2 bikes got on the tuk-tuk... haha how funny!!

Everything has been amazing and a total culture shock, we seriously can't want to show the pics we have. Jezza has turned into quite the artist with the camera and he taken some amazing pics.

We're staying in Siem Reap for a few days before heading to Phnom Penh for 2 days, then we're off to Ho Chin Min in Vietnam and working our way up to Hanoi.

It's somebody's birthday this Sunday, can't think who, but I guarantee that she does not need a tuk-tuk at the precise moment in time.

Lots of love to you pretty people,

Mel and Jez
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