Scams & Adventures

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Hey Guys

Hope you are well!

We've set up a travel blog to keep in touch and let you know about some of our adventures in SE ASia. We've been travelling now for just short of a week and getting well into the backpacking thing. The first couple of days in bangkok were quite an adjustment, its overcrowded, smelly, hot and so polluted. Personally i was quite glad to leave after 2 days!

The trip to Siep Riep in Cambodia was a nightmare to say the least, it took 14hrs as opposed to the 8hr norm. We had been advised that we would get a bus to the border and from there get a air con minivan but as the roads were so bad from the recent floods, the minivan didn't make it and we had to catch a cab. We forked out again for that so thankfully we had met some Canadians who were keen to share with us.

The experience was interesting and in retrospect quite funny, but there were some bleak moments especially as we had no food with us and only one bottle of water and the one trye was flat so we needed to hunt for air pumps every few hours. 25km took 3hrs to get through as the water was knee high at some points and was seeping straight into the car - our feet were like soaked lumps of bread after a few hours as our ankles were covered in water...crazy. But we do have new respect for toyota camrys for making the trip and only getting stuck once.

It was great to be welcomed by such a lovely guesthouse when we finally got there (thanks for the tip Luce!). It has a sunset rooftop bar and bamboo huts and we met some great people there over the last 3 days. Angkor Wat temples really are inspiring too, to think they were built in 1100 is just mad. Our favourite was the one where Tomb Raider was filmed - its so wild with overgrown trees.

We are now in Phnom Phen, the capitol of Cambodia and tomorrow will be a sobering day visiting the Killing fields. We're having our Visa's done for Vietnam currently and are thinking about heading there via a boating trip on the Mekong delta for a couple of days.

Oh and its beginning to feel like xmas already with the little chap who's looking after this internet cafe singining jingle bells whilst i type.

love to you all
the Marshinns

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Photos

The Crew
Made it!

Cambodia 2006
the flooded roads from the Thai border to Siem Riep

Angkor Wat
Watching the sunset

Sunset Guesthouse
awesome view from the rooftop bar

Bangkok
A monitor lizard being returned to the river

Comments

[Rob Futter]

catch up
Marshie / Ruth Looks like a good start - be careful of the dodgy food - also let me know any good embarressing stories - likes Cheese's one in China Keep it up and enjoy. On our side things are going well - my nose is getting browner from all the sucking up for work - but hey - got to do it - specially for a new business Keep safe Rob

[Ritu Bahal]

Sounds like you guys are having a interesting but fun time! I forwarded to the rest of the team too. Thanks for keeping us in the loop with your happenings. Have fun! Ritu

[Lisa]

Wish we were there...
Hi you two. Your blog brings back so many memories of our travels last year, we are desperate to get back to Asia to do some more exploring and to lie on some of those amazing beaches again! Travelling by road is one of the hardest parts of getting around and yes, we too learnt the hard way that you need to double journey times and remember to go prepared with some padkos! We think of you every day and wonder where you are now. Keep the blogs coming and the great pics. Can't wait to see you both in Oz in January. Love L and K

[Noo]

Helloooooo
Hi there Marshins!! Looks like you are really having an adventure!!! Missing you already. We are all moved into new home and using table overlays from wedding as curtains! Keep writing, love to hear your news. Lots of love Noo

[Lyndsay]

Eish
Hi Guys! I am so jealous!! Good to know that you got there safely and that you were not washed away in the floods. At least Camry's are good for something :) Have fun and I look forward to hearing from you soon! Love Lynds PS I will have to visit the Rooftop bar sometime

[Neil]

Nice, enjoy.
It brings back memories of our trip… you make me jealous. Enjoy.

[Sean]

Glad you have such a good time!!
Will have to use your tips for our future trips. Now hurry up and get to Sydney and find us a park to play touch in. :) Cheers Sean

[Gaiki]

Bread feet!
Loved the description of your bread feet! Sounds like an interesting but fun trip so far. Got a little jealous seeing the t-shirts and sunset pictures as it's getting a bit chilly here! Looking forward to the next update!! Cheers G

[Koon]

Finally I get to read your news!
Hey you two. I have been dying here... I still have not read my mails for over a month now. I have even been to Troys work to use the mail there and all 3 times I have been Yahoo is down. AARRGGH... Finally Ang emailed the link to my work address which is [e-mail] Well looks like you guys are having some interesting adventures together. Travelling in SE asia is a whole different ballgame. After a few weeks of it Troy couldnt take it any longer and we just forked out for flights to save the relationship! Ang and I just had the most fun on Friday night - a cheeky ladies night (Black Bra Evening) - what mayhem! ;-) Miss you guys, and keep the news coming! x x Kez

[Kirkel]

Not jealous at all
The blog is great - looks like you're having a great time. All's well this end (other than the cold and our colds - we've both had one already). Hockey season is well under way and the old legs are now the oldest in the team - and still in central midfield. Don't talk to me about lazy, underperforming British youths! Went to a South African Homecoming Revolution event on the weekend and found myself to be in high demand with employers. Not in an immediate hurry to depart but the feet are starting to itch a bit. Take care guys Mark and Nicky