Journey to Kep

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Leaving our hotel we went to the local market where you can buy anything but I am not sure I would have wanted to. Steve bought some bananas, apples and cashew nuts, there is only one nut to each fruit, I will never complain about the cost of cashew nuts again.
We drove out to the countryside on a road that was more potholes than road. The animals look half starved and everything was covered with red dust. The children either ride or walk to school, we saw many walking with no shoes. We arrived at the chnhouk mountain and cave and climbed then descended into the caves. Here we found monkeys and bats and a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva that was built in the 7th century.We then drove about an hour to Kep where we are staying. Firstly we stopped at the Kings summer palace built around 1990 and needing total renovation. It looked like there were squatters there but we were informed they were paid by the King to look after the place, well I doubt if he has checked on them of late if ever. It could make the most amazing hotel, maybe one day it will be.We checked in at The Beach House run by young Cambodians it overlooks the beach and the rooms are very tidy and it has a swimming pool, can't ask any more than that. Salad for lunch and Steve went for a swim in the sea, I sat around the pool and lazed catching up on mail. We showered and went for a walk into town along the sea front and spoke to a couple of ancient Australian hippies who had hired a motorbike and were cycling around the area. Mad or what. We continued our walk along the seafront, very pleasant, the air temperature had cooled off and a light breeze was blowing. We were recommended to try out a restaurant called Kimly's and what an amazing place it was. A table overlooking the headland a delicious supper of crab cooked in green pepper, coconut and lemongrass prawns, washed down with an excellent bottle of Ne w. Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Including starters and dessert came to under 30 US dollars.Unbelievable, in Blightey the meal would be at least four times this amount, still the average wage in Cambodia is only £3000 a year. A phone call to Mr Chen the alleged brother in law of the restaurant owner and we were driven back to our beachouse by tuk tuk. Another fabulous day.

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