And relax...

---

Geo: 10.4959, 104.307

On leaving Ha Tien in Vietnam I cycled to the Cambodian border which doesn't take me long as its only around 10km away, it was beautiful cycling along the coast for my last views of Vietnam which I have enjoyed immensely.


From Lao Cai and the Sapa Valley with its hill tribes, the bustling city of Hanoi, Halong Bay's impressive limestone sea stacks and many islands, down through the mountains via the Ho Chi Minh Trail through huge limestone rocks, massive caves and lush green paddies. Hue and the French Colonial town of Hoi An was very pretty, before heading down to Nha Trang with stunning sea views and white beaches along the way. I went back into the HCM trail to Kon Tum and the Rong Houses which were impressive before travelling onto Da Lat up in the mountains and once again the scenery was breathtaking. I returned to Nha Trang and cycled via the coastal route past Mui Ne to Vung Tau with massive sand dunes and beaches along the way before arriving in Saigon to complete the HCM trail. From Saigon I crossed the Mekong Delta and many floating villages and headed out to Phu Quoc Island which was just paradise with the sand really powdery which I had never seen before, so all in all a truly amazing country.

I stayed in a French guest house which had a relaxed atmosphere, really chilled out and in a beautiful location, I was taken there by Martina, a French lady I got talking to while cycling into the village. She was very kind buying me a drink until I sorted money out and afterwards we had lunch in the local Crab Market which was delicious, fresh BBQ fish and calamari which was just caught. I feel a million miles away from Vietnam here already it's so peaceful, I didn't realise the chaos I had been living in.

I enjoy just relaxing and heading out to Rabbit Island for a few days, this was just paradise… seriously! They only way here is by boat but there are no roads on the island at all, and it only take a couple of hours to walk round the whole thing which has I would say has four lovely beaches but only one has accommodation on it. The beach bungalows are fantastic, yards away from the beach so you can just step and, go swimming, chill out in one of the many hammocks hung everywhere, get a massage maybe, read a book or go for a walk.


This is the most relaxing few days I've had and it's only because I'm forced into doing nothing… there is nothing to do which is bliss. So I do just read, walk, eat and sleep and I thoroughly enjoy the rest, it might be the last I get for some time. On one walk round the island I came across a beautiful deserted beach, going for miles, with clear waters and white sands, I had been walking round with a Czech guy called Mark who was good company and took some nice photos.

Kep is very French Colonial in its appearance and is where the rich used as their playground before the Kymer Rouge years (which I don't know nearly enough about yet), but it has been making a comeback as the 'quiet' place to go in comparison to Sihanouk Ville.

The local market is fascinating as it's my first in Cambodia and is different from Vietnam, I try the local soup which has rice in it and is very tasty, and the hand rolled spring rolls and the next table also, it is very cheap here in Cambodia which I'm looking forward to saving some pennies. Next up is the sugarcane juice and although they had it in Vietnam I had never tried it, it isn't as sweet as I thought but is nice and served full of ice… nice on a hot day.

I go back up to the Crab Market a couple of times to eat as it is only $1 for a couple skewers of calamari or $2 for a whole fish, $0.50 for a beer, and where I'm staying is only $3 for a bed for the night, happy days. I might as well take advantage for a spell.

---