Saigon, Phu Quoc Island, Phnom Penh and the Killing Fields

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Hello everyone,



Well I am sad to say my trip is fast coming towards its end. I am writing this in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh in the Paragon Hotel. I apologise in advance for the terrible grammer in this blog, Cambodian keyboards are weird and its taking me while to get to grips with!

So since I last wrote a blog I have spent a week in Saigon, visiteda beautiful gem of an island called Phu Quoc and got the bus to Cambodia. Ill start in Saigon.....

My previous comments about Saigon having less road sense than Hanoi are entirely justified....there are literally thousands of mopeds everywhere. Not suprising considering there is a 200% tax on cars! When we first arrived crossing the road was a complete nightmare. In true western fashion we waited patieintly and then not so patiently for a gap in the flood of bikes. Of course one never came. So then we tried holding hands in a group and legging it. That also doesnt work terribly well. A very nice local man helped us on one occasion by leading us directly into the oncoming traffic. Amazingly we didnt get hit, you just walk across slowly and deliberately. Having said that it goes against all your natural instincts to launch yourself into the road. Espeically when half the bikes are going the wrong way. By the end of the week in Saigon though we were naturals. Showing off to obvious newbie travellers waiting at the side of the road. Must remember that the same technique can not be used in England......

We didnt have the best introduction to Saigon, it rained torrentially for most of the first afternoon, might as well have been in a power shower. But it didnt let it stop us exploring. We hopped into a taxi and visited The Palace, which compared to Buckingham Palace left me wondering whether I had got lost in a dated hotel lobby from the 70s. Pretty boring experience with not a lot to see, but interesting to show the difference between their idea of extravagence and ours....

That afternoon we also went to the War Remnants Museum for a chilling reminder of the atrocities that occured at the hands of the Americans during the war. It was obviously a biased perspective but very disturbing all the same. An important place to visit if youre ever in Saigon.

Other places we visited in Saigon....Notre Dame Catherdral, the 30p Zoo and the Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels were really interesting. During the war whole communities escaped the bombing by living underground in a maze of tunnels. I got to hide myself in one of the escape holes. I was the first to go because no one else would volunteer. As I approached the hole it became apparent that it was designed for a tiny Asian body, not a westerner who has eaten one too many pad thai....It was a struggle, but luckily I didnt get wedged in. That would have been awful! The actual tunnels themselves are also tiny, and I found it highly amusing watching 6ft6 Ciaran crawl through on his hands and knees.

I hadn't planned on visiting Phu Quoc Island but most of our group had disbanded by this point leaving just me Rich and Ciaran. They wanted to do the island and I followed suit, very glad I did....

Phu Quoc Island has some of the most beautiful untouched beaches in Vietnam. It is a proper honeymoon location, and we did feel a little out of place occasionly, ruining romantic moments for couples with the boys yabbering about footie. There's also a great night market here selling fresh seafood. For the most part you get random fish when you order though. I was told mine was tuna, but it definitly wasnt....delicious though. I got to watch the sunset on a beach here and also stumbled across a private secluded resort which had its own tiny island that you had to swim out to. Perfect white sands, blue sea and sunshine, what more could you ask for. We were able to use their facilities for free, despite the fact it costs $150 a night! If anyone needs an amazing honey moon destination all you engaged people I recommened Caroles on Phu Quoc Island. It was paradise!

After spending a few days chilling out on the isalnd we caught a flight back to Saigon and then got a bus to Phnom Penh for just $10, it only took 6 hours.

Phnom Penh has a very different feel to it than Saigon. Cambodia has a lot more poverty. You see a lot more people begging on the streets, and a lot are obvious landmine victims. Ive had to realise though you cant give everyone money. I feel so terrible saying no, but for every person you give to there are hunderds more. We are staying the Paragon Hotel recommend in Lonely Planet, its a bit more up market than we have been used to, but we had a terrible experience in a youth hostel on the first night and just needed a bit of normality. The youth hostel - Happy 11, was not so happy. The room had a wall missing, leading straight outside to a communal balcony. The owner promised a shutter that comes down for security. We found out at 1am that this was broken. So we were eaten alive by mozzies, had the constant hooting of horns all night, and then to top is off some builders rocked up at 8 am on our balcony with a drill. Just brilliant. We complained and got a dollar knocked off each but they were pretty rude about it. Note to all, avoid this hostel if you visit Phnom Penh!

We visited the Killing Fields today. A very moving experience and I wont go on about it but I will say I was suprised by how peacful and calm the area is considering what happened there.

And that brings me to tonight. We have found a restaurant that has a projector next to the hotel so we are having a chilled out evening watching a movie then an early night.

Plan for the next few days is to explore Phnom Penh a bit more then get the bus to Siem Reap where I will spend 3 days visiting Angkor Watt. Then I am leaving the security of my little group to go off on my own to Chiang Mai north Thailand. Then it's Elephant time at the sanctuary! Cant wait!

So only a few weeks left, having a brilliant time but looking forward to seeing all your beautiful faces, and a mince pie, and a cup of PG tips, and my own bed!

Love to all xxx

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