Phnom Penh

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Our first thoughts were that Phnom was far from Phenomenal and when we were told whilst checking in that the Vietnamese Embassy was closed for New Year our hearts sunk. We were told it was back open on the 26th January and we would have our visa to leave on the 27th. Today was the 22nd and we had only booked 2nights! We booked the cheapest place in Phnom Penh for the extra 3 nights and planned how we could spread our 2day itinery out. We went to the Shopping centre close by our hotel for the first night which was like a mini MBK (Bangkoks mall). We got back to hotel and our TV was showing Super Sunday all the games so I had the time of my life watching the footy from 9pm til about 4am and Ro finally got custody of HER laptop.

Monday was new years eve (in china not cambodia) and we went to the Killing Fields of Chueng Ek about 20minutes outside of Phnom. This was grim, one of the worst things on Earth with mass graves from Pol Pots reign. There was one grave (a hole in the ground) where they found over 400 bodies. Bones, teeth and clothes were still visible and every time it rains more rise to the surface. There was a huge tree with a sign proudly reading "this is where children were smashed against" and another big grave where they were thrown after being "smashed". In the middle of the place was a monument built after the Khmer Rouge time which contained over 4000 skulls arranged by sex and age. We didnt take many photos here because it was so wierd and we went back home quietly.

We ate later that night at 'the little noodle shop' which was beautiful and quite cheap. Found in lonely planet which recommended the dumplings but they were sold out so we just had chicken and noodles. The chefs kitchen is on the street where the entrance is so you can see your food getting made which is a good touch.

Tuesday was meant to be the day we left Phnom but we only changed hotels. We checked in at Spring guesthouse which was the cheapest. It was obviously nowhere near the standard we had stayed in before and again we had to have a twin room. We didnt have aircon here either and the fan pointed conveniently at Rosaras bed. We didnt have a lift either and the trip to 4th floor was like Mount Everest in this heat. We had a cheap day and went to the central market where a woman tried charging us $4 for some prawns because we wore our Mug T-Shirts again. This time we told her to sling it and carried on walking. The main market (inside) was closed because it was new years day so we got a tuk tuk to Wat Phnom a big park which was nice, quiet and out of the sun. The map showed us the riverside was on the opposite side of Wat Phnom so we set off walking round so we could walk down the river. 10minutes had passed and we were back where we started! So we started walking around again and guessed where the opposite side was. We guessed right and ended up at the riverside which looked like a different city. Our Phnom Penh was the ghetto, rough and like a slum. This was the nice Phnom but obviously more expensive to stay. We walked home from riverside which was about an hour journey, watched some Glee and I fell asleep.

Wednesday is today and we had to find a Canadia Bank which didnt charge for withdrawls. It was about 30min walk then we got a tuk tuk to S21. S21 used to be a high school but under Pol Pots reign when Phnom Penh was evacuated they turned it into a prison for everybody they considered the enemy. This was anyone who could speak another language, anyone educated and even anyone with soft hands or glasses. S21 has been left exactly how it was found in 1979. It was used for torturing the prisoners before they were transferred to the Killing Fields described earlier. It depresses me thinking about it and again I dont have any photos. Google it or visit yourself. Im glad we didnt do S21 and Killing Fields in the same day like most people do because it would be too grim of a day.

After a few hours at S21 we went to Riverside again where the Royal Palace is located. Cambodias Buckingham Palace if you will, only everything was made of Gold, Silver, Diamonds and made the Queens gaff look like Asda. We werent allowed in the Palace itself but the tour takes in the surrounding temples etc. We went the Silver Pagoda where the whole floor is covered in 5000 silver tiles and is probably the 2nd most expensive floor in the world, after Vin and Carols kitchen.

Thursday we left the guesthouse early, had breakfast and went on our way to get a Vietnamese Visa. We arrived about 8.30 and the Embassy was open which was like a scratchcard win! We paid 60 dollars and recieved our visas after 20minutes which was a lottery win!!! With a spring in our step we walked the 20mins to the Russian market. From here Ro got 2 fans and a Hollister t-shirt for 4dollars. Cheap Cheap! We ate at Chez Mama again but it was good stuff. We went to a Cambodian bar and ordered one large beer because we fancied a quiet one before we went to sleep. We got 2 glasses and a large beer. Large in Cambodia meant a kettle full! 10 glasses later we went to Spring guesthouse and up the 40 (4) flights of stairs and slept off the Angkor.

In the morning we went to Chez Mama for breakfast (again) and met an old American guy who was born in London to Irish parents, raised in Canada, lived in Arizona, babysat Obamas kids in Mozambique and worked in Habitat near Wythenshawe Hospital. We think he was just from Arizona but liked to tell stories. He was a nice enough guy though and told us a Jesus joke which im stealingfor the rest of our trip.

Our bus to Vietnam was due for 11.45 and we arrived early at 11 to wait. We got on the bus at 1.30 which was 'early' for Cambodia. I fell asleep shortly after leaving Phnom and woke up to find we were on a boat, in the middle of the Mekong Delta! Kids were on the boat doing their best Rodney and Delboy impressions selling pots of anything and everything. I got a photo of one selling what I thought was Marmite but was probably, infact definitley something else. 7hours later we arrived in Ho Chi Minh....

Aw Kun

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Photos

Deja Vizzle
Cafe De Paris