All by myself....just wannan be...

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Dear Blog,

More photos coming I promise, but the computer was unbearably slow I lost patience.

I'm in Cambodia now!!! Had the usual pang when I left Laos (which was a fairly complicated affair in itself...more on that later) and am starting to warm (slowly) to Cambodia, although they do eat fried cockroaches (and tarantulas and sparrows) which has to be a good thing as we need to rid the world of them somehow, unless they have cockroach breeding farms which is probably unlikely as they are EVERYWHERE!!!

And, I'm on my own again after about 6 weeks. Really enjoyed travelling with Alex although I am glad to be on my own for a bit. But alas it seems now that everyone is worried about me being on my own- like I can't cope or something. But there is nothing to worry about. Honestly. Cambodia is so safe, and I am more than capeable, at 31 to look after myself. Okay, Phnom Penh where I am staying now can be a bit rough (apparently), but last night I was tucked up in bed by nine oçlock safetly out of trouble. Although, I yesterday I really could have done with a friend to help me out of a small spot of bother I got myself into.

I had just arrived from the north after a 9 hour journey by bus, and decided to walk to my hotel of choice which I guessed was about a 20 minute walk away (the max I can manage with all my bags). I had decided that the mortorbike taxis looked dodgey. Anyway, after making my way along the road, and avoiding all the motorbikes- it was like being back in Vietnam, I was waiting to cross a road. To cut a long story short, I caught my flip flop in my purple (yes purple) trousers and fell straight on the floor in the gutter. The only problem then was that due to the heaviness of my rucksack I couldnt get up. And noone came to help me. So, I was just lying there prostrate, pinned to the ground, with my arms and legs waving about helplessly. Fortunately I wasn't hurt as I had landed on top of my front rucksack, so when I finally managed to get that off, I could stand up. I was a little embarrassed to say the least, and although noone helped everyone looked quite concerned (and slightly shocked at a western woman lying so ungainly in the street). I just think noone knew quite what to do. Anyway, I was fine but only later did I discover a big hole in the knee of my trousers and a huge cut on my foot. Oh well, it justified having hauled around my humugous first aid kit with me for the last 5 months.

So, like I said, there is nothing to worry about!!

Also, regarding the stuffing up incident, it is all fine.

And also there is another entry that I have written but not posted yet until I hear back from the police. All will be revealed. But it might make the order of things a bit complicated.

Anyway, back to Phonsavan, and the day after the plain of jars it was my birthday. Yes I had turned 31 years young in the most boring town in Laos. In hindsight, the plan to avoid having a lengthy bus journey on my birthday was a bad one, because even despite Alex's best efforts to seem excited, coupled with a good dousing of Lao Lao and coke, it was the dullest day of the trip so far. There was nothing to do apart from visit a landmine museum and email.

But the next day, after a not too bad 6 hours bus journey (apart from the contiunuous karayoke on the monitor) we arrived in Vang Vieng, a backpacker party town. Like I said , hindsight is a wonderful thing. So we spent the next few days taking in the magnificent scenery doing some more cycling, and also a spot of rock climbing and caving, which got quite dangerous as the rocks were slippery and it was fairly steep climb to the cave, and basically drinking more lao lao. Watched a couple of episodes of Friends and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 which was great (not the film) before deciding to head back to Vientiane by kayak.

Will have to stop there, have suddenly got really hungry. Had the most amazing curry last night, so I'm going back there tonight. All you can eat for 2 dollars. Bargain.

Laters x

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