mon day 143

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Saying goodbye to Cambodia today and ......
"good morning Vietnam!" Started with being picked up from the hotel at 10ish and driven to the border. 2 girls from the UK, Synne and Sigurd ( my Swedish friends) and a guy from Luxembourg were sharing the minibus ride. All getting through the border with our pre obtained visas we were then dropped off at the local bus station to go our different ways - well it was only me heading south with the others all heading to Saigon. Waiting with a couple of Vietnamese families for just over an hour ( trying to learn a few words from the kids - and failing!!) we said our goodbyes and I got on a rickety old local bus to Chau Doc. Kate and I got prewarned about the state of the roads in Cambodia, this road was no exception! And the driving well, I was just pleased to have arrived in one piece! Its amazing how they seem to squeeze about 50 people into a 30 seater bus! But the locals never look unhappy - often smiling and sharing a joke between one another - quite refreshing really. 4 hours later and I had arrived - well more like dropped off at the side of a busy road - I guess this was Chau Doc!? Being met by a guy on a motorbike who knew where my hotel was I donned a helmet ( it became law to wear one in Vietnam a couple of years ago) and off we headed. Booking for one night at the Floating Hotel sure enough we made it to the river - and the hotel. Being shown to my room which had a little balcony looking out directly onto the Hau Giang river, it was as pleasant as it looked in the pictures. Wanting to travel by boat south east to Can Tho tomorrow I spoke to the owner about possible options - there turns out to be no options! Because of it being low season the boats just aren't running - so it would have to be a bus instead. I headed out to find an ATM to find that most of them only let you have 2,000,000 Dong - which may sound a lot but its only £60! Which isn't always gonna get you that far. I headed on towards the market and stopped for a sugar cane drink by the side of the road. As I was sitting contemplating my next move a lad came along on his rickshaw and without invitation joined me - also for a drink! I knew where this was going and didn't completely appreciate it - sure enough we went through the pleasantries and the quickly onto him trying to sell me a tour on his rickshaw - I politely declined about 10 times - they don't like taking no for an answer! And then to cap it all he wanted me to buy his drink! Again declining I carried on my way towards the market - a peaceful drink by the side of the road it wasn't! Trying to walk through the very dirty street with the market stalls either side - with most selling stuff off ground sheets with the usual dogs, flies, chickens, children and probably rats running between them! No wonder people have dodgy stomachs over here! Walking along not much more than a metre wide path along with people coming through on their motorbikes it was for the most part a tight squeeze. Not stopping to buy any fish heads! I started to head back as night was falling. Reaching the hotel I went upstairs to grab a bite to eat at the restaurant. The place was empty apart from a rather noisy table of about 8 men - as I sat down at my table a couple of them beckoned me across - again politely declining ( ive only been in the country a few hours and seem to be doing this a lot!!) I thought it best to try and ignore them. They were men in their 40's who it seemed was possibly the first time theyve ever experienced the effects of alcohol! Choosing to behave like obnoxious, spoilt idiots! As they were leaving - much to the delight of everyone a couple of them separately made themselves welcome at my table! Getting a little annoyed with this behaviour from the men of Vietnam I not so politely this time told him to go away! Enjoying my meal I then headed down to my room for the night. I'm a pretty heavy sleeper and generally able to sleep through most things but tonight I struggled with the noise, and what seemed constant creaking from the surrounding rooms - a few times I woke during the night thinking that someone had got into the room with me - so not the best nights sleep had! Luckily of course no one had but the noises were so loud it was very unnerving. Not the best first day spent in Vietnam - things can only get better................

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