West Cambodia

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A couple of days ago we reached our half way mark - 3months traveling and we feel like we have just started getting used to it… its all down hill from here! We have both been trying to work out ways to stay longer… but don’t worry Mum/ Tim we still plan to be back April time!

We are still in Cambodia - still desperately trying to find a fast internet connection to show you some photos but its been hard! Should be able to do some now as we have some time to kill…

We spent a few more nights on Serendipity Beach improving our tans and getting hassled for manicures and leg/back/ anything shaves! We moved to Victory Beach next where we found a really nice guesthouse with a swimming pool near the beach for only $8 a night! We spent some time by the pool and exploring the nearby beach which has a restaurant with an airplane in the middle to eat in. There was also a massive cruise liner docked nearby which came from America. We spent the rest of the time looking for more beaches and eventually hit gold when we visited Otres Beach - amazing clear waters and white sand - so peaceful but unfortunately we found it on the last day before moving on… shame.

We took a bus to Koh Kong Province and spent a few days there - again we found a bargain guesthouse with a poolside room. Koh Kong is really a stop over for most people who come in from Thailand to Cambodia or vice versa… there is still plenty to do there but everything is quite far out from town and difficult to get to (transport seems to cost more here compared to everything else). We went to a really deserted beach near the border to Thailand - absolutely no one else on it and amazing shells that sent Tanya into 5year old shell collecting mode! 😊 We also went to a mangrove forest, climbed over a suspension bridge and waved to all the locals (they are amazingly friendly over here esp the kids). One night we found a really nice resturant over the river, with some form of Cambodian karaoke going on next door (this is very popular here - we often see whole families doing it in front of their TVs!). This little Australian kid came over and started teaching us Cambodian phrases… he was far to old for his 10years!

Next we took a bus to Kampot which is a quiet little town by a river (famous for its pepper and durien cultivation) - we went out on a day trip to some rapids (well more of a fast flowing river really…) and spent some quiet days wondering around the streets - where there were lots of odd old french colonial buildings. After the quiet of Koh Kong and Kampot we decided to head back to Phnom Penh and on to Siem Reap…

We spent two nights in Phnom Penh - this time staying in the “backpacker area” near the Boeng Kak (lake) which was an entirely different experience from the last visit there! Lots of small backstreets filled with bars and resturants. We went out on a day trip and saw the National Museum (loads of great old stone carvings many from the Angkorian era) and S21 (Tuol Sleng museum) - which is the school used during the time of the Khmer Rouge to torture and execute thousands of Cambodians. Now we know we said last time we weren’t gonna visit anything like this but we were looking for things to do and after reading so much about it we thought this could be interesting. It certainly was a humbling experience with hundreds of photos of those who had been imprisoned there. Standing in one of the many makeshift cells (classrooms were turned into many cells with wood or brick divides) also made you think about the conditions they endured whilst being held.

We also went to visit the Royal Palace with Tanya being given a shirt from our tuk tuk driver so she could cover up and get in. But when we got to the admission desk we discovered they charge 25,000riel ($6) each to get in and the girl in front wasn’t allowed in with a shawl!! We voted with our feet and left…

Highlights of our time in Phom Penh - Pilch had a lovely banana flower salad, some lady was wandering the streets with some bathroom scales trying to weigh everyone, Tanya saw lots of monkeys (didn’t know they lived there!) and Tanya had her hair cut and dyed (bit of a scary bob but better than nothing). We also watched the film “The Killing Fields” on our last night in a restaurant - we are gonna know more about Cambodian history than the UK!

So we took another bus (only 6hours) to Siem Reap where we are now. We have spent two days exploring Angkor temples - the first day we saw Angkor Wat, Bayon, Banteay Kdei, Baphuon and Ta Prohm to name a few (as well as lots of monkeys and a snake!). It was a very enjoyable but very tiring day and it ended with sunset from the top of another temple. We took the next day off to recouperate and went and got ourselves some sushi!  When we returned to the temple site on the third day we saw some smaller temples around the outskirts which were a lot quieter and peaceful. There are lots of landmine victims who play various instuments who play around the temple sites and in town… we bought a CD from them as its very tranquil.

Pilch spotted a microlight in a field on the way back from one of the temples and shouted to the tuk tuk man to stop - he had a ten minute flight around the site for $20. Tanya decided not to have a go due to saving money… er-hum! 

Siem Reap is a fun place to be - we both like it. We are staying near “Bar street” and the old market. There is lots of good resturants to choose from on bar street - we have fallen in love with Khmer curry and Amok - yummy! Pilch is due to try some crocodile/snake BBQ Cambodian style soon… We got a full body massage by blind people a couple of days ago for $5! It was extremley relaxing and amusing trying to figure out what we were supposed to do when they couldn’t see us - imagine trying to pay and getting the right change (esp when dollar bills are all the same size)!!

The kids here are so cute and friendly - when we walk down the road there is always a chorus of hello’s from little voices everywhere. There are many of them selling things around the temples and they are almost impossible to say no to…. One night walking home from bar street Tanya had two tiny children holding onto both hands asking for food/dollars and then one of them climbed up her like a ladder! Tanya wants to take one home (shall we bring one back for you too Alex?) ! Damn cuteness!!

So we started trying to plan our way out of Cambodia as our visas run out soon… we were heading to Loas overland but after reading about it realised we would have to get visas in advance - so we opted to head to Vietnam instead. Unfortunalty we are now waiting here for our visas to come back (think until next Thursday) when we will head to Ho Chi Min City/ Saigon (only 12hour bus journey - there’s always valium from the local pharmacy!). Both looking forward to a new country - esp Pilch who wants to try still beating snake heart washed down with serpents blood, or dog, or duck embryo (will update you IF it happens!). We plan to work our way up the coast (more yummy beaches) and end up in Hanoi and then over to Loas before going back to Bangkok to meet Hayley (you better still be saving Hayshe!)

So we have a week or so to kill in Siem Reap - we spent yesterday at a funky little pool bar called Aqua and got a bit sunburnt! Pilch looks like he has been strangled and Tanya has Panda eyes! Doh!! We plan to return to Aqua several times this week, get some more massages and treat ourselves well until next Thursday… oh - and Pilch is planning another tattoo! We’re off now to get some lunch… then do some shopping… bye for now!

PS. We have been in this internet cafe for 4hours now!! Uploading photos is very painful... enjoy the ones we have managed - we will add some more in a couple of days...

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Comments

[Alex]

Told you the kids were to die for cute! I do want one! bring one back! and yes come back in April or Tim will cry! I nearly wet my pants laughing to see he is in the same league as mum in missing you! lol . Massive hugs Alex xxx

[Uncle Tim]

Im missing you too, but not that much Alex lol
Hi you two, glad to see you are both having so much fun. Go for it mate whilst you can and before you turn into old fogies like us. Be safe UNCLE Tim