Sihanoukville... and then came the rain

---

We caught a bus in the morning and drove four hours to Sihanoukville. We arrived around midday and after a quick shower in our fancy bungalow we headed to the beach. We as in my roomate and I, Marta from Norway. I think we will share a room all the way round. At the beach we went to a bar to have some lunch and we were immediately surrounded by children and women trying to sell us things. It was very hard to get any peace! They are very persistent although I didn't give in to the children! A funny thing is that a lot of the children woukld ask me for one of my earrings or to swap one of theirs with one of mine. I politely refused. The children would sit on your chair with you and say things like 'open your heart and open your wallet' or 'you can lie to me but you cannot lie to yourself'. After I finished my dinner there also were very quick to ask to finish off - and then ask for some of your drink. These children earn a lot of money as well, maybe $20 a day when there are a lot of tourists which is massive when you think that the average daily wage in Cambodia is 50c.

Once we had finished our meal the women approached us again and we agreed to have our eyebrows shaped using the threading technique. They look very good. We then agreed to a massage. Partly to get away from the children. We went to a different bar laid down on a sun lounger and had a really good massage for maybe thirty to forty minutes. I then also had a manicure and a pedicure - all for $20! Although the children can be annoying they are also very friendly. I played Cats Cradle with a boy called Pie for ages but every so often he would ask me to buy a bracelet and then sulk for a few minutes when I said no, and then sulk a few minutes more when I refused him an earring! We also talked to a really friendlly woman called Mai who was 23 and engaged for about half and hour. She pretty much gave us her life story in between asking me if she could take the hard skin off my feet.

Later on we went back to the beach for dinner. The beach is full of bars and restaurants all the way along. We went to one and sat out on the beach (all the group). I had seafood BBQ which included barracuda, squid and giant king prawns with fries, garlic bread, salad and a pepper sauce - all for $3... and apparently food is more expensive in Cambodia. After we moved on down the beach to the dolphin bar for a couple of cocktails before heading back to the hotel.

It was an early start the next day as we had planned to go on a boat trip to one of the uninhabited islands for some peace and quiet, snorkelling, volleyball and another BBQ. Unfortunately it was chucking it down so the boat couldn't go out and it continued to do so untill about half two in the afternoon.

Instead a few of us took a trip to the local market and it was local - no tourists. But it was an experience seeing all the fish and meats, fruits, people having their hair done etc. Later on I went for another massage with a few other people. This time not on the beach but at a beauty salon. It was very relaxing and the hour seemed to go so quickly, I think I'll definitely have another one before I come back home. We spent the rest of the day playing cards, pool, drinking and chatting untill it was time for dinner and another beach BBQ. This time I had pork kebabs. Also good. I spent the evening talking to a couple of people who are on the same tour as us but a different group who are a day behind. One is an American called Bond and the other a Northern Irish guy called Mike. Hopefully I will hang out with a few of them in Bangkok as no one else in my group is hanging around there once we get back and I have an extra 2/3 days!

---

Comments

[Dad]

All sounds good
Hi Becks have just read your log entry for the 16th. Can't blame you wanting to chill and enjoy more massages!! sounds like you are dealing with the changes in culture well and finding your own way to deal with the continual asking for money, not an easy thing to do. Look forward to hearing what you get upto next and am glad you have made plenty friends to enjoy your journey with. I should think it must seem like a lifetime since you left already but the longer you are there the sooner you get home so continue to explore, experience and enjoy every minute of every day. Love you loads. Dad and Shell xxx