Day 124 continued
The queue is pretty big when we arrive at the bus station and there is a bit of a stampede when the
bus arrives. Everyone is rushing to get the good beds. We all get settled in for the night and are on our way soon.
For anyone who has not seen a sleeper bus before, they have three rows of bunks. One row of bunks is along either side of the bus and one along the middle of the bus. Each bed is sitting up slightly with the leg area underneath the up-sloping part of the bed on front. They are pretty cool if you are smaller than 5’6” but for anyone over that it is cramped and very narrow.
Day 125
We arrive in Mui Ne at 6am and are dropped off at the hotel and thankfully the rooms are ready for us to check in. We all crash out for a few hours. On our breakfast hunt we come across a fancy beach side restaurant called The Sailing Club. We enjoy a delicious brunch and looking out on the fabulous white sand beach and the crashing waves.
After being forced to neglect our blog in China we are forced to ignore our beautiful surroundings and head back to the hotel and upload a load of photos and a few other bits on the internet.
To make up for the day indoors we stroll along the beach before dinner. The walk was great and with a really big wave every so often we all ended up wet to the knees but with the heat here we were dry very quickly.
We all eat fabulous sea food at the Four Seasons restaurant, no not that one but it was nice all the same. We end the evening in the Why Not bar playing pool and dancing.
Day 126
Today we are spending the day in the Disney land of Vietnam called Vin Pearl Land. It is on an island off the bay. It even has the sign on the hilltop like the Hollywood sign. The island has a theme park, an aquarium, a water park and a beautiful beach.
After the cable car ride over to the island we have a great morning going on rollercoasters, merry-go-round, pirate ship, chair-o-planes and on to the arcade rooms after.
The aquarium was my highlight even though the tanks were very small for the massive fish they had. They had every kind of tropical fish you can think of from angle fish to the Nemo clown fish and even the Hawaiian Humuhumnukunukuapooa’a (a cool colouredfish we spotted everywhere on or trip to Hawai’i a few years ago). They had turtles and massive rays. It was amazing. We even spied a scuba diver in the big tank cleaning the tank, the girls thought that this was hilarious , the world’s biggest pooper scooper apparently.
We head for the water park and spend the evening speeding down the slides and lounging in the lazy river.
After an action filled day we head back on the cable car just as the towers are starting to light up. It is beautiful. Dinner in the sailing club again and when leaving we ask for a stamp in case we decide to come back for the night club later.
All clean and a bit more rested Feng and I hit the town. We have a good boogie in the Why Not bar for an hour or two and then on to the Sailing Club when the music gets too heavy for us. The Sailing Club is a totally different crowd to the Why Not bar. It is full of local tourists and westerners who are obviously on holiday not backpacking but the atmosphere is electric and as we walk in the Super Mario theme is being remixed so we are straight to dance floor and part the night away.
Day 127
We are having a relaxing day today after the madness yesterday. After a late breakfast we head to the beach and spend the day enjoying the sun. No partying for us tonight as we leave first thing tomorrow morning for the kite/wind/surfing capital of Vietnam!
Day 128
The drive to Mui Ne is beautiful, we whizz past little villages and farmers in the fields. Mui Ne is a huge long beach which is lined with beach resorts and local restaurants. We check in and head for lunch before looking at the beach. We stop in a few places to price a few windsurfing lessons. They are ridiculously priced, I wouldn’t pay those prices at home never mind in Vietnam so we resolve to rent a few surf boards in the morning.
We walk the strip after a bit and end the night with a bit of sea food at our hotel. The prawns were hand-picked in front of us. It is great being beside the sea again!
Day 129
The surf isn’t great this morning but we rent the biggest board the surf school has and head out for a bit of fun. We are really enjoying our time in the waves dodging the kite surfers, of which there are hundreds, and playing in the shallows. We even attempt two of us on the board at the same time but without much success.
We are booked into a tour for the evening to go to the yellow, orange and red sand dunes near the town. We all pile into the cool old land rovers all set for a big trek to the sand dunes and we drive five minutes down the road and pull up at a little lane. Although we are a little confused we head on down the lane to find what looks like someone’s back yard. After a little consultation with our drivers we discover a fabulous little stream called the Fairy Stream. We all slip off our sandals and walk up-stream to find a whole new world hidden behind all the houses. The stream is a glorious burnt orange colour from the red sand bed with over hanging forest on one side and tall sand dunes on the other. With the water lapping at our ankles, we wander along drinking in the beautiful scenery. We are disappointed when we have to head back to the jeeps but we are all looking forward to seeing the famous red sand dunes.
In Mongolia we all expected to see sand blowing gently over hills of sand like on National Geographic, we definitely didn’t expect it in Vietnam but that is what greets us today. It is like a scene from Laurence of Arabia, well if there were dirt bikes and dune buggies in it I suppose. The noise spoils the tranquillity that you see on the TV but it is beautiful. The Bikes and buggies look like good fun too. We all get free sand blasting body scrub on the way up to the top of the highest dune. Sand for miles is the view from the top and we even catch a few people sand mating to the bottom (like snow sledging but on the sand). On the way back to the truck we pass a fabulous lake covered with lotus flowers. It is the first time I’ve seen them growing wild, they are beautiful.
We make our way to the red sand canyon. This is almost a carbon copy of the Fairy Stream but without the water. Unfortunately on the wall of the little valley people have decided to etch messages into the sand. It is disappointing as the biggest problem in the area is erosion and they don’t need people coming for a two week holiday and helping it along.
The gold sand dunes are our next stop before going to the fishing village for sunset. It is much the same as the white sand dunes but without the dirt bikes and dune buggies. It is very beautiful in the rapidly diminishing sunshine. They fishing village is bustling as we drive through, it looks like school is just over with at least two hundred white shirted teenagers on the road. We just make it to the pier for the sun setting over all the wooden fishing boats. It is very picturesque.
We are all jaded after a long day so after a bite to eat, sea food of course, and a quiet drink it is time for bed.
Day 130
With another long drive day today we are up early and on a bus to Ho Chi Ming city, formerly Saigon. The drive takes most of the day and it is after lunch when we arrive. We had a little trouble with our accommodation here, we were booked into the usual place and then Karen got an email to say that the roof had collapsed and they could no longer honour our booking. We all had a bit of a giggle, it worked out for the best though as we ended up in a new hostel which was in the centre of the city.
After a bit of a stroll around we head back to the hostel and get dressed up for a night on the town. We accept any excuse for a party. Martin is heading on to Bangkok tomorrow to meet up with Will so we are calling this Martin’s going away party. Before we leave though we find out that one of the girls has gotten bad news and has to go home. We are all devastated for her and are sorry to see her go.
We head out and give her a bit of space. Our spirits are dampened but we have a good night all the same, bumping into one of the guys from our bus earlier (who we nicknamed The Chad) and drinking in a little local place which consisted of little plastic chairs squeezed around the corner of a little shop front which served only beer. After a bit it starts to rain and the lady comes out to roll out a cover and we all jumped up to give her a hand, like with the tarp on the truck. She is confused but glad of the help. Our dancing shoes come out not long after that in the night club.
Every person we met since we arrived has been telling us to watch our bags and to look after each other. We find out why when we are walking the short distance to the hostel. We hear a scooter rev up and take off and then see a girl running after it. The driver has just snatched her bag out of her hand. It wasn’t a small hand bag either, it was a school bag! We were all a lot more conscious after that, walking linked with bags in the middle.
Day 131
I’m the first up today and so I make my way upstairs to catch up on emails and facebook. Breakfast is a tasty roll in a bakery and we make our way to the War Museum. The first sight we get is of the American fighter jets, tanks and weapons that surround the museum. Off to one side there is an exhibition about the prison set up by South Vietnamese and American forces. Inside is an amazing and shocking display of war photographs. It shows all sides of war and some tell sort stories about the photographs. The museum seems a little one sided, telling all the terrible things that the American army did during the war but never mentioning the Viet Kong.
We detour through the market on the way back to the hostel. It is bustling with people selling food, clothes and souvenirs. Dinner tonight is in a little restaurant close by. We both order sea food, Brenda arrives with the prawns resting on a coconut. The food is fantastic.
We are up early tomorrow to see the Cu Chi tunnels so it is off to bed early.
Day 132
On the bus to the tunnels we are told lots of information about Vietnamese culture and the tunnels by our tour guide. This is what we were told about Cu Chi.
The Viet Kong was the Cu Chi people’s enemy as were the Americans. They wanted to live separately form both sides. But the American army built their Saigon base in the heart of their land and so the Cu Chi people went to war with them. They built a series of tiny tunnels which they moved into during the war and used in guerrilla warfare. The American base was built over the centre of the tunnel system. The Cu Chi rebels would pop up out of their tunnels attack the base and then disappear into the tunnels again. The American army used chemical weapons to destroy the crops and forest in the area to try and run the Cu Chi out of the area but they stayed to the end of the war.
We spend about two hours walking around the tunnels and see the weapons and traps that the Cu Chi used and how they lived underground. He whole time we are walking around we are listening to the sound of gun fire from the shooting range where you can pay to fire a genuine weapon form the ‘American’ war as it is known here.
At the end of the tour we get the opportunity to go down into the tunnels and walk either 25 or 50 meters. The tunnels are pitch black inside and very spooky. They have put in some lighting but after 25meters I’ve had enough and make my way out. We watch a short movie about the ‘American killer’ heroes of Cu Chi before making our way back on the bus to the city.
We are dropped off at the market on the way back and have another meander through and head back closer to the hostel for a bit of lunch. When we order our soft drinks Brenda get her 7up in a Guinness glass. It is unexpected things like this makes us smile. Chilling out for a bit is the only agenda for the afternoon before going for dinner.
We get a nice treat on skype after dinner when we get to chat to our granny and aunty for the first time since we left home. It is great to catch up.
Day 133
Our bus to Phnom Penh today is really nice with loads of leg room and reclining back and foot rests if you want to sleep. We take full advantage of it all the way to the Cambodian border. It is possibly the easiest border crossing we have had but they do take our finger prints. Very son we are back on the bus and on route to Phnom Penh.
The hostel isn’t the nicest we’ve ever stayed at but it is cute as all the beds have their own mosquito nets. We are lucky and get the room with air conditioning. We drop our bags and head straight out for lunch. We eat in a on the balcony of a restaurant overlooking the river. We are amazed with the amount of branches and greenery floating on the river.
Back in the hostel we begin to sort out the list of things we want Wacker to bring over to Australia when he comes. It is a shame he can’t bring over a full Irish or a carton of real fresh milk :)
We make our way back to the riverside for dinner and eat in a really nice bar with good music. It is only now that we have realised that it is the Saturday before Halloween. The bar staff are dressed up with skeleton clothes or a cloak on. We end up parting the night away upstairs in their night club.
Day 134
Today we want to see the palace but unfortunately it is closed to visitors because the king died about a week ago and he is lying in state. The walls outside the palace are swamped with flowers, incense and Cambodians paying their respects. A group led by monks pass us and shortly a flock of birds take flight from the middle of the group. I assume it was a ceremony of some kind.
We wander slowly towards the national museum passing lots of nice hand craft shops. The museum is full of artefacts from Anghor. They are amazing. You could spend the whole day in the museum looking at all the displays.
The night market is opening when we are heading back to the hostel. A few of us decide to have a look around and have dinner from the stalls. There isn’t much in the stalls we haven’t seen before so we make our way to the food area. A large sitting area is surrounded by lots of stands with all sorts of food. We pick what we want and hand them in to be bar-b-qued and find a spot on the mats. The food is delicious and topped off by the wonderful friendly atmosphere. Supping on fresh fruit shakes we head for the hostel for more skyping and to look into dive resorts on the Thai islands.
Day 134
I had enough of war and killing in Vietnam but have been encouraged to go to the killing fields and S21 prison when here.
First stop is the S21 prison, formerly a school it was turned into a prison during the reign of Pol Pot and the Kamir Rouge. Men, women and children were brought here for as little as stealing a small amount of food for their starving families. Very few ever left alive, they were all tortured and beaten and those who lived long enough were then sent to the killing fields. The prison is a shocking demonstration of how humans can be led to do horrific things to each other. There are rooms and rooms of photographs of all the ‘prisoners’ who were held in the prison over the 4 year period it was open. I decided after one building of photographs that I had had enough and waited outside for the others to finsh.
The Killing Fields is our next destination today. After the prison I’m not looking forward to it. This is where anyone who the Kamir Rouge or Pol Pot himself decided he didn’t like or was ‘plotting against him’ was sent to be killed. It is unexpected when you arrive at a beautiful grassland area with birds singing and fish jumping in the lake, but the history of this place is a brutal one. We are all given a headset which will tell us all the information about the place as we walk around. The stories are awful and I won’t share them with you but they are very tastefully dealt with. You hear the basic history but if you want to hear more you select another number on the headset. The headsets allow for a tranquil and respectful atmosphere in the area. They staff have managed to create a peaceful resting place for the people buried in the fields. I am glad to that I came.
Back in Phnom Penh and it is back online again for more research into our upcoming diving trip to Ko Tao.
Day 136
We head downstairs after packing up this morning to find a big group of people sleeping on the lobby floor. We tip toe around them and order breakfast, yum toast and real tea! We are off to Siem Reap and Anghor Watt today. It is a long drive on a tightly packed bus. We arrive around four o clock with just enough time for a bite to eat and then into a tuk-tuk to see sunset over Anghor Watt.
(Angkor is a series of palaces and temples built between the first and fifteenth century, used by locals for religious ceremonies)
I will let the photographs speak for the place. It was magnificent.
Day 137
Sun rise at Angkor Watt
Angkor Thom
Tonight is Halloween night so we are hitting the tiles. After driving through the town earlier I have chickened out of my toga idea but Lindsey has offered her mask as she is staying in tonight. We have a great night dancing the night away with the mummy bar staff and a few others who are dressed up.
Day 138
We visit more temples of Angkor today.
We stop off at the market on the way back to the hotel. There are lots of jewellery stands at the market. If you are into your bling, this is the place to get it. The prices are really good and you can bargain them down even more.
Day 139
Today is spent travelling from Cambodia into Thailand and on to Bangkok. It is a long day and we are ready for good night out when we finally get to Bangkok. We meet up with Will and the others who went ahead at the hotel. Will’s friend Wayne has joined us for a bit too. He is staying until Singapore for Will’s birthday.
Today is Sarah’s birthday and although she had to go home we are going to celebrate it for her. Bangkok lives up to its reputation and we have a great night on Ko San Road with some not making it to bed until after dawn.
Day 140
We relive last night in the room with lots of laughter and giggles before heading for brunch. The sightseeing gets pushed back and we wander through the streets to get a feel for city. There is a real buzz in the air. Dinner is a kebab from a street vendor and then we settle in at a little bar with a god band playing all the classics. Another great night had by all.
Day 141
A quick breakfast and then we head for the palace. Due to the strict dress code Wayne has to rent a pair of trousers; they are bright red with elephants on them. It sounds strange but there are lots of people with them on. Everywhere you look in the palace gold catches your eye. Every inch of the palace is decorated with fancy tile work or a gold statue. The main attraction of one of the temples is a Buda carved out of Jade. Initially I think it is quiet small but when we get into the temple it is much more impressive. We sit and people watch here for a bit out of the sunshine. The heat of the day gets to us after a few hours and we make our way to the air conditioned shopping centre.
Back at the hotel later and we find out that incredibly Lindsey has bumped into friends from home on the street and has arranged to meet up for a drink. We head back to the live music bar and start another mad night out in Bangkok. I don’t know what they have put into the air here but it just makes you want to be out and about dancing and partying.
Day 142
We awake with a start this morning, we have slept through our alarm and one of the girls is knocking on the door to make sure we are up. We rush about the room getting packed up cursing Bangkok and its party atmosphere. We bundle into a taxi twenty minutes later and off to the truck. It is great to be back on the truck again. It’s nearly like getting back into your own room after a holiday. We all settle into our seats for a long drive to Kanchanaburi home of the Death Railway and setting for ‘The Bridge over the River Kwai’ movie.
It is a quaint little town and we decide to leave the exploring for tomorrow and have an early night.
Bangkok has taken its toll on us.
The queue is pretty big when we arrive at the bus station and there is a bit of a stampede when the
bus arrives. Everyone is rushing to get the good beds. We all get settled in for the night and are on our way soon.
For anyone who has not seen a sleeper bus before, they have three rows of bunks. One row of bunks is along either side of the bus and one along the middle of the bus. Each bed is sitting up slightly with the leg area underneath the up-sloping part of the bed on front. They are pretty cool if you are smaller than 5’6” but for anyone over that it is cramped and very narrow.
Day 125
We arrive in Mui Ne at 6am and are dropped off at the hotel and thankfully the rooms are ready for us to check in. We all crash out for a few hours. On our breakfast hunt we come across a fancy beach side restaurant called The Sailing Club. We enjoy a delicious brunch and looking out on the fabulous white sand beach and the crashing waves.
After being forced to neglect our blog in China we are forced to ignore our beautiful surroundings and head back to the hotel and upload a load of photos and a few other bits on the internet.
To make up for the day indoors we stroll along the beach before dinner. The walk was great and with a really big wave every so often we all ended up wet to the knees but with the heat here we were dry very quickly.
We all eat fabulous sea food at the Four Seasons restaurant, no not that one but it was nice all the same. We end the evening in the Why Not bar playing pool and dancing.
Day 126
Today we are spending the day in the Disney land of Vietnam called Vin Pearl Land. It is on an island off the bay. It even has the sign on the hilltop like the Hollywood sign. The island has a theme park, an aquarium, a water park and a beautiful beach.
After the cable car ride over to the island we have a great morning going on rollercoasters, merry-go-round, pirate ship, chair-o-planes and on to the arcade rooms after.
The aquarium was my highlight even though the tanks were very small for the massive fish they had. They had every kind of tropical fish you can think of from angle fish to the Nemo clown fish and even the Hawaiian Humuhumnukunukuapooa’a (a cool colouredfish we spotted everywhere on or trip to Hawai’i a few years ago). They had turtles and massive rays. It was amazing. We even spied a scuba diver in the big tank cleaning the tank, the girls thought that this was hilarious , the world’s biggest pooper scooper apparently.
We head for the water park and spend the evening speeding down the slides and lounging in the lazy river.
After an action filled day we head back on the cable car just as the towers are starting to light up. It is beautiful. Dinner in the sailing club again and when leaving we ask for a stamp in case we decide to come back for the night club later.
All clean and a bit more rested Feng and I hit the town. We have a good boogie in the Why Not bar for an hour or two and then on to the Sailing Club when the music gets too heavy for us. The Sailing Club is a totally different crowd to the Why Not bar. It is full of local tourists and westerners who are obviously on holiday not backpacking but the atmosphere is electric and as we walk in the Super Mario theme is being remixed so we are straight to dance floor and part the night away.
Day 127
We are having a relaxing day today after the madness yesterday. After a late breakfast we head to the beach and spend the day enjoying the sun. No partying for us tonight as we leave first thing tomorrow morning for the kite/wind/surfing capital of Vietnam!
Day 128
The drive to Mui Ne is beautiful, we whizz past little villages and farmers in the fields. Mui Ne is a huge long beach which is lined with beach resorts and local restaurants. We check in and head for lunch before looking at the beach. We stop in a few places to price a few windsurfing lessons. They are ridiculously priced, I wouldn’t pay those prices at home never mind in Vietnam so we resolve to rent a few surf boards in the morning.
We walk the strip after a bit and end the night with a bit of sea food at our hotel. The prawns were hand-picked in front of us. It is great being beside the sea again!
Day 129
The surf isn’t great this morning but we rent the biggest board the surf school has and head out for a bit of fun. We are really enjoying our time in the waves dodging the kite surfers, of which there are hundreds, and playing in the shallows. We even attempt two of us on the board at the same time but without much success.
We are booked into a tour for the evening to go to the yellow, orange and red sand dunes near the town. We all pile into the cool old land rovers all set for a big trek to the sand dunes and we drive five minutes down the road and pull up at a little lane. Although we are a little confused we head on down the lane to find what looks like someone’s back yard. After a little consultation with our drivers we discover a fabulous little stream called the Fairy Stream. We all slip off our sandals and walk up-stream to find a whole new world hidden behind all the houses. The stream is a glorious burnt orange colour from the red sand bed with over hanging forest on one side and tall sand dunes on the other. With the water lapping at our ankles, we wander along drinking in the beautiful scenery. We are disappointed when we have to head back to the jeeps but we are all looking forward to seeing the famous red sand dunes.
In Mongolia we all expected to see sand blowing gently over hills of sand like on National Geographic, we definitely didn’t expect it in Vietnam but that is what greets us today. It is like a scene from Laurence of Arabia, well if there were dirt bikes and dune buggies in it I suppose. The noise spoils the tranquillity that you see on the TV but it is beautiful. The Bikes and buggies look like good fun too. We all get free sand blasting body scrub on the way up to the top of the highest dune. Sand for miles is the view from the top and we even catch a few people sand mating to the bottom (like snow sledging but on the sand). On the way back to the truck we pass a fabulous lake covered with lotus flowers. It is the first time I’ve seen them growing wild, they are beautiful.
We make our way to the red sand canyon. This is almost a carbon copy of the Fairy Stream but without the water. Unfortunately on the wall of the little valley people have decided to etch messages into the sand. It is disappointing as the biggest problem in the area is erosion and they don’t need people coming for a two week holiday and helping it along.
The gold sand dunes are our next stop before going to the fishing village for sunset. It is much the same as the white sand dunes but without the dirt bikes and dune buggies. It is very beautiful in the rapidly diminishing sunshine. They fishing village is bustling as we drive through, it looks like school is just over with at least two hundred white shirted teenagers on the road. We just make it to the pier for the sun setting over all the wooden fishing boats. It is very picturesque.
We are all jaded after a long day so after a bite to eat, sea food of course, and a quiet drink it is time for bed.
Day 130
With another long drive day today we are up early and on a bus to Ho Chi Ming city, formerly Saigon. The drive takes most of the day and it is after lunch when we arrive. We had a little trouble with our accommodation here, we were booked into the usual place and then Karen got an email to say that the roof had collapsed and they could no longer honour our booking. We all had a bit of a giggle, it worked out for the best though as we ended up in a new hostel which was in the centre of the city.
After a bit of a stroll around we head back to the hostel and get dressed up for a night on the town. We accept any excuse for a party. Martin is heading on to Bangkok tomorrow to meet up with Will so we are calling this Martin’s going away party. Before we leave though we find out that one of the girls has gotten bad news and has to go home. We are all devastated for her and are sorry to see her go.
We head out and give her a bit of space. Our spirits are dampened but we have a good night all the same, bumping into one of the guys from our bus earlier (who we nicknamed The Chad) and drinking in a little local place which consisted of little plastic chairs squeezed around the corner of a little shop front which served only beer. After a bit it starts to rain and the lady comes out to roll out a cover and we all jumped up to give her a hand, like with the tarp on the truck. She is confused but glad of the help. Our dancing shoes come out not long after that in the night club.
Every person we met since we arrived has been telling us to watch our bags and to look after each other. We find out why when we are walking the short distance to the hostel. We hear a scooter rev up and take off and then see a girl running after it. The driver has just snatched her bag out of her hand. It wasn’t a small hand bag either, it was a school bag! We were all a lot more conscious after that, walking linked with bags in the middle.
Day 131
I’m the first up today and so I make my way upstairs to catch up on emails and facebook. Breakfast is a tasty roll in a bakery and we make our way to the War Museum. The first sight we get is of the American fighter jets, tanks and weapons that surround the museum. Off to one side there is an exhibition about the prison set up by South Vietnamese and American forces. Inside is an amazing and shocking display of war photographs. It shows all sides of war and some tell sort stories about the photographs. The museum seems a little one sided, telling all the terrible things that the American army did during the war but never mentioning the Viet Kong.
We detour through the market on the way back to the hostel. It is bustling with people selling food, clothes and souvenirs. Dinner tonight is in a little restaurant close by. We both order sea food, Brenda arrives with the prawns resting on a coconut. The food is fantastic.
We are up early tomorrow to see the Cu Chi tunnels so it is off to bed early.
Day 132
On the bus to the tunnels we are told lots of information about Vietnamese culture and the tunnels by our tour guide. This is what we were told about Cu Chi.
The Viet Kong was the Cu Chi people’s enemy as were the Americans. They wanted to live separately form both sides. But the American army built their Saigon base in the heart of their land and so the Cu Chi people went to war with them. They built a series of tiny tunnels which they moved into during the war and used in guerrilla warfare. The American base was built over the centre of the tunnel system. The Cu Chi rebels would pop up out of their tunnels attack the base and then disappear into the tunnels again. The American army used chemical weapons to destroy the crops and forest in the area to try and run the Cu Chi out of the area but they stayed to the end of the war.
We spend about two hours walking around the tunnels and see the weapons and traps that the Cu Chi used and how they lived underground. He whole time we are walking around we are listening to the sound of gun fire from the shooting range where you can pay to fire a genuine weapon form the ‘American’ war as it is known here.
At the end of the tour we get the opportunity to go down into the tunnels and walk either 25 or 50 meters. The tunnels are pitch black inside and very spooky. They have put in some lighting but after 25meters I’ve had enough and make my way out. We watch a short movie about the ‘American killer’ heroes of Cu Chi before making our way back on the bus to the city.
We are dropped off at the market on the way back and have another meander through and head back closer to the hostel for a bit of lunch. When we order our soft drinks Brenda get her 7up in a Guinness glass. It is unexpected things like this makes us smile. Chilling out for a bit is the only agenda for the afternoon before going for dinner.
We get a nice treat on skype after dinner when we get to chat to our granny and aunty for the first time since we left home. It is great to catch up.
Day 133
Our bus to Phnom Penh today is really nice with loads of leg room and reclining back and foot rests if you want to sleep. We take full advantage of it all the way to the Cambodian border. It is possibly the easiest border crossing we have had but they do take our finger prints. Very son we are back on the bus and on route to Phnom Penh.
The hostel isn’t the nicest we’ve ever stayed at but it is cute as all the beds have their own mosquito nets. We are lucky and get the room with air conditioning. We drop our bags and head straight out for lunch. We eat in a on the balcony of a restaurant overlooking the river. We are amazed with the amount of branches and greenery floating on the river.
Back in the hostel we begin to sort out the list of things we want Wacker to bring over to Australia when he comes. It is a shame he can’t bring over a full Irish or a carton of real fresh milk :)
We make our way back to the riverside for dinner and eat in a really nice bar with good music. It is only now that we have realised that it is the Saturday before Halloween. The bar staff are dressed up with skeleton clothes or a cloak on. We end up parting the night away upstairs in their night club.
Day 134
Today we want to see the palace but unfortunately it is closed to visitors because the king died about a week ago and he is lying in state. The walls outside the palace are swamped with flowers, incense and Cambodians paying their respects. A group led by monks pass us and shortly a flock of birds take flight from the middle of the group. I assume it was a ceremony of some kind.
We wander slowly towards the national museum passing lots of nice hand craft shops. The museum is full of artefacts from Anghor. They are amazing. You could spend the whole day in the museum looking at all the displays.
The night market is opening when we are heading back to the hostel. A few of us decide to have a look around and have dinner from the stalls. There isn’t much in the stalls we haven’t seen before so we make our way to the food area. A large sitting area is surrounded by lots of stands with all sorts of food. We pick what we want and hand them in to be bar-b-qued and find a spot on the mats. The food is delicious and topped off by the wonderful friendly atmosphere. Supping on fresh fruit shakes we head for the hostel for more skyping and to look into dive resorts on the Thai islands.
Day 134
I had enough of war and killing in Vietnam but have been encouraged to go to the killing fields and S21 prison when here.
First stop is the S21 prison, formerly a school it was turned into a prison during the reign of Pol Pot and the Kamir Rouge. Men, women and children were brought here for as little as stealing a small amount of food for their starving families. Very few ever left alive, they were all tortured and beaten and those who lived long enough were then sent to the killing fields. The prison is a shocking demonstration of how humans can be led to do horrific things to each other. There are rooms and rooms of photographs of all the ‘prisoners’ who were held in the prison over the 4 year period it was open. I decided after one building of photographs that I had had enough and waited outside for the others to finsh.
The Killing Fields is our next destination today. After the prison I’m not looking forward to it. This is where anyone who the Kamir Rouge or Pol Pot himself decided he didn’t like or was ‘plotting against him’ was sent to be killed. It is unexpected when you arrive at a beautiful grassland area with birds singing and fish jumping in the lake, but the history of this place is a brutal one. We are all given a headset which will tell us all the information about the place as we walk around. The stories are awful and I won’t share them with you but they are very tastefully dealt with. You hear the basic history but if you want to hear more you select another number on the headset. The headsets allow for a tranquil and respectful atmosphere in the area. They staff have managed to create a peaceful resting place for the people buried in the fields. I am glad to that I came.
Back in Phnom Penh and it is back online again for more research into our upcoming diving trip to Ko Tao.
Day 136
We head downstairs after packing up this morning to find a big group of people sleeping on the lobby floor. We tip toe around them and order breakfast, yum toast and real tea! We are off to Siem Reap and Anghor Watt today. It is a long drive on a tightly packed bus. We arrive around four o clock with just enough time for a bite to eat and then into a tuk-tuk to see sunset over Anghor Watt.
(Angkor is a series of palaces and temples built between the first and fifteenth century, used by locals for religious ceremonies)
I will let the photographs speak for the place. It was magnificent.
Day 137
Sun rise at Angkor Watt
Bayon
Angkor Thom
Tonight is Halloween night so we are hitting the tiles. After driving through the town earlier I have chickened out of my toga idea but Lindsey has offered her mask as she is staying in tonight. We have a great night dancing the night away with the mummy bar staff and a few others who are dressed up.
Day 138
We visit more temples of Angkor today.
We stop off at the market on the way back to the hotel. There are lots of jewellery stands at the market. If you are into your bling, this is the place to get it. The prices are really good and you can bargain them down even more.
Day 139
Today is spent travelling from Cambodia into Thailand and on to Bangkok. It is a long day and we are ready for good night out when we finally get to Bangkok. We meet up with Will and the others who went ahead at the hotel. Will’s friend Wayne has joined us for a bit too. He is staying until Singapore for Will’s birthday.
Today is Sarah’s birthday and although she had to go home we are going to celebrate it for her. Bangkok lives up to its reputation and we have a great night on Ko San Road with some not making it to bed until after dawn.
Day 140
We relive last night in the room with lots of laughter and giggles before heading for brunch. The sightseeing gets pushed back and we wander through the streets to get a feel for city. There is a real buzz in the air. Dinner is a kebab from a street vendor and then we settle in at a little bar with a god band playing all the classics. Another great night had by all.
Day 141
A quick breakfast and then we head for the palace. Due to the strict dress code Wayne has to rent a pair of trousers; they are bright red with elephants on them. It sounds strange but there are lots of people with them on. Everywhere you look in the palace gold catches your eye. Every inch of the palace is decorated with fancy tile work or a gold statue. The main attraction of one of the temples is a Buda carved out of Jade. Initially I think it is quiet small but when we get into the temple it is much more impressive. We sit and people watch here for a bit out of the sunshine. The heat of the day gets to us after a few hours and we make our way to the air conditioned shopping centre.
Back at the hotel later and we find out that incredibly Lindsey has bumped into friends from home on the street and has arranged to meet up for a drink. We head back to the live music bar and start another mad night out in Bangkok. I don’t know what they have put into the air here but it just makes you want to be out and about dancing and partying.
Day 142
We awake with a start this morning, we have slept through our alarm and one of the girls is knocking on the door to make sure we are up. We rush about the room getting packed up cursing Bangkok and its party atmosphere. We bundle into a taxi twenty minutes later and off to the truck. It is great to be back on the truck again. It’s nearly like getting back into your own room after a holiday. We all settle into our seats for a long drive to Kanchanaburi home of the Death Railway and setting for ‘The Bridge over the River Kwai’ movie.
It is a quaint little town and we decide to leave the exploring for tomorrow and have an early night.
Bangkok has taken its toll on us.
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