After walking endlessly around temples and being completely drained at the killing fields, Sihanoukville was exactly what I needed. Sihanoukville is a small town on the coast lined with beaches and is, arguably , thee mots relaxing place on Earth. Since deciding to go home I'd always planned to finish off with with some proper serious relaxation and Sihanoukville certainly fitted that bill. The main beach where we were staying is lined with restaurants and bars where you could lie on a sunlounger only a few feet away from the sea until the waiter brings a table over to your side with a massive platter of fresh prawns and a lychee shake...doesn't really get much better really.

The hardest decision in my time in Sihanoukville was if I should go for a swim before or after my curry and if I should read for a while or get another massage instead. As we lazed about there would be a constant stream of kids selling fruit, fish and jewellary etc. I managed to resist the majority of them but couldn't say no when they challenged me to knots and crosses in the sand which I inevitably lost so was forced to buy bracelets from them. Luckily for me they were so shoddily made they'd have fallen off within the hour. I was starting to feel guilty about just how easy I was having it so decided to work for a bit handing flyers along the beach in return for food and drink until I realized I didnt feel that guilty after all so stopped after a few hours and eased the stress of working life with a massage.

Ana, like me was running out of time before she had to go home so left for Koh Chang a day earlier than I did. I decided to stay behind to go on a boat trip to a few close by islands for snorkling and fishing. What nobody realized was that there was a storm-a-brewing that night which started with ridiculously wild waves. I discovered on the boat as it was thrown around and water poured over the deck that I'm apparently immune to sea-sickness. Only 3 of us on the boat of about 20 didn't feel the effects as the others lined the sides of the boat being sick. On the plus side, since almost everyone had to lie down on the beach to recover in time for the return trip which promised to be even worse, the place was utterly empty for some awesome snorkling.

That night I won the beer bong competition so decided to leave the next day in order to keep my crown in tact. It had been pure relaxation in Sihanoukville, though, Koh Chang, a Thai Island between Cambodia and Thailand didn't exactly sound exhausting.

James