So my last night in Honkers, me and Christophe went to this bar place on Hong Kong island that his guide book said to go to.. it was alright but nothing special. Still caught half of the Newcastle match, got some good spring rolls and then managed to trip down some stairs, though no lasting damage done.. just some pretty decent bruises! The next morning was time to leave the guest house, especially seeing as some sort of drilling sounded like it was coming through the ceiling! Definately time to leave!
And so on Monday headed to Bangkok, where I met Lydia without too much hassle and went to our 2 nights of luxury before starting our "basic" tour. The hotel was possibly the nicest place I've ever stayed, especially as we got upgraded to some executive suite on the 55th floor! Huuuuugggggeeeee! The hotel had a rooftop bar on the 64th floor with some amazing views of the city at night so we treat ourselves to 2 cocktails and just sat there for a while, its a good job I brought a decent dress with me cause they were turning people away for not having proper shoes etc etc. Best thing about the hotel though was breakfast, so much food! I think nit might have been the best moment of the trip so far! Lyds was still a bit jet lagged so we hung around the pool for a while before going to find this solid gold buddha, with our 1st experience of tuk-tuks. After the buddha we managed to get a bit lost when we got dropped off in the wrong place and Lyd thinks this man who was "helping" us find our way back tried to get into her bag, but luckily there wasnt anything missing. Has definately taught us a lesson though! So once we found our hotel again we got a fish foot massage thing which involved these tiny fish that eat the dead skin off your feet followed by a hour long massage, exactly waht I needed after the last 3 weeks on my feet! We did more sightseeing on the Wednesday before meeting the group and think we got tricked by this dude outside the palace who told us it was only open to Thai people until 2.30.. and sent us off to look at these random temples/buddhas, it was still really cheap but a bit pointless really. Then to get back to the hotel no tuktuk guy would take us for less than 200 baht so we just got a taxi for 90 (??) why would we want to get more dirty and hot for more than twice as much in a nice air conditioned, boxed in car? Stupid!!
Anyway the group we're travelling with for the next few weeks are all really nice, only 8 of us this time and 2 leave after Cambodia but everyone gets on really well so it's fine. We all went out for food and drinks on Khao San Road and me and Lyd had our first bucket (!!) of cocktail, its no revolution but a lot cheaper and stronger stuff.
Thursday saw us cross the border into Cambodia, and on to Siem Reap, I actually really enjoyed it here and bought some clothes and tat that I dont need from the market. After we had been for a meal and a tour around a nearby local village. The village was totally worth going to, beautiful scenery and the people were all so friendly especially the kids who brought us flowers and pictures and all knew pretty decent english, the guide says its a pretty new addition to the trip so perhaps the novelty of foreigners is still there a bit! After me, Lyd and the guide went to a local bar and had a couple of buckets each and met the group thats doing the same tour as us but one day ahead, which made it all harder when the next day was an early one (4am) to get up to see sunrise over Angkor Wat. So so tired, I'm surprised we were able to get up but we managed it, and it was worth it. The rest of the morning was spent looking at different temples including the one where Tomb Raider was filmed, but by 1 o'clock we were all templed out and chilled/slept by the pool for a few hours before food and drinks and traditional dancers.
On Saturday some of us tried to go visit this lake that is meant to be the biggest lake in south east asia and there is floating villages including schools and basketball courts, but once we got to the lake the boat that is usually 18 dollars in total, became 20 dollars each. So we didnt bother and decided to all go for massages instead. Me and Lyd had a traditional Khmer massage, it was possibly the most painful hour of my life! It involved knees in the back and twisting awkwardly, I dont know how such a small person could put so much pressure! But the weird thing was that afterwards all my muscles were really relaxed and now its only my back that is a bit sore. But we managed to time it so badly that we made it back to the hotel with only 10 minutes to spare before we got on a long public bus to Phnom Penh. Along the way it started to rain really hard, and we went passed a road accident that had 3 people stuck under a bus but we only stopped for a sec to pick up some guy who was going for help. But apparently road traffic accidents are not unusual in Cambodia, and I can kinda see why! Again no helmets, everyone ignores red lights and sometimes drives on the wrong side of the road. We didnt arrive until after 6 so there wasnt much to do but get food at a restaurant that all proceeds go to an orphanage, so that was a good cause and they did good food!
Sunday.. early start again and a really emotionally stressful day. We met our guide in the morning who was 5 as a boy when the Khmer Rouge took over, and told us about his familys story and a bit about who were classed as enemies of the revolution. I had no idea all this happened in Cambodia and that it all happened so recently. In the S-21 prison we went to visit there was 20000 prisoners over 3 years, not including children and all but 7 were killed. The cells are all left as they were found and when the Vietnamese seized the prison they took pictures of the last prisoners that were killed in the cells which were displayed on the walls, along with mugshots of prisoners and child soldiers. I knew that this was going to be an emotional day but I had no idea what happened in the country during that time. We went to visit the killing fields afterwards, and again I wont go into too much detail but listening to what happened there and seeing what they've found, won't be easily forgotten and although it was a horrible thing to see and listen to, its definately something to see while your in the country. Cambodian children dont get taught about it in schools and entire families were wiped out so now at least I feel I know a bit about the country and its history. Later on we went to dinner at the guide's house and met his family and had so much food while sat on the floor! But while we were there it rained so heavy for about 2 hours, and the streets around the house were completely flooded and the tuk tuks needed a bit of a push at one point but we made it back! Another early one on Monday when we headed to Sihanoukville on another public bus, I've never known air con like it! Absolutely bloody freezing and we tried to block the air vents with stuff, but at least I had my fleece with me, poor Lydia didnt and I wasnt nice/stupid enough to offer it so she had goosebumps the whole way! It also rained the whole way but at least this time we didnt see any major road accidents!
Sihanoukville seems like anice enough town, but we've opnly really been as far as the beach and they had a major storm here the night before we arrived that sunk boats and trapped some tourists out on an island where they had been snorkelling so Shane had said it probably wouldnt be worth it cause you wouldnt see much. So instead the first afternoon we spent in a beach bar and me and Lyd went swimming in the sea in the rain. Before going back and getting ready for the night out, (the next day was the 1st proper chance for a lie in!) so we had our beach BBQ and then played drinking games on the beach until the bar there closed and the owners went to sleep on the pool table (!!) so we moved onto a bar that had a pool and someone decided to get a beer tower between us and we all had shots. The rest of the group then moved onto another bar and somehow me and one of the guys got lost, but managed to find our way to the beach cause I thought I remembered thats where this other bar was. But there was a massive power cut and all the lights of the town went out and I stubbed my toe. It really hurt and so I went to dip it in the sea.. BIG mistake!! My flip flop came off and was getting swept off so I went in after it, fell over .. all with my bag on.. with my camera and all our money inside! So currently our money has been drying out and my camera is currently in a bag of silica gel with the vague hope that it still lives.. the batteries charged ok but its just a waiting game now! At least I have Lydias camera in the mean time! Damn flip flops! They killed my camera and stubbed my toe and I have a grazed shin and cut knee! Sihanoukville was not good to me! Especially as it was only nice the next morning when we were all sleeping and on the way to this very pretty beach it started raining .. again! But I think we're at another beach in a few days so not so bad, maybe we will get nicer weather there! At the new beach we went swimming again, but the waves were so much bigger and we tried to swim in on them but I'm rubbish at that and the boys were much better, I think I just got a lot of sand everywhere! It was good fun though and once we got back we all went to this cinema where you hire out a room pick a film and lie on the floor with cushions all for $2.50 each! Bargain, or at least it might have been if I hadnt fell asleep! Well I think that brings you all up to date and were now on our way to the Vietnamese border and Chau Doc until we head to Ho Chi Minh City and 2 of our group go home! Until then, me and lydia are fine and looking forward to the next beach.. also Shane is going to help me get my Thai visa, apparently we míght be able to send it on ahead! Lydia says HI too! Bye xx