After the homestay I went to Kampot, it was great timing as Mach was driving there to meet someone that day so I got a free lift there. I found the backpackers road and checked into a place called Blissful. For a $3 dollar bed you really can't complain. I'm getting used to these cold showers, I haven't had a warm shower for over a week now but it's refreshing after a hot day. Not great being bitten by mosquito's whilst showering, I am defenceless! Kampot is a very small village by the river. Not much happens here and it's very hot! I met a couple in the hostel and the girl and I decided to try out a massage from the blind, "Seeing Hands" massage for $5. It was an experience lets just say that. I couldn't quite describe it as pleasant or relaxing as the guy found every pressure point in my body that hurt. We decided to treat ourselves to a cheese cake down the road after that painful massage. It was so hot we chilled in the hostel the rest of the afternoon. I met two English girls here, Lauren and Hayleigh and we were all planning to go to Sihanoukville the following day so in the morning I took a bike ride around the village to the salt fields. Cycling is such a great way to see the place, and you really get a feel for Cambodia as soon as you step out of the 'backpacker' area. I only passed 2 other Westerners and the rest were school kids cycling or walking to school waving and shouting hi as I passed. Even the adults would stop and stare and give me a nod and a smile when I stopped to take photos. It was cute. I think the houses they build are so impressive. Most houses are built on stilts so they are about 2 metres above the ground. They used to build houses above the ground when they lived in the jungle to protect them from the animals. This has been a tradition they have kept as houses on the ground suggest you are less well off. They use their houses for sleeping but store most of their stuff underneath and use the space to chill out, eat dinner and socialise. Occasionally you would see their cows resting there in the shade. The roads here are mainly dirt tracks so when I returned I was covered in dirt from head to toe. After a quick shower I jumped in a taxi with Lauren and Hayleigh and headed to Otres beach in Sihanoukville. For $7 each we got taken directly to the beach. We managed to find a place that 1) had room for us and 2) didn't have a load of weird old western men hanging about in the lobby. We then chilled on the white sandy beach. Beautiful!

We met Ryan the following day, (an Aussie Lauren travelled with in Africa) and then headed to town to sort out their Vietnam visas. The afternoon was spent chilling on the beach with a beach bbq for dinner. Yum! We decided to move to the town the next day so checked into Monkey Republic down the main road. It's a really cool chilled out place there all made of wood, even the huts. It had a really good atmosphere and good food too. Only problem was that when I checked into a $3 dorm room a guy mentioned that several people had been attacked by the bed bugs but he said I didn't need to worry as my bed number 1 was ok! When we got back from the beach that day all the beds in my dorm had been stripped apart from mine and one other and the room was infused with bed bug spray. So when we returned from our night out at about 3am dancing all evening I decided that I didn't want to be inhaling this stuff and die from the fumes, so ended up sleeping outside in Ryan's hammock. It was fairly comfortable and I only woke up a couple of times with pins and needles in my feet! My sleeping bag managed to keep the mosquito's away too so I was happy.

We ended up chilling on the beach the next day and had a chilled night on the beach with a few beers. We did a boat trip one day which involved sitting on a boat in the sun all day, jumping off the boat with a load of Chinese, tuna and rice for lunch, a bit of exploring on the island to a more secluded beach.

We celebrated Australia day on a booze cruise which simply was drinking on a boat for 5 hours and a few drinking games on the beach. We were slightly apprehensive about this trip as we couldn't see ourselves socialising with the staff as they were all complete alcoholics and probably on drugs of all kinds. But luckily there were a few decent people who were pretty cool. Met two Aussies and ended up spending the next two nights with them. Must admit I am liking these Aussie men! ;-) The guys I have met are all so chilled and lots of fun...whoop!

Anyway...next blog update SOON!