So after spending a couple of days in Sihanoukville I decided to get a share taxi to Kampot (place where the black pepper comes from). The journey was an experience - the cab arrived at my guesthouse and my heart sank as it drove up the road because it was empty. I knew this would mean I would have to wait until it was full before we could go. We went to the taxi station and waited for 1 and a half hours until it was full. Now, my definition of full would have been 4 passengers in the UK, but since travelling, I have become wise to the term "full" and I now have a revised figure of 6 passengers (7 with driver). it's a squeeze, but acceptable, especially for just a 2 hour journey. Anyway, when there were 6 of us in the cab it didn't leave. Nor when there were 7 or 8! Miraculously we managed to get 9 people (including the driver) into a standard (not large) family car!!! It makes me laugh now just thinking about it! It was amazing! We had 4 people in the front, with the driver in the middle - straddling the gear stick and handbrake - somehow he managed to reach the pedals! and 5 people in the back (I was one of them). I tried to take some photos, but they don't really do justice to the situation. So - after 2 hours of being packed in like sardines I arrived in Kampot. Kampot is a very pretty riverside town, with lots of French architecture. I spent the rest of the day walking around the town. The next day (yesterday) I decided to do a tour with my guesthouse up to the old French Hill station (Bokor Hill). It was once a small community, but it has been used several times during the various wars, including being used as a stronghold for the Khmer Rouge. As a result, the hill is deserted and has a rather ghostly feel to it. The morning we set out for the tour it was sunny, but by the time we reached the top of the hill it was cold and rainy - just like the Peaks in England! It was raining so much that you couldn't see a meter in front of you! Very eerie place. We had a look around some of the deserted buildings, including a casino, but to be honest I didn't really take much in. Everywhere was flooded - I was drenched, my feet and socks were wet and I was freezing - reminded me of caving; only I didn't have a hot shower to look forward to. Also - my shoes would take ages to dry (they're still wet now) which not only makes my bag heavy, but also smell! It was a real shame it rained so much - I'm sure the view would have been fantastic from the top - it's really high up. On the journey down our guide stopped to pick a plant to show us - see the photos - it was obscenely phallic! Made me laugh lots though! Oh - we also stopped so that the driver could make an offering to the hill God. His car broke down the day before - which obviously means the Hill God is cross with him - nothing a bunch on bananas and an incense stick can't fix!! They're so superstitious - I wonder if it'll continue when the education system gets going... When we got to the bottom of the hill we went on a river cruise back to Kampot - if it had been a clear evening I'm told the sunset would have been lovely. As it was, it was a nice relaxing, cloudy, cruise up the river in a boat with a roof (I would have refused to go on it if it hadn't had a roof!) it was also much warmer in the valley and not raining. Got back to the guesthouse - had my cold shower and then 2 glasses of red wine with dinner. Thinking about it - I've really missed wine -not many places sell it by the glass here - it was a very welcome substitute to the hot shower. This morning I left early to get back to Phnom Penh (where I am now). There's something nice about coming back to a place - it almost gives me the feeling I get when I drive up my road at home in Purley - familiar and comforting. Also it's always nice to come somewhere where you know the scams and tricks. I feel confident in Phnom Penh (and all the other places I've stayed) and people hassle me less. I know how much a moto to my guesthouse in Lakeside should cost and I won't be ripped off by all the drivers that try and grab your stuff as you get off the bus - they find it very frustrating! Makes me smile. Meeting with Claire again tomorrow then we're off to Battambang for 2 days - going to do a cooking course! Then she goes off to see her family in Siem Reap and I'll make my way to Vietnam. Meeting her again on 14th October. Can't believe it's October already - times moves frighteningly quickly.