Feb 2006

One last thing to say about our time in Mui Ne is that on our last day, we decided to get a motorbike again and see the 'Red Canyon'. When we stopped for directions i soon realised that the bike had a puncture. So there we were in the absolute middle of nowhere with only a few houses dotted around, with very little cash, and a puncture. I thought we would have a long walk back but as luck would have it, we had stopped outside what seemed to be a house that fixes motorbikes and punctures which was the only place within miles. Anyway, we had the 2 punctures on the back wheel fixed only to drive down the road for 2km when it went flat again. We pushed the bike to another place that could fix them and he put a third patch on the tyre. After going to the ATM to get money to pay the 1st place, we were on our way back when yes you guessed it another puncture. This time we had to change the entire innertube at a cost and we lost the majority of the day doing all this. We never found the red canyon.

Arrived in Mui Ne on the Friday 24th. Bit different from Saigon, sand and sea instead of concrete and mopeds. We have spent the majority of the time on the beach so far.

Our hut on first night

We have been to the red and white sand dunes which are massive, this also involved us sledging on the back of a plastic board down some very steep dunes and falling off halfway most of the time.

We arrived in Siagon after an 14 hour journey from Siem Reap and a one night in Phnom Penh (again).

We are currently staying round someones house or at least thats what it feels like, in one of the backstreets in a backpackers area of Ho Chi Minh centre. It costs $6 but they bring you breakfast in bed and let you stay out as late as you want! If youre wondering it used to be called Saigon up until some bloke called Ho Chi Minh died so they decided to rename the city.

De Tham street

Phan Ngu Lao district

We went to the War Crimes museum today to see some of the things used in the war, including pictures of something called Agent Orange used by the U.S which is still causing birth defects today. We also went to the re-unificaton palace which is in exactly the same state as it was when the president was kicked out in 1975.

War museum

Re-unification palace

The rest of our time in Saigon was spent at Saigon Water Park then we went on the Mekong Delta trip where on a long boat, we travelled up small rivers and streams through the mangrove forests to find villages and villagers going about daily life included a Coconut sweet'factory', a place where they made honey and rice wine and some local music to finish up. And also a very big python.

Mekong Delta

Coconut sweet factory

After a six hour journey in a bus with air con that dosent work very well and some dodgy Cambodian karaoke CD on the TV on repeat, we arrived in Siem Reap.

We arrived at our $4 a night hotel, which had satellite TV and a bonus of around 15 crocodiles in the back garden/pond - which also featured on the menu.

Unfortunately for me i have spent the majority of the time in Siem Reap feeling the 'side-effects' of our anti-malaria drug, which meant i spent most of my time on the toilet/bed.

Amongst other things, we went to see traditional Khmer dancers, which needless to say was Servanes idea and of course we saw the temples. The Temples of Angkor took three days, we saw around 20 temples, covering 100 sq km, walked about 10 miles and climbed up and down around 1000 steps. I think were ok for temples for a little while.

Angkor Wat - Sunrise 5am

Bayon Temple - One of 164 faces of the king

We have now moved on from Sihanoukville and are now in Cambodia's capital called Phnom Penh. Imagine London but much hotter, more polluted, with more people, millions more mopeds, more poverty but about the same amount of hookers.

Since being in Phnom Penh we have moved from hostel to hostel and probably settling in the worst of them. But at least we have found some friends including mice and parasites that wedge themselves in between your toe.

We have now almost adopted the life of a Cambodian (about the same budget anyway), travelling around the markets on a 25 yr old moped, dodging traffic coming the wrong way down the road.

We have learnt about Cambodia's bloody history of the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields, which some of the pictures are below. This has definately opened our eyes on the two million Cambodians that died during 1975-1979 because of this Pol Pot regime. But they still seems to manage a smile and a 'You want tuk-tuk?'.

We have also been to the Royal Palace, residence of the King of Cambodia and whilst we were there he arrived followed by about 50 other motors.

Our next stop is Siem Reap to see the temples of Angkor.

Wat Phnom Temple

Killing Fields outside Phnom Penh

Royal Palace

Getting to Sihanoukville from Koh Kong you have to take your life in your hands as this speed boat skips along waves especially as you and about 30 other people are sitting on the roof.

I got a moped when we got to Sihanoukville, you definately need to keep you eyes open as they dont seem to have any law and its a bit of a free for all, thats if youre on a road at all.

Waterfall outside Sihanoukville