I think I last updated this on the evening before we left Siem Reap in Cambodia. The next morning then, we got up and went to catch our bus to Phnom Pehn, the capital. I wasn't impressed with the bus at first but it turned out to be fine and the 6 hours passed really quickly. We passed through loads of little rural villages which were amazing – all the houses were on stilts and we're about as big as our bathrooms back home. Every little wooden shack home had at least one Ox, Oxen, what's the word – I don't know, anyway, but so many of them looked starving and you could see all their bones. We were really glad we got the bus though as it gave us a really good chance to see different parts of Cambodia.
We arrived in Phnom Pehn and as soon as we got off the bus we were pounced on by people offering us tuk tuks. Eventually, we decided to go with one guy who charged us $5 for a really short ride, he was a total con artist because then when we arrived at the hotel I went inside to ask how much we should expect to pay for a tuk tuk to take us to the Killing Fields and S21. The hotel told me no more than $12 but when I went outside this tuk tuk driver had agreed $20 with Kev and he would be back at half two. We decided we didn't want to go with him so got our hotel to arrange a tuk tuk for us to arrive at 2!
Our hotel was so nice, the pool was amazing and I was really glad to be there. I just had to make it through S21 and the Killing Fields and I could be back and straight in that pool! So the nice tuk tuk driver picked us up and went to the Killing Fields first. I was surprised at how few tourists were there and we wandered around, read the information and saw the skulls and left – pretty grim! We then went to S21, the old school that was converted into a prison by the Pol Pots regime. Again, pretty grim, but I chose not to study the endless photos of the dead and left Kev to wander around and read all the information in more detail. It was horrible, but didn't depress me like I thought it had – I think I'd already imagined the worst!
We came out only to find that our tuk tuk drive had gone! We were pretty confused as he hadn't been paid but there was plenty of other drivers around touting for business so we haggled and got one back to the hotel for $2. That evening we swam in the pool and ate some awesome food and had some great cocktails. As it got dark and we were swimming, there were huge bats flying over our heads which was awesome, I love bats!
The next morning we got up and went straight to the bus station ready to catch our next bus to Vietnam. We got on the bus and were just making ourselves comfortable when the disappearing tuk tuk driver from yesterday got on and came up to us. He told us that while he had been waiting for us at S21 yesterday the other tuk tuk driver (the rip off one) had arrived to have a go at him for taking us for less money. Our tuk tuk driver decided it wasn't worth the hassle and left! So we had to pay the driver, but we didn't have anything less than $20, so we just had to give him that as we didn't have much choice. We were so annoyed with the first tuk tuk driver – it really didn't help our impression of Phnom Pehn and we were glad when the bus left the city. We'd been in Phnom Pehn during a major holiday so the streets were quiet, so I don't think we got a real impression of what the place is like, but I don't think we'll bother going back – Siem Reap was way better.
The bus to Vietnam seemed to take ages! We had to go through immigration at the border which was just a real pain. First we gave our passports to the bus guide who went and got them stamped and then a bit further on we all had to get off the bus with our bags and go through security. By this time our bus guide had given everyone's passports to the officials at immigration and their genius system was to get everyone into the building and then gradually shout out the names of the people who's passports were ready for collection – there was so many people you could hardly hear and it just seemed totally chaotic. Eventually...., an I mean eventually, they called my name and I went through the barrier but Kev was still waiting. The pile of passports was getting smaller and smaller and when our bus guide looked at me and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, 'I've no idea where your boyfriend's passport has gone' I really was beginning to worry! Finally the last passport to be called, I think, was Kevin's and he hurried through the barrier where we both chucked our bags on to the X-Ray scanner. The official wasn't even sat in his chair when our bags went through, let alone looking at what we had in them! We quickly jumped back on the bus and that was us in Vietnam and on our way to Saigon.
We got dropped off not far from our hotel in Saigon. We'd been upgraded to a nicer room for free which was ace and I was so pleased to see it had a bath – I'd been craving a soak for so long. We popped out to get some dinner and were struck by how different Saigon was to anywhere we'd been so far. There were no tuk tuk's here, just millions and millions of motorbikes – it's a crazy place that is constantly noisy and busy. It was pouring with rain but we didn't mind as it took the edge off the heat. We decided to have an easy night that night and we just headed back to the room where I had a long hot bath and then we watch some films on HBO (which seems to be the only channel we can ever get, anywhere). Fell asleep really early and must have needed it.
The next morning the plan was to get out early and explore the city by foot (no way was I get on one of those motorbikes). As soon as we went outside I was freaked out by the unbelievable noise of traffic and unbelievable amount of motorbikes on the roads – honestly never seen anything like it. Every photo we took of the roads just don't seem to do justice to how mad it is there. Crossing the road means taking your life in your hands and the key is to step out and walk slowly across, allowing the motorbikes to go around you. I didn't like it at first, but the more we walked around the more I got used to it and managed to ignore the noise and chaos eventually.
Constant offerings of coconuts or motorbikes or anything else you can think of really was starting to wear me down here and I was close to losing my temper with many of them. They trick you by pretending to just be friendly and having a chat and then they force a coconut into your hand and pretend it's a gift, then they cut it open, stick a straw in it and charge you a fortune – I was getting so fed up with them and I had a moment where I needed to calm down before I punched one of them!
We visited the war memorial museum which was such a bloke thing – all the girls in the place were sat fanning themselves in the foyer, while all the guys were enthralled in the guns, tanks and horrible pictures of the effects of Agent Orange! It was good to learn a bit about the war though although it was more interesting when here in Hoi An (where I am now) we chatted to one guy who told us how everyone here had no news or anything and when the Americans arrived and gave them guns, they had no idea why they were fighting.
So in Saigon we also went to central market where I bought a dress that I'll never wear and one of those awesome cone hats they wear here – only to realise I've got to carry that around for the next 3 months! We generally wandered and then late in the afternoon headed back to the hotel. We hit rush hour and school kick out time in the street by our hotel and I could not believe the ridiculous amount of traffic – they bikes had taken over the pavements and there was literally no where to walk. For some one who is so anal about rules and organisation as me, seeing this ridiculous traffic chaos was hard to comprehend, but I guess that's just normal for them here.
Anyway, we then went out to have a drink and decided upon one bar that looked OK. When we sat down and got a drink we saw a load of girls inside tarting themselves up. They then came outside and tried to encourage other people (or should I say, men) to come to the bar – we realised this was not an innocent bar and we decided to drink up quick! We were getting fed up of the endless amputees begging us for money.
We went to a different bar and ended up chatting to this woman who was sat next to us. She was from Holland and was 52. She was single and loved to travel so she did, on her own, and she didn't care. Her two grown up sons back home were constantly on at her for not emailing and letting them know she was safe!
Got an early night after that and got up at half 3 to go to the airport. We'd decided to fly to Da Nang rather than get the 15 hour train ride, it wasn't much more expensive and a quick flight gave us more time everywhere. So we flew to Da Nang, arrived about 7am and then got picked up and taken on the 40 minute drive to Hoi An. It's a small fishing village which is becoming more and more touristy, but we love it here. The hotel is nice and the centre is so beautiful. It's got an ancient city centre which is flooded with tailors as this is the place that everyone comes to to get a suit.
We first visited the fishing market, which was crowded and cramped and hot, then we wandered around avoiding the beggars and touts. I made one mistake and went into one of the tailors to ask how much it would cost for a dress. It was cheap, about $25, but I didn't really want it, I'd just been curious – but that was a mistake, for once you've asked the price in one of these places, it's very difficult to leave without buying anything – they're measuring you up before you know it pretty much. The lady in the shop tried everything, even filled her eyes up and nearly cried saying she hadn't had any customers that day and she was begging me to buy the dress. Luckily for me I'd already splashed out on a ring (yes, the Vietnam ring has been purchased) and so I knew Kevin would kill me if I spent any more money – that made it possible for me to stand my ground and run away from the shop! Haven't been into another shop here since!
We stopped for lunch and tried the local dishes, White Rose and Cao Lau (or something like that), which were amazing and then went back to the hotel, pretty tired. We had an early start the next day as we were going on an eco tour to visit the local fishermen. They picked us up at 8am and we joined with a lovely Australian couple who were also on the trip that day. It was the best morning. First we went to a fisherman's house and helped him sew the tears in his nets. Then we got on a boat and went out into the river to learn how to fish with nets – it's really not easy! I managed to catch one decent sized fish and you'll see the photo they made me take of me holding the fish – my face says it all, it was gross!
We stopped off at the shore line and learn how to use the big static nets that they lower and then raise to scoop up the fish. It was great because when I was researching for Extreme Fishing 3 in work I looked into all these types of fishing techniques, so it was great to be able to have a go myself. We then got on the boat again and went round the water coconut plantations. We stopped there and they cooked us up some lunch from the fisherman's catches – it was amazing and we had a nice cold beer to go with it and it was great! I'd say that morning was the most fun we'd had so far, I think.
We went back to the hotel and then into town. It was raining so we didn't get to go to the beach, but that was fine, the ancient town centre was much nicer anyway. We stopped for lunch and met some more Australians (oh, forgot to say, in the hotel this morning we met a Scottish – Australian, random!). These guys were from Melbourne and were a really good laugh. They told us all about the bush fires and it was really interesting because even though we'd seen it all over the news when they were happening, talking to people who were actually there made it so real. One of the guys was a biker. He and his partner had a Harley and they were going to retire in 4 years and head off for about 3 years travelling the world on their bikes – how cool would that be! We had a really good laugh chatting to them for hours and then headed back to the hotel.
This morning we've just had a lazy day. It's still raining so we just went down to the pool and chilled out. We're just going to pack up now and head back to the airport for our flight to Hanoi – fingers crossed it's as nice as this place, but somehow, I don't think it will be!! xxx
Photos please! x
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