Jan 11, 2013 - Sir, Tuk Tuk?

This morning I jumped onto google maps to see just how far I wanted to go today. Google maps told me 2.3kms so I thought, an easy walk and off I went. I knew I'd be asked if wanted a tuk tuk, but failed to think just how annoying this could actually get. A couple of times a conversation would be started. "Oh sir, Wat Phnom is a long way away", my response "No its only 20 minutes walk from here" which yielded "ok you go in my Tuk Tuk". Another conversation the guy tried to convince me I needed to see everything i've seen again, plus also...

Jan 10, 2013 - Visited the Killing Fields

When tourists come to Cambodia there are two main sites that they visit. 1. Angkor Temples near Siem Reap 2. The Killing Fields site at Choeung Ek, near Phnom Penh We can now claim to have visited them both and both of them in their own way are fascinating but could not be more different. Both have history at their heart but from opposite ends of the civilisation spectrum, the 9th Century and the 20th Century. We have learned a lot about Pol Pot's Regime but I do not propose to repeat it here. A good website to read up on if you are...

Jan 10, 2013 - Finally a sunset to remember

Last night after two overcast evenings we got a beautiful sunset and the photos i think tell the story. I also had a clear night sky and managed a photo from the balcony of my hut last night. Now back in Phnom Penh, my Penh-ultimate day tomorrow, before flying out on saturday.

Jan 9, 2013 - By boat to Phnom Penh

Moving on to Phnom Penh today so we were up early to catch the 7.30 boat that runs from the northern end of Tonle Sap, a huge inland lake about 12km from Siem Reap. A minibus picked us up from our hotel only to do a tour of all the backpackers places until it was stuffed with more people than seats, and everyone's bags as well. 7.30 approached and we were still picking up! I knew that the boat wouldn't leave until all passengers were on board as the pick up was inclusive of the ticket. On the way to the boat pier you get some insight as to...

Jan 6, 2013 - I hate cramped buses

Another longish day on a cramped bus. I am certainly no fan of Cambodian buses or their inability to give an accurate time. Seriously if todays bus ever made it in 5 hours I'd be surprised. I feel for a family i met who were then adding a 4 hr Cambodian bus trip to get to the coast tonight. I'm doing that leg tomorrow and will be prepared for 6 hours. The bus does stop to get supplies, but today I just couldn't bring myself to buy a can of grass jelly juice, whatever that is. Anyway back in Phnom Penh, where motoGP starts are the norm for...

Dec 30, 2012 - The Khmer Rouge

We all know the Khmer Rouge are known for some really bad atrocities. Until I made todays trip I just wasn't sure what they did. My first trip was out to the Cheung Ek Killing Fields. The title of the place kind of says it all, although the Khmer Rouge did their best to make sure no one knew it existed. Prisoners were told they were being transferred to another prison, before ending up at Cheung Ek. This was so they didn't resist too much. Cheung Ek, was also and old Chinese cemetry so it was thought a few extra bodies wouldn't make a...

Dec 29, 2012 - Back in the real South East Asia.

You know you are in the real SE Asia, when road rules don't exist and its motorcycle pandemonium. Singapore was too sterile. After all drink driving there would get you a $30,000 fine and 3 years in jail. Not that I have a problem with that law, in fact it probably works well. Singapore was perpetually seeking perfection. So now I'm in Phnom Penh. Nothing here is perfect, but its working chaos and that is what people like about SE Asia. It is cheap, it works, it is easy to get around and sure a few scary moments on the roads. Phnom Penh...

Nov 29, 2012 - Phnom Penh

We arrived in Phnom Penh with a short stop at the boarder to get our visas. As you can see from the picture the boarder is a little rustic. Phnom Penh is a bustling city. Their King passed away in Oct and the city is still getting ready for the funeral. This week was to be the water festival but with the death of the king most of the festival is cancelled. There is still a large gathering each night in front of the plaice. As you can see from the pictures Les and I took the tour to the Killing Fields and S-21. I don't think you can come to...

Nov 28, 2012 - Phnom Penh

Wir haben 3 Tage in Phnom Penh verbracht. In der Hauptstadt ließ sich einiges über die traurige Geschichte von Kambodscha lernen, vor allem dadurch, dass wir die Killing-Fields und Foltergefängnisse besichtigt haben, in denen der Völkermord unter der Herrschaft der Khmer Rouge stattgefunden hat. Das ganze hat einen, auf Grund der Grausigkeit der Verbrechen, für den Rest des Tages ziemlich fertiggemacht und bedrückt - war aber definitiv sehenswert. Ansonsten ist Phnom Penh eine echt nette Stadt! Am letzten Tag haben wir uns dann von dem...

Oct 31, 2012 - Hello Cambodia! - Phnom Penh

We arrived in Cambodia by land; out of the places I am visiting or visited this is the one I am most apprehensive about. I really didn’t know what to expect. We had to get a ferry across the Mekong River when we got off the public bus which was actually quite nice; we were approached by lots of dirty children in rags asking for money, food and water. The roads are really dusty and uneven and where we were just seemed extremely poor. We are always told on these tours to say no to the children or people begging as it encourages and usually...

Sep 12, 2012 - Phnom Penh & Killing Fields

In the morning we first went to the Tuol Sleng prison, which was once a school. Once the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975, they ordered all schools closed and converted this particular school in central Phnom Penh (as well as many others) to a prison where they interrogated and tortured thousands, most of whom were ultimately killed. I only knew a little bit about the Khmer Rouge before this trip, and it turns out they were far more ruthless than I thought I knew. In addition to abolishing schools, they abolished money and virtually all...

Sep 11, 2012 - Day 1 in Phnom Penh

We left our hotel at 7:15 am and headed for the Cambodian border. Once we got there, we had to stop to get stamped out of Vietnam and stamped into Cambodia. The both went perfectly smoothly, and afterwards we stopped for lunch. The currency system in Cambodia is rather strange: everything in priced in US dollars, but if you need change for less than $1, you get Cambodian riel. So, for example, if your meal is priced at $5.50 and you pay with a ten-dollar bill, the change you get back is four one-dollar bills and 2,000 riel (since the...