The Temples...

In Siem Riap, people come for the temples, lots and lots and lots of them, the place is filled with tourists, and it creates an interesting though hectic atmosphere.

I'm not going to linger on the temples, as they are big, and contained interesting carvings, for more information use google.

we're out of here tomorrow, then back home, plenty of pictures and a few stories.

later

G

Cambodia

Well not quite ready to subject outselves to a 12 hour bus journey across the border we took a short flight to Pnonh penh (sp?). the plane was small and crusty, but we arrived safe.
Its an interesting place, clean, good streets, savy advertising, EVERYTHING in american dollars, a big, big change from Nam.
The tourist strip we were staying on was by the water which reminded me of the yarra with more mud and boats.
Took a few moto's for the day and went and visited the sites. Temples, palaces, shopping centre's, the works. Its a really charming city, a big change from Nam and personally i could see myslef living there for a short space of time.
Lots of knock of stuff, I bought my first pile of rip off Polo's and other random stuff, you can feel the difference....but for a dollar..who cares.

Our moto driver took us to an authentic Cambodian restaurant, which was over the big bridge adn a few KM's from town. THe restaurant was big, massive, and glitzy, really the type of place for weddings, barmitzvah's and other events. there was singing, and what I can only guess to be comedians, food wasn't too expensive, booze was stupidly cheap (as it is in all of Cambodia), and we were only looked at like we were Aliens for the first 20 minutes or so. Oh and one other thing...BEER GIRLS, we sa down and we were pounced on by 6 girls in different alcohol brand uniforms, Heineken lost out cause her outfit was gross and she didn't do it justice...but misss Tiger beer.....better, much better.

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A few days later we're in Siem Riap, and frankly it shocked and frightened me, it reminded meof Cancun, a place buit for tourists, lots of them, tons of hotels, locals used to tourists, great cocktails.... etc.

Saigon part 2

We spent a couple of days in Saigon prior to heading off to cambodia, within a few hours of getting off the flight and wandering around the backpacker section of town we had bumped into the Brits who stole the seats on the flight leaving the island, i yelled ÿou bastards you stole our seats", and we spent the next 2 nights going out together, great people.

Alos found some time to do a few of the sights,war museum, reunification palace etc. The palace was interesting, big, out of date furniture and a basement which had a command post set up, straight out of doctor strange love.

otherwise we spent the rest of the time wandering, drinking and buying pirated stuff/ presents for people, its probably not getting your hopes up as frankly i thought the tourist stuff was crap and wasn't willing to buy it for anyone (your all far too good for it).

today boarded a plane for Cambodia (f*ck the 12 hour bus ride).

The Island

So finished up with Phu Quoc now, it was relaxing, very relaxing, at some points even too relaxing.
when you got nuttin to do but sit in the sun and read whatever you can get your hands on, sometimes I thought i was going to go mad. Still it was relaxing, revitalising, and skin cancer generating, and its certainly been one of the highlights of the holiday. Seafood was plentiful and devine, the bungalows were simple, with a good mosquito net and right next to the beach.

so other then eating, getting sunburnt and drinking, not alot went on there, hired a bike and went for a drive round the island, good roads, and access to other great beaches.

don't really have a hell of alot to write when everything goes well with no hassles, but there was a drama trying to get off the island....

so we turned up to the airport early, very early as all flights were booked out till the 10th which was 100% not practical, there was already a solid standby list, which doesn't really mean a hell of alot apparently. Stood around, met some people, tried to get on the morning flights to no avail, there were alot of people trying to get on the flight, small planes, 60 odd seats, lots of disaster.
It didn't work, to no avail, so next time I swore I would get on, armed with the passports, a couple of houndred thousand dong (under $20), I was ready to bribe, or maim, whatever came first.
got at the front of the counter, jammed myself there, so none of the vietnamese, could squeese in in front of me, and was very persuasive and pushy and hoorah, we got on.


anyway currently in Saigon, off to Cambodia tomorrow.


G