[Beach Time - South Cambodia]

Sihanouk Ville, Serendipity Beach.

Some diving! I havent dived for 4 years but I was pretty comfortable in the water again. Water clarity isnt as good as neighbouring Thailand but the last dive had good coral formations and it was a treat to be under once more. I am yet to see something big in the water other than my dive buddy; I might just have to visit my home grown Great Barrier Reef someday (known for sharks, sting rays, turtles etc :-)

Keeping quiet, although cheap beers at the beach bars provide happy, fuzzy moments. Been taking the time in paradise to re-listen to my favourite life teachers; Bryon Katie and Eckhart Tolle.

1st April its the Temples of Angkor (Angkor Wat) in North Cambodia.

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[Dolphins in Cambodia]

Thailand might been known as the land of smiles but my first prize goes to Cambodia. I have an unfortunate tendency to be initially wary of friendly people (got my fingers burnt too many times) but I soon relaxed here in Cambodia, by far the warmest and most helpful people in the region.

First stop was Kratie in the north east, which still hosts fresh water dolphins in the Mekong River. We (a group of 5 travellers) had a bit of an adventure to see them, as we ended up cycling 40km round trip and we had to wade through a number of the Mekong river streams. But it made it or the more exciting when eventually did spot them from the river bank, and lucky for us they were quite close too.

In Phenom Penh, the capital, I visited the former S21 high security prison from the Khmer Rouge era. Immediately I could feel myself crying on the inside as I walked passed the prison cells and the photos of faces gone missing. By the end of my museum visit I was just numb and sick to the stomach with the sheer quantity of human madness led by Pol Pot...

Its warming up here, tomorrow (12 Feb) I will hit the beach on the south west coast, hope to take in some diving too ;-)




Kratie

































Phenom Phenh

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[Thousand Islands - South Laos]

I really miss my motorcycle! For more than a year now I have had the freedom of my own wheels and to suddenly catch local transport again with all that it entails- agents selling bus tickets when there is no seat, touts pouncing on you when you arrive at your destination, taxi drivers refusing to charge less than 6 times the local fare etc... it becomes rather tedious after all these years. I look forward to India if only for the freedom of my own transport.

From Vientiane, the Lao capital, I arrived directly onto the 4000 islands, just north of the Cambodian border on the Mekong River. One of those places where I wondered what the hell I was going to do here, especially with no electricity except between 6 to 10pm; yet 8 days later I wondered where did that time go.

Hang out with Nerida from Oz, who has an uncanny perspective on life, and we enjoyed our days together by cycling around the islands, dips in the Mekong river (although I did feel a bit squeamish about this as it isnt the cleanest river by the time it gets here) and drinkies whilst watching the sun set.

So soon, it seemed, I headed into Cambodia (6th Feb) as my visa expired.

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[Into Laos]

A few little surprises crossing the Mekong River into Lao. Firstly the confusion of changing sides on which the traffic travels (from left to right hand side) but the money..

Change 10 euro and I ended up with 110 000 Kip, making it hard to fold the wallet. Cup of coffee costs 4000 Kip and a hotel 50 000 Kip, just a few too many zeros to deal with at first. Funny enough kip means chicken in Dutch, which is a good association with Laos. Practically in every hotel I slept in there was a rooster in decent ear shot. Roosters are not my favorite being at 4am... Grrrrrr!

Lao has the distinction of being the most bombed country ever...courtesy of the US in the war against Vietnam. Unexploded ordinances (UXO) are still in abundance, but with so many Uncle Sam souvenirs, they pop up now and then as bar chairs and the like. Laos is really green (more than 80% of the country is bush) which suits me just find, as I become more and more attracted to nature these days. In short, Laos for an Asian country is very relaxed.

Having said that I was expecting a rather beaten back packers trail. Seems I am a little late (by some years) for that. Even though Laos is one of the poorest Asian countries the tourist sector is way developed and going up market fast. There really is a little boutique French restaurant on the corner (Laos was once a French Colony until the 1950's). Its too touristy at times for my liking and its hard not to feel cynical when the prices are milking it.

Currently I am in the capital- Vientiane, and I will continue south and cross over into Cambodia before 6th Feb, when my Lao visa expires.



Crossing into Northern Laos from Thailand

















Along the Mekong River




















Luang Prabang

















Northen Laos - Nong Khiaw
















Vang Vieng - the party place
















































































Vientiane - The Capital but more like a large country town

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[More in Pai - North Thailand]

On my last few days here in Pai I hired a scooter and visited the surrounding hills. Pity I dont have my Enfield here... Lovely roads all the same.







Hot
Springs

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