29 April last day in Cambodia

An 8 am pick up but this time in tuk tuks. It seemed to be a little cooler, but maybe that was because we didn't have to walk around anywhere. 

We took quite a long ride out of town and visited a modern temple where people worship and monks live. It was very Indian looking even though it is a modern Buddist temple. And the cemetery was beautiful. 

It was a really lovely (apart from the dust and the bumps) way to travel, as you got a good look at everything.  Most of the houses were pole houses hanging over the river. There were often little children outside playing or working. And we passed a couple of schools with really small kids playing. 

At one place it must have been a water lily farm and there were acres of pretty flowering water lillies, all purple. 

At a very small port we boarded a long thin boat that would take us down a long and very shallow river to the floating village. 

The river opened I to a huge lake and houses were dotted all over the place. As we passed each house there were kids playing and swinging in hammocks. The water was pretty brown and murky and I guess the toilets go straight into the water. While the houses were basic they were pretty spacious and women were working washing clothes or dishes as we passed.

Stopping at a huge pontoon we were encouraged to buy souvenirs and we saw the fish farm cage where the cage is sunk in the platform so the fish are in the water. Next to this cage was a larger cage with good size crocodiles waiting to be slaughtered where their skin will be sent to China to be made into bags and belts then sent back here. I did price one of these bags last night and they were between $400 and $600 USD. 

A quick ride back and into the tuk tuks.  We stopped in a village for a snack. Banana wrapped in sticky coconut cream rice and then wrapped in a banana leaves and toasted over hot coals lying in a bit of spouting. It was very nice.

I have been wanting to take photos of the kids as they are adorable. And I managed to snap this little cherub. 

The tuk tuk dropped me in town and took Lance back to the hotel. I had a nice pork and pomelo salad and a mango smoothie. Then came back to the hotel. And here we sit waiting for time to pass so we can jump on the next plane back to Ho Chi Minh City for one night, then off to Hong Kong! We have thoroughly enjoyed Siem Reap and recommend people visit. 

28 April Siem Reap and more exploring

This morning we had a 7am pick up. 

Our first stop was a bit out of town was the pink temple Banteay Srei, this is a much smaller temple.

Our next stop was a wild life park. I usually enjoy these sorts of things but I was not anticipating a happy time at this place as I thought they may not have it right and I may see animals in places that they shouldn't be. Well I was so wrong. They had a big focus on biodiversity, conservation and education. They had sections where the animals were well away from the public so they would be able to be released back into the wild. He talked about the animals that they had already released and about the things they were putting in place in schools to stop people keeping wild animals as pets or killing them for shonky  medicinal reasons.

My favourites were the gibbons. We have gibbons in the zoo close to our home, they often wake us up at night. It was great to see some so close to their natural habitat. And they put on quite a display with their loud calls. 

Our trek began at the wildlife centre, and a trek it was.  We only had to climb 1500 metres, however at around 37degrees it was a bit of an effort.  There were parts that were more clambering than trekking and apart from the puffing and sweat running into my eyes I enjoyed it.  At the top there was a small waterfall.  Then we walked back down. 

A nice lunch was had in a forest setting a and I'm a bit cross because the whole time we have been away people have been ordering milk shakes for lunch.  I'm not a big milk drinker so haven't followed suit. Until today that is, when I found that they are more of a fruit smoothie. I had a mango one and it just tasted like blitzed mango and was delicious. Bugger. 

Our afternoon habit has been to come back to to the hotel, throw our sweaty clothes in the bath to soak and to have a swim. And that is exactly what we did today.

The tuk tuk driver was waiting outside our hotel to run us into town, where we met up with Emma.  Lance found us a lovely French restaurant, Le Malraux.  We enjoyed an excellent meal and would highly recommend this place. For desert we found a place called the Blue Pumpkin. Downstairs is a patisserie sort of shop and upstairs an ice cream parlour. Is was really cool with large wall sofas, so deep that your feet are out in front of you, and little tables to pop on your lap. Desert was delicious as well.  Who thought we would come to Cambodia for this type of cuisine. 

Just when you think you have seen every thing possible on a motorbike. Here they have trailers to hook on the back. We have see a cow on a trailer attached to a motor bike. And in this photo you can't see the corrugated iron hanging off the back. 

 

Yep, this is on a trailer on the back of a motorbike. 

And now for bed and our last day here is tomorrow. 

27 April Temple Explorers

The tour leader picked us up just after 8am, and I was told that I needed a t shirt that covered my shoulders so I had to race up to the room and quickly get changed. (Phew, I don't even wear armpits in Auckland in summer, how will I managed in this heat).

Vanny the tour leader talked to us as we continued on the short drive to Angkor Wat.  There are only 5 on the tour which is nice. Lance was extremly excited as this temple has been on his bucket list for a while.  We had also watched a National  Geographic Doco and were pretty amazed by the engineering involved in the building. It was built 1100 and something as a Hindu temple, later to be converted to a Buddist temple. 

Vanny took us in through the back gate and explained that Angkor Wat was discovered in 1908 by the western world. There were hardly any people on this side so we got a good look around. The carving detail and the stories that they depict are great. At this stage, 9:30 am, we were awash with sweat. We continued through the temple to the centre and climbed the stairs to the top.  I had been looking forward to these challenging stairs as they are only about 6 or 7 inches deep and very steep. But they had built wooden steps over the top of them to protect the temple. Still very steep though. 

We wandered through the vast open corridors and it was a very calm place, with a few monks here and there. Amazing to think the king built this just for himself and no one else. 

I spotted a small crowd of people and wandered over to see what they were looking at.  There was a small child, and I mean small. It was the size of a newborn baby with little skinny legs, he or she was sitting up and had unusual features.  I would he was at least 3 years old and people were handing him/her money and the mum would whip it away ready for some more.  I thought this was a kind gesture, but did not like the people taking photos like he/she was a tourist freak show. Further along was another baby this time with a huge head. Poor little bugger, and again people handing money over and taking photos. 

As we arrived on the other side of the temple, at the front gate, we could see more and more people arriving. A few classic Angkor Wat snaps were taken and I spotted a large  macaque monkey sitting in a statue. 

Angkor Wat exceeded our expectations. A unique place to visit and often thought to be the eight wonder of the world. 

Not far away was the next temple, Angkor Thom.  This temple was a bit more crumbly but equally as beautiful. The towers all had large faces carved in them. 

By now we were dripping with sweat, it was just pouring off us. 

A welcome stop for lunch by the lake and what do you know, the Cambodian guy that greeted us off the bus had a NZ tshirt on.  He had lived in Hamilton for 2 years and his brother has 2 bakeries there. 

Small kids attached themselves to us trying to get us to buy things, they were very persuasive but not enough for us to part with our money.  Lunch was okay and a little more like Chinese food.

After lunch we drove to Ta Prohm Temple. This is the temple from the movie Tomb Raider. Immediately you felt like you had been dropped into the movie, it was exactly the same.  

The temple was a bit crumbly, but under repair. The huge and ancient trees that intertwine through the stone work are spung trees and hollow inside. They have been the cause of a lot of the damage. Of course they were not there when the king was here back in the 12 century, but grew from seeds dropped into crevices and have now become a distinguishing feature.  

I also felt like I I had dropped into the Disney movie The Jungle Book in the monkey temple and I could hear Baloo singing away in my head. 

Back at the hotel Lance and I headed straight to the pool, it was a trifle tepid but better than nothing.  While our stinky sweaty clothes soaked in the bath tub we enjoyed a cocktail and beer by the pool. 

We ended the evening in Pub Street with Emma at an Irish Pub.  We just needed some western food. The food was ordinary but sat well in our bellies. I also visited the friendly pharmacist for ear drops. I have a bit of earache from my cold. Luckily medicine is cheap. $3.90. 

26 April Leaving Vietnam

Last day in Vietnam, we are off to Cambodia for 3 days and will stop in Saigon for one night on our way to Hong Kong. 

We packed up and went for a last bowl of Pho. Unfortunately I had a crook tummy again, beats Jenny Craig I suppose. But the pho was just as delicious as before and I hope I can make it at home.

Lance has managed to drop a suitcase at the hotel that we are staying at later so that lightens our load. 

It was pretty straight forward checking in at the airport and apart from our gate saying it was a flight to Sydney for a while and having us running backwards and forwards to work out where we should be everything worked like clockwork.

We arrived in Siem Reap Cambodia at about 4:15 at a really lovely airport. Visas were applied for and received and a driver waiting for us as we left the airport into 35 degrees. 

Siem Reap is nothing like I imagined, we passed some pretty opulent hotels and many people seem to speak English.  Our hotel, the Angkor Home Hotel is nice and has a nice pool. English Emma from our Vietnam group is on this tour as well but staying at a different hotel so we arranged to meet for dinner at a place I had seen on Trip advisor. Rico Pizza.

 A motor bike tuk tuk was waiting outside the hotel and we climbed aboard. It appears the same 'anything goes' road rules apply here. The driver dropped us at one end of pub street and we set off to find the restaurant and meet Emma. Pub street is pumping, full of restaurants and people.  There are fish tanks on the side of the road where you can have fish nibble your feet, tuk tuks are lined up and you are constantly offered rides.  We popped into a pharmacy, yes a real pharmacy and checked up on whatever it is that I have.  We got some more of the same cream and he gave me some tablets as well. To make matters worse the plaster has inflamed my skin and it is all a large red blotch now. Anyway the young pharmacist was delightful and very helpful. (In fact we think he fancied Lance). 

We walked up and down the street looking for the pizza place.  I had directions but we still couldn't find it. Finally we got there, but only after texting Emma who had found it straight away. It was down a little alley way.  It was great, a small place with a French proprietor who was just lovely. The pizza was amazing. Unfortunately my tummy played up and we had to go home early. But we are looking forward to getting to know pub street better.  I am liking Cambodia very much. 

25 April ANZAC Day

   Lance joined some Australians at 5:45am for the dawn service at the Australian embassy (I stayed in bed nursing my cold). Huong our tour leader went with them as he is very interested in our customs. Lance said it was a very moving ceremony, especially after visiting the war museum yesterday and witnessing the terrible waste of lives. And that we are here in a place where our men fought. The poppies he got are so much nicer than our poppies in NZ. I think my Aussie friends should send me some for next year. 

A big day was planned, we were off to the Mekong Delta, an hour or so by bus. Arriving at the dock we boarded a  narrow vessel and chugged out onto the delta. Our first stop was Dragon Island and we hopped straight off and into the coconut candy shop. The coconut is grated and squeezed and what comes out is boiled with sugar to make a fudgey type of candy. We also could try coconut wine banana wine and snake wine.  I took a coconut wine and it smelt like whiskey and then I was told it was 30% alcohol so I passed it to Lance. 

We had an opportunity to cuddle a python and Lance got up close and personal.  

The guide told us we would be boarding tuk tuks and we thought these would be like in Thailand, however they were motorbikes with a tray on the back that held 6 of us. Huong said that they also call them motorcarts. 

These contraptions took us through bush paths, we had to wear helmets in case a coconut dropped on our head, and we whizzed through a coconut jungle.  A quick stop at the cafe for fruit tasting.  The cafe is a few thatched pergola type things with small plastic chairs and mango, pineapple, jack fruit and water apple with chilli powder mixed with salt. And free wifi! 

A quick ride for another 10 minutes and we were at the restaurant set with similar pergolas. We sarted with elephant ear fish. The most disgusting scabby looking thing, a lady took pieces off and added pineapple and stuff and rolled it in rice paper and it was actually quite nice. 

After lunch we were encouraged to have a rest in the hammocks 

Then wandered down to the water to board San pan boats and be rowed down the canals. This was so peaceful and I felt like I was in a travel documentary. 

We clambered back onto our bigger boat and headed for the mainland. The guide saw Lance and I sweltering and pulled down a tarpauline to get the sun off us. He told us it was 37 degrees. 

The heat has been almost debilitating at times, so heavy and humid. 

Back at the hotel I left Lance and went to get more cream from the pharmacy (update-they seem to be getting a bit better but I have reacted to the plasters and have had to leave them off today. Hope this doesn't mean it will spread).

I found the pharmacy easily but they didn't have any so kept walking and found one close by. I felt very successful and thought I'd have a quick poke around. I had only travelled about 100m but when I thought I was on my way back to the hotel I quickly realised I was in the wrong place.  Oh oh and I didn't think I had my phone. Carefully retracing my steps back to the original pharmacy I was back on track but I have to admit a moment of panic. I haven't shopped much, it is so overwhelming. And all of the clothes are tinsy. There is a lot of junk as well. 

Our evening meal was a farewell meal as our tour finishes tonight. Huong took us to a place called Koto.  This is a place started by an Australian guy who had lived here and felt he needed to do something for the street kids.  So he set up a training centre and the chefs, waiters and other staff are all kids who had been in unfortunate circumstances. I think it was the best meal so far.  And the premesis were very nice as well.  While we were sitting after dinner we heard a noise, something hitting the floor.  It was a fork that had fallen from the upstairs balcony and it hit Peter,who was sitting next to me, right on the head and took a small chunk of skin.  Lucky I wasn't a foot in the his direction. 

Huong had booked us into a Kareoke club.  He had told us earlier that Vietnamese are shy people and like to sing in private rooms rather than to the whole bar. The place was really funky with textured painting like a hippy, Dr Seuss stuff. Our room was really cool with couches around. The sound was awful, echoey and we all sounded Asian. But is was a great night and we all got kicked out at 12pm.