rani

The Beach (not starring Leonardo)

So from Kampot to Sihanoukville, with its white sand, clear waters and beach bangalows. There is a very relaxed atmosphere here - with cows wandering everywhere (including the sand), noisy geckos, bbq seafood on the beach, friendly monks in orange begging for alms with umbrellas. It's very chilled.

Yesterday I took a boat tour out to the islands and met some great people and did some not-so-impressive snorkelling.

Reality beckons though, for tomorrow I head back to Phnom Penh to fly back to Old Sydney Town - it's been fun. 

Seeing hands massage

In Kampot I decided to try the very worthy Seeing Hands Massage chain that trains blind Cambodians in the art of Khmer massage all over Cambodia. It's $4 for an hour - good for them, good for me! While the massage was ok, the more enjoyable part was hanging around talking and laughing with the masseurs (they're very keen to practise their English) who were just delightful and very intrigued by my curly hair.

On the road again

My backpacking buddy, Erin, was homeward bound from Phnom Penh. So with tears in my eyes about being all alone in the world, I hightailed it to the coast down south to Kampot where Prince Sihanouk and his buddies used to play. There are a lot of delapidated colonial buildings to be seen - relics of a recent war - which gives the region an air of decaying grandeur.

Unfortunately the road to Bokeo National Park closed the week before I arrived - so no trekking for me! So I figured I may as well take a tour of the area, but the odds were against it and the tour was cancelled on the day. So I hooked up with a lovely South African couple and we jumped in a tuk tuk and saw the sights on our own - it's a beautiful area with rivers and fishing villages and rice paddies and thatched houses on stilts and cows and mountains. We felt like royalty waving to all the smiling village kids as we putted down the road, stopping for the occassional cow. We got shown around buddhist temple caves by some cheeky boys (pictured right). We cheered on the participants of Kep's first half marathon (which is a crazy thing to do in such heat and in the middle of the day!). We ate pepper of the tree at the pepper plantation. We swam at Kep beach and had an hilarious lunch whereby we were served by about four waiters. I ordered a soda water and two people brought - one carried the can, and one the glass. Keen to do the right thing, they consulted amongst themselves and asked if they could open the can for me. Why not? Then about five minutes later they reappeared - they'd forgotten the lime! So then one of them ceremoniously took the lime from the plate and carefully placed it in my glass...with their fingers!

Phnom Penh

I really liked Phnom Penh - there's a lot going on there. There are a few sophisticated parts springing up, as well as the usual chaotic mayhem of an Asian city (eg Monks with mobile phones!). It has the traditional bicycle cyclos, as well as the new motorised tuk tuks and motodups (all of which you get relentlessly offered). But there is an overwhelming feeling of sadness that hits you - especially when you visit the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge and see bones and skulls and clothes piled high in memorial amongst hollow pits and the S-21 Tuol Sleng school (which was turned into a torturous prison) where blood stains and mug shots of the dead remain to haunt the living. I was struck by an overwhelming desire to vomit whilst walking through. It's hard to understand how humans could be so cruel and it happened in my lifetime which makes it more prescient. I'm glad I went, but it was gruelling for the soul.

The Cambodians are very quick with a smile and a laugh, but there is an ever-present suffering apparent. There are the usual street kids, happy to take any food you'll hand out, as well as maimed beggers shuffling along the street. I was approached by a man who'd lost his arms and legs and when I took money out to give him, I was momentarily paralysed because I didn't know how to actually pass it to him, as his body had been reduced to a torso with a head. I though he'd take it in his mouth, but he motioned with his head to his shoulder and I held the money there and he took it between his hunched shoulder and his chin and skillfully tossed it so it landed in his lap where his companion stepped in to put it in his pocket. Humans can be truly amazing.

Canadia Bank

After all these years that Erin and I have been campaigning that Canada should rightly be called "Canadia" (Australia, Australian; Canadia, Canadian - makes sense!), we finally found proof. 

Bread vendors

Catching the bus to Phnom Penh this morning, I had a nice encounter with a young boy selling bread and La vache qui rit cheese. He was very enthusiastic about everything and helpfully pointed to a bus and said "Phnom Penh", but it was a bum steer and it wasn't the right bus. So he then followed me to the right bus and enthusiastically pointed out that this was the bus to Phnom Penh. Indeed.

Anyway, after I chucked my backpack underneath, I bought some bread and cheese from him and he tried to scam me 1000 riel (about 20c Australian). I smilingly pointed this out to him and he laughed his head off and poked me in the arm and heartily said: "That's right exactly! You're a real lady!". Then, as the bus pulled out, he jumped up and down, grinning from ear to ear, and waved Erin and I off like we were the best of parting friends.

Banana vendors on the Tonle Sap

Ez and I took a boat ride out to the floating villages of the Tonle Sap, an immense body of fresh water which feeds 80% of Cambodians with their dose of fish. There were crocodiles and floating churches and floating police stations and it was all rather bizarre. And there was the most divine little Khmer girl on a boat selling bananas and all she would/could say was: "Ok! Bananas one dollar. Ok! Bananas one dollar. Ok! Bananas on dollar". No matter what you said to her, she'd respond "Ok! Bananas one dollar". eg "How about fifty cents?" "Ok! Bananas one dollar!" or "No thanks" and she'd respond "Ok! Bananas one dollar!".

Hello Lady! - part II

I'm sick to death of "Hello lady! Want tuk tuk?" now, so I've taken to replying "Hello Man! No thank you!" and the Cambodians think it's hilarious.

Hello Lady!

We're in Cambodia now and as you walk along the street you are constantly greeted with "Hello Lady!", eg  "Hello Lady! Want tuk tuk?" or "Hello Lady! You buy me postcard!" - it's very Princess Bridesque. And you'll be please to know Erin is yet to be attacked by small children (although she has had some close shaves with traffic).

So finally, after all these years, I made it to see Angkor Wat! Hooray. It's awe-inspiring, hot and very dusty wandering around the ruins. Lara Croft eat your heart out... Erin made me (illegally) scale an ancient ruin and kiss the lady's face. I loved all the silk cotton trees growing through the ruins (although picturesque, it does somewhat destroy the buildings).

The heat was bearable, but I would like it if there were a few less tour groups...but if you wander off the beaten track you can soak up the beautiful vibe in peace. How's the serenity? 

Hanging in the Capital

Well, Vientiane is not much to write home about, but we had some fun visiting gold guilded Pha That Luang and drinking cocktails at sunset by the River with lovely fairy lights...and of course eating delicious Laoatian food.

We also found a bookshop and look what was on the bestseller list! 

Bangalow eight

Actually it was No. 2 but you have to agree that 8 sounds better in the title (poetic licence and all that)...

We decided to steer clear of the BeerLaos-drinking, friends-rerun-watching, pizza-eating, backpackerscene at Vang Vieng and crossed the river on a dodgy little seasonal footbridge to find a quiet bungalow to call home for all of $3 a night (with hot shower!). It was beautifully located near the river, and from our hammock on the balcony we could see cows and chickens and cats and kittens and horses and water buffalow, as well as the odd small child washing in the river (actually poor Erin got attacked again by small children clambering for pens in the evening, but we won't talk about when Laoatian children attack).

I managed to do some yoga of a morning - upward dog had me watching the sun rising over the misty river and downward dog saw me marvelling at limestone mountains. T'was pretty nice.

Nam Song

Yesterday afternoon was spent peacefully floating down the Nam Song River on a rubber tube (after a glass of organic mulberry wine with lunch). Well, except that poor Ez got attacked by a small child who pushed her into the rapids and tried to steal her tube! But she showed that Laoatian kid who was boss. Then what else could we do but have a $4 massage?

Dawn alms, elephants, hill tribes and dodgy fried rice

We got up at dawn to watch the monks processing down the street collecting food. It was a glorious display of bright colour in the misty morning.

Then we went for an elephant ride through the river and a lovely trek in the heat to a gorgeous village and then on to a sparkling waterfall for a swim. It was at the waterfall that I took the opportunity to eject the dodgy fried rice I'd eaten for lunch, just as an elderly tour group passed -timing is everything. Better out than in, eh? I'm so classy (although potentially classier than Erin who vomitted on the bus, but she never loses her sense of humour...she said: "Laoatians must think foreigners are very strange, they come to Laos with all this money and then they vomit a lot".)

I'm off to float down a river on a tube...

My first marriage proposal!

Luang Prabang is a beautiful, UNESCO World heritage-listed town, in Laos. There are lots of picturesque temples to explore, lots of lanterns and fairy lights in little restaurants along the river, exotic fruit to munch on and some damn fine coffee and cinnamon buns to be consumed!

On our day of exploration amongst the temples, we got chatting to some monks. And after the usual questions about age and marital status, one of them kindly told me he'd marry me...if he wasn't a monk. But that totally counts, right?

The Slow Boat to Luang Prabang

So Erin and I spent two days floating down the beautiful Mekong River in a slow boat with very upright benches and not much leg room (even for umpa lumpas with no legs like me!). There wasn't much to do but watch the world go by and eat and chat to fellow tourists (eg Swedes Nina and Helene pictured right). And many fellow tourists there were...the first day we sat on the boat for three hours just waiting for more people to cram on board before leaving. no rush, it would seem.

But the journey was very pleasant, but as Erin put it "I think it was about a day too long". So we were very glad to get off in Luang Prabang.

My backpack, Mochilla, has been well-behaved thus far, but Erin thought she'd lost hers from the boat so we had a few frantic moments when she jumped back on the boat as it was leaving and I stood screaming from the river bank and all along her bag was sitting there on its lonesome, just patiently waiting for her!

Laos and the return of Israelita

Well, we arrived from Chiang Mai to Huay Xai in Laos today, on the way we passed through Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong (good to do all the "chiangs" in one day!). It was the most relaxed border crossing I've ever experienced - get your passport stamped, jump on a boat, cross the river, get your passport stamped again and bingo, you're in Laos!

It's very relaxed here. We watched a beautiful sunset from a temple up on the hill with monks in orange clothing posing for photos (ok, well, maybe they were just sitting) around the temple and we just had some very tasty (not to mention cheap) tucker and we're just gearing up for a two day trip down the Mekong tomorrow... ahhh, that's the life for me.

And if you're wondering, yes, the "shaloms" have started! Grrr.

Lucky Buddha Day

Well, in case you didn't know, I'm on the road again, with the ever-delightful Erin by my side. Destination: Laos and Cambodia.

We're in steamy Bangkok and it's Tuesday which is apparently "Lucky Buddha Day". Lucky for Buddha, unlucky for us, as the temples are closed until 1pm. But maybe Buddha's luck did rub off on us after all, because wandering down the street I bumped into my cousin, Sally! Crazy. So we're meeting up with her for dinner.

And strange, but true, we bumped into a guy from Uni, Will Brill, at Sydney airport...and what are the odds that he was on the same flight sitting in the row behind us?

Handy tip: don't ever watch The Nanny Diaries as we did on the flight - piece of sh*te.

Heylo moto

My brother and I made a "no present" pact for Christmas...except that he broke it - with this shiny new laptop! Happy 21st century days. So this entry comes to you care of Big Brother.

Girls' lunch by the sea

I'm learning to like seafood. Well, ok, I now enjoy prawns, but that's a start, right? We had a lovely lunch in a seafood restaurant by the sea for Ceals' birthday. Gotta love the school girls (well Mei Lin's technically not someone I went to school with, but I feel I could have!).

One wedding and an election

Look what happens (left) when they call an election on your wedding night...Yes indeed, Mick and Karen got married yesterday and it was an awesome wedding and reception - and Mick, always the jokester, even managed to crack a gag during the Church service! Funny boy - unfortunately my pictures of the bride and groom won't load up...grrr. I'm sure Mick will put some on his blog (and he has! click here). Needless to say the laughter continued at the reception, for the uniting of two gingers in holy matrimony necessitated a little something special for the tables - instead of name cards, they had gingerbread men with people's names in icing!

Ahh, true love united for eternity and the end of Little Johnny Howard! Truly a day worth celebrating!