Our last few days were spent in and around the town of Ban Lung. We took a 6 hour minibus from Kratie and were dumped off at a hotel. We stayed the night, but moved to a different hotel the next day because we were the only people at the first hotel. After dropping our bags off at the new hotel, we hopped on the back of motorbikes for our guided waterfall and lake tour. Our overly friendly guide and his buddies took a bunch of us to the first waterfall. There we went elephant trekking!! It was really cool to ride an elephant, but slightly uncomfortable, and I felt like a dumb tourist riding a poor elephant. They kept stopping to eat, especially the one that Dave and I was on. They seem to love bamboo leaves. We rode along a red dirt road then ducked into the jungle. The trek took about an hour and took us back to where we started.
We met Matt and Ally, an English couple who were doing the same tour as we were, and we walked down to the first waterfall. We jumped in and swam underneath the waterfall. Dave didn't jump in for a swim because he is unfortunately suffering from festering wounds on his feet that started out as mosquito bites but have opened up and are refusing to heal. After a refreshing swim and shower, we headed back up to our waiting locals and they took us to the next waterfall. This waterfall wasn't as amazing, but there was some thick foliage surrounding the falls and a suspension bridge that took us over top of the river. We went back up to the road and waited out the rain for a bit, then decided to head out to the third waterfall. The third one was perhaps the most amazing. It was about 100 feet tall and the water crashed down onto rocks at the base. Dave went down and tried to stand underneath the fall: a good photo-op. A few minutes later, a bunch of monks arrived. They made their way down to the base of the fall and the first one walked right underneath the pounding water. He stood there for a while and then began to cleanse himself. It was cool to see us foreigners struggling to walk close to the pounding water and then a monk stand beneath it like it was a bathroom shower.
After the waterfalls we all went to a restaurant in town. Dave and I have completely switched places; now I am the one eating up one and a half servings while Dave can only eat half a plate of rice.
Our last stop was Yeak Loam Lake, a volcanic crater filled with gorgeous blue water and surrounded by lush green jungle. We stayed at the first dock and met some other tourists there, as well as locals. We all had fun jumping in off the dock.
The night was spent drinking beer with Matt and Ally and watching the world cup at the Gecko Bar.
The next day Dave and I rented one moto and drove it to the lake again. We stopped at the guy selling waffles and then made our way down to the lake. We chilled at the first dock, then walked around the whole lake stopping at a couple of different docks. One dock we went to had a really cool tree right next to it and I climbed up and jumped off. The walk around the lake was very tranquil. Not many places here are very peaceful due to Asia being so populated, but this lake was definitely an exception. We didn't see anyone on the trail as we walked around the lake. On one side was lush jungle and dense bamboo groves. On the other side was the lake. It reminded us both of Cat Lake. We stopped at the main dock as we completed our circumnavigation of the lake. The dock was packed with locals when we got there. They all stared at us expressionlessly until I asked if I could jump in over top of all the kids sitting on the dock steps. I did a 360 over them and then everyone went crazy and the kids were doing backflips off the railings and the adults were laughing. They were interested in Dave's goggles and a bunch of them tried them on and went for an underwater swim. Dave did his classic underwater leg grab maneuver to some locals and everytime he came near the dock underwater with his goggles, the locals would shout and point and laugh at him. We stopped off at the waffle man on our way back to the moto and then drove back to our hotel.
We played some ping pong and tossed the frisbee around before heading out to a bar to watch England crap the bed.
Now we are in Stung Treng, northern Cambodia, on our way to Laos. We are waiting for our connecting bus which will take us up to Don Det, an island in the 4000 islands. Apparently it is super duper nice there, so we might stay for a while as we both feel like chilling out. After that we are going to head up to Pakse where Dave is going to head into Thailand and go kickboxing in Pai. I am going to continue up Laos, but I will try to convince Dave to motorbike up to the Bolaven Plateau with me before he leaves through Pakse.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Kratie
Long many houred bus and packed taxi ride later, we are in Kratie. It is boiling hot and we are probably going to travel north for 6 hours to a cool town surrounded by waterfalls and a volcanic lake. Nace.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Angkor Wat
A great day at and around Angkor Wat! We got in our private tuk tuk at 4:30 a.m. and headed in the dark to Angkor Wat. We watched the sunrise (which wasn't that great...) with a hundred other tourists. We were well looked after by vendors who brought us tea and chairs and reminded us that they were at stall number 8 if we should choose to come for breakfast. After an overpriced breakfast ($3), we checked out the magnificent Angkor Wat. We spent several hours at this huge temple. We then did the 'short circuit' with our tuk tuk driver. Ta Prohm stole the show. We spent a lot of time exploring the dilapidated temple where Tomb Raider was filmed. Pathways had been partially collapsed and giant trees grew amongst the rubble. It was amazing. You could walk through random corridors and tunnels until you thought you were completely lost, only to pop out from a crack and be surrounded by other tourists on a wooden walkway. Most people didn't bother exploring and stayed to the marked route, but Dave, Emily and I went everywhere. I couldn't stop taking pictures. Luckily I found a card reader here in Siem Reap (!!!) so I can just let you look at them!! (as well as all the other pictures I have taken this trip) Make sure you 'go to older posts' on the previous pages to see all of the pictures; there are quite a few.
Te giving Dave a bracelet. Te was the funniest kid ever. He was the smallest one at the orphanage, yet he walked around with this look on his face like he owned the place. He would go up to you, tap you gently, and point. Without any words, you knew exactly what he meant, whatever it was. One of the volunteers said that he is an old wise man trapped in a little boy's body.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Takeo
On June 15th we caught a bus to Kampot and then a taxi to the town of Takeo. We found our way to the volunteer house of the orphanage (New Futures Orphanage). The house was full of volunteers so we made our way and settled into a guesthouse nearby that was almost full with U.S. soldiers on an assignment to build wells in Takeo. We got a $5 room (split 3 ways) and then we made our way to the orphanage.
We got there early while most of the kids were still in school, but we were still greeted warmly and all of the kids waved and said hello and asked for our names. One of the kids came right up to me and grabbed my hand, wanting to show me around. He took me to a fenced off area where they are raising and then eating 300 chickens. Then he demanded that I play soccer with him. After realizing that it was the middle of the day and far too hot to play soccer, we went to some shade and played checkers. The rest of the day was spent playing soccer or checkers.
The next 3 days were spent helping out at the orphanage. I can't express how awesome all of the kids are!! They were all incredibly friendly and always super happy. The boys were amazingly good at soccer and we spent many hours trying to keep up with them. I will never forget playing barefoot football with them... so much fun!! All of the kids are very good at speaking English and have a keen desire to learn more. In their free time they love to sit in front of a chalkboard as we struggle to teach them something that they don't already know. Hangman is one of their favourite games (other than checkers, soccer and volleyball).
The kids are doing so well for themselves and have an almost unfair advantage over the rest of the population (not staying at NFO). They are learning so much English and meeting so many people (due to the steady flux of volunteers). Many of them have a strong desire to go to University, get a good job or go travelling. I am sure that all of these kids will go a long way in life.
The nights were spent eating food at the volunteer house and playing drinking games with the volunteers. All of the volunteers that we met were so friendly and I enjoyed spending time with them!! The mornings were spent trying to ignore the booming music (that was surely blowing the speakers) from the multi-day wedding that was taking place down the street.
All in all, it was a great experience at NFO, and I would recommend volunteering there to anyone travelling through Cambodia.
Yesterday we caught a bus to Phnom Penh. We stayed there for a few hours and visited S21, a security camp used by the Khmer Rouge (Cambodian Communists) during the genocide in 1975 to 1979. Many innocent Cambodians perished all throughout the country as the Khmer Rouge imposed harsh living conditions as they attempted to farm an impossible amount of rice. Despite large productions of rice, it was insufficient in the Khmer Rouge's eyes and was not distributed among the Cambodians who were growing it. Mass starvation resulted. Any enemies of the Khmer Rouge (and they believe many people were their enemies, namely innocent Cambodians) were sent to security camps where they were tortured and killed. During the genocide, 1/5 of the population of Cambodia was lost.
We then caught a 6 hour bus to Siem Reap. We got here last night and found our way to a decent guest house with good western food (which I have been craving... I am having a hard time stomaching rice or noodles for 3 meals a day). Today we visited the templese of Angkor Wat! The temple complex is massive and the temples themselves are impressive. I have been trying to limit the number of photos I have been taking to save space on my card, but I went trigger happy today. Unfortunately I can't show you any pictures because I forgot my cable for uploading! I am going to try and find a card reader here. If not, Paul will just have to bring my cable when he comes in August!! I hope my words will suffice.
We have two more days at the temples here in Siem Reap and then Emily heads home. Dave and I are trying to figure out what to do next. There is a cool crater-lake in north eastern Cambodia that we will likely check out before heading up into Laos. We also might stay with some... elephant people (I forget the name of them, but they basically live with and train elephants).
We got there early while most of the kids were still in school, but we were still greeted warmly and all of the kids waved and said hello and asked for our names. One of the kids came right up to me and grabbed my hand, wanting to show me around. He took me to a fenced off area where they are raising and then eating 300 chickens. Then he demanded that I play soccer with him. After realizing that it was the middle of the day and far too hot to play soccer, we went to some shade and played checkers. The rest of the day was spent playing soccer or checkers.
The next 3 days were spent helping out at the orphanage. I can't express how awesome all of the kids are!! They were all incredibly friendly and always super happy. The boys were amazingly good at soccer and we spent many hours trying to keep up with them. I will never forget playing barefoot football with them... so much fun!! All of the kids are very good at speaking English and have a keen desire to learn more. In their free time they love to sit in front of a chalkboard as we struggle to teach them something that they don't already know. Hangman is one of their favourite games (other than checkers, soccer and volleyball).
The kids are doing so well for themselves and have an almost unfair advantage over the rest of the population (not staying at NFO). They are learning so much English and meeting so many people (due to the steady flux of volunteers). Many of them have a strong desire to go to University, get a good job or go travelling. I am sure that all of these kids will go a long way in life.
The nights were spent eating food at the volunteer house and playing drinking games with the volunteers. All of the volunteers that we met were so friendly and I enjoyed spending time with them!! The mornings were spent trying to ignore the booming music (that was surely blowing the speakers) from the multi-day wedding that was taking place down the street.
All in all, it was a great experience at NFO, and I would recommend volunteering there to anyone travelling through Cambodia.
Yesterday we caught a bus to Phnom Penh. We stayed there for a few hours and visited S21, a security camp used by the Khmer Rouge (Cambodian Communists) during the genocide in 1975 to 1979. Many innocent Cambodians perished all throughout the country as the Khmer Rouge imposed harsh living conditions as they attempted to farm an impossible amount of rice. Despite large productions of rice, it was insufficient in the Khmer Rouge's eyes and was not distributed among the Cambodians who were growing it. Mass starvation resulted. Any enemies of the Khmer Rouge (and they believe many people were their enemies, namely innocent Cambodians) were sent to security camps where they were tortured and killed. During the genocide, 1/5 of the population of Cambodia was lost.
We then caught a 6 hour bus to Siem Reap. We got here last night and found our way to a decent guest house with good western food (which I have been craving... I am having a hard time stomaching rice or noodles for 3 meals a day). Today we visited the templese of Angkor Wat! The temple complex is massive and the temples themselves are impressive. I have been trying to limit the number of photos I have been taking to save space on my card, but I went trigger happy today. Unfortunately I can't show you any pictures because I forgot my cable for uploading! I am going to try and find a card reader here. If not, Paul will just have to bring my cable when he comes in August!! I hope my words will suffice.
We have two more days at the temples here in Siem Reap and then Emily heads home. Dave and I are trying to figure out what to do next. There is a cool crater-lake in north eastern Cambodia that we will likely check out before heading up into Laos. We also might stay with some... elephant people (I forget the name of them, but they basically live with and train elephants).
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sihanoukville 2
Yesterday we took a tour through the national park just outside of sihanoukville. We had an excellent guide who navigated our boat through mangrove forests to a beautiful beach. We also met up with Helke, our new German friend, who we have been hanging out with for the last couple days. She is doing a homestay and teaching in a small village in cambodia and ate a spider for dinner with the family she is staying with. After an hour of swimming and standing and sitting we did a short trek through the humid and fragrant jungle to a fishing village. The village was drying dozens of racks of shrimp, and the delicious (not) smell of drying shrimp filled the air. We had tasty chicken for lunch then boated back through the mangrove forest. A rainshower in front of us led to some cool views as the dark sky contrasted with the bright blue with white clouds behind us. We stopped at a boardwalk into the forest. Walking along the sketchy planks (every few planks there was one missing, and many were rotten) took us to a viewing tower 12m high. The first tower was made of local wood and was abandoned (unsafe). The second tower behind it didnt look much safer, but we climbed up anyways. The view was pretty good but I got better photos of the rickety towers and boardwalk. On our way back to the ranger station we saw egrets, storks, eagles and kingfishers. Locals waded through the shallow waters catchigg oysters. We took a taxi back to sihanoukville, played frisbee in the pool and went to the beach. Grilled fish and beer for dinner. I was feeling pretty good until we had a couple free shots then my stomach reminded me of it's weakness and discomfort ensued.
Today we went on a party boat tour thing! The boat we took was awesome! There were three levels (two with couches and chairs, the top level had cushions and matresses and a few chairs). Wicked boat and it was filled mostly with Brits out to have a good time. There was also the usual mix of canadians, kiwis, Germans, and Belgians. We stopped to go snorkelling for an hour at one island. The coral was really cool but there were not too many fish and the visibility was poor. We jumped off the top level of the boat and then headed to another island. The second island had a sweet beach (I feel like I keep repeating myself with the beaches all being really nice) that was super long. We all went for a trek up a stinky sulphrous "river" that was more like a swamp. Everyone complained of the smell as we hiked through thigh deep hot water. After 20 mins we turned around and played frisbee on the beach/in the ocean. We swam back to the boat and puttered back to the mainland. It was a good day!
We played a little discus in the pool when we got back and now I am writing this on my iPod in our room. I am late! I have to go meet Dave and Emily and helke for dinner!
Tomorrow we are going to Takeo where we will be volunteering at an orphanage!
Today we went on a party boat tour thing! The boat we took was awesome! There were three levels (two with couches and chairs, the top level had cushions and matresses and a few chairs). Wicked boat and it was filled mostly with Brits out to have a good time. There was also the usual mix of canadians, kiwis, Germans, and Belgians. We stopped to go snorkelling for an hour at one island. The coral was really cool but there were not too many fish and the visibility was poor. We jumped off the top level of the boat and then headed to another island. The second island had a sweet beach (I feel like I keep repeating myself with the beaches all being really nice) that was super long. We all went for a trek up a stinky sulphrous "river" that was more like a swamp. Everyone complained of the smell as we hiked through thigh deep hot water. After 20 mins we turned around and played frisbee on the beach/in the ocean. We swam back to the boat and puttered back to the mainland. It was a good day!
We played a little discus in the pool when we got back and now I am writing this on my iPod in our room. I am late! I have to go meet Dave and Emily and helke for dinner!
Tomorrow we are going to Takeo where we will be volunteering at an orphanage!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Sihanoukville
Our last day on Phu Quoc was spent scootering down the coast about 40 km to a wickedly nice beach called Sao Bai. We spent most of the day there, eating noodles and vegetables and swimming in the pristine water. There was a Vietnamese film crew filming a commercial and we kept getting told to swim further up the beach because we were in their shot. After our skin was nice and wrinkled from the ocean we got back on our scooters and headed all the way to the southern tip. Colourful boats crowded the dock and locals crowded the dirt streets of this little fishing town. A few photos and we turned around to head back to our hotel. On our way back we stopped to take some pictures and we were swarmed by a group of local women and one man. They were interested in our skin colour. As Emily pulled out the sunscreen to try and explain it, one woman thought it was whitening lotion and tried to put it on her skin. After some words were exchanged, tan lines shown and our skin touched, we think they understood and everyone laughed. By this point the sun was getting low and the lighting on the lush jungle was gorgeous as we drove home. The day wouldn't be complete without a flat tire (I had two the day before, this time it was daves turn). Luckily this must happen a lot because there are numerous repair shops on every road. 3 dollars later, daves tire was fixed and we puttered in the dark to our beach bungalow.
The next morning we caught a motorbike taxi (they put your bag between their legs and you sit on the back of the bike) and then a boat (the inside of which looked like a spaceship) and then a bus that took us into Cambodia. Unfortunately I came down with a nasty stomach illness and discharged my stomach contents before, during and after crossing the Vietnam-Cambodia border. A nice Belgian girl gave me some pills and a nice Cambodian guy gave me a pillow and I slept at the back row of seats on our bus on the way to sihanoukville. The three of us, 4 belgians, the driver and his helper were the only ones on the bus. The bumpy road caused our bus to get a flat tire (which I welcomed as it meant I could get some uninterrupted sleep; the bumpy road caused my whole body to get a foot of air on more than one occasion). I awoke out of my haze and felt quite a bit better. A few more hours through Cambodian countryside and we arrived at our destination. Sihanoukville is really trendy and there are lots of tourists/backpackers here. I can't say much else about it since I have been feeling a bit sick still and only managed to eat a bit of rice. Apparently there is a nice beach here though! Tomorrow we might take a boat trip to one of the islands that have even nicer beaches and good snorkelling.
The next morning we caught a motorbike taxi (they put your bag between their legs and you sit on the back of the bike) and then a boat (the inside of which looked like a spaceship) and then a bus that took us into Cambodia. Unfortunately I came down with a nasty stomach illness and discharged my stomach contents before, during and after crossing the Vietnam-Cambodia border. A nice Belgian girl gave me some pills and a nice Cambodian guy gave me a pillow and I slept at the back row of seats on our bus on the way to sihanoukville. The three of us, 4 belgians, the driver and his helper were the only ones on the bus. The bumpy road caused our bus to get a flat tire (which I welcomed as it meant I could get some uninterrupted sleep; the bumpy road caused my whole body to get a foot of air on more than one occasion). I awoke out of my haze and felt quite a bit better. A few more hours through Cambodian countryside and we arrived at our destination. Sihanoukville is really trendy and there are lots of tourists/backpackers here. I can't say much else about it since I have been feeling a bit sick still and only managed to eat a bit of rice. Apparently there is a nice beach here though! Tomorrow we might take a boat trip to one of the islands that have even nicer beaches and good snorkelling.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Phu Quoc
We caught a bus at 11:30 pm from HCMC and arrived at around 6:00 am in Rach Gia, southern Vietnam. My long lanky body does not fit well in the bus seats here, as I expected. I had a crappy ride with no sleep. Chicken and rice for breakfast in Rach Gia then we were off on a boat to Phu Quoc.
Phu Quoc is super nice. We got ourselves a bungalow just off the white sand beach for 10 bucks (split 3 ways!). Two days ago we rented scooters and motored around the island... So fun!! I am definitely going to get my motorcycle license when I am back in Canada (Sorry M&D!) Yesterday we walked along the beach during a crazy monsoon! The rain was intense and it actually hurt to be standing in the downpour.
Meals are eaten right by the ocean and a plate of chicken fried rice is about 2 or 3 bucks and a 450ml bottle of Saigon Green is 70 cents.
Life is good.
Phu Quoc is super nice. We got ourselves a bungalow just off the white sand beach for 10 bucks (split 3 ways!). Two days ago we rented scooters and motored around the island... So fun!! I am definitely going to get my motorcycle license when I am back in Canada (Sorry M&D!) Yesterday we walked along the beach during a crazy monsoon! The rain was intense and it actually hurt to be standing in the downpour.
Meals are eaten right by the ocean and a plate of chicken fried rice is about 2 or 3 bucks and a 450ml bottle of Saigon Green is 70 cents.
Life is good.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Ho Chi Minh City
After a long flight from YVR to Hong Kong that featured a small bladdered seat mate who went to the bathroom at least 7 times (and for some reason we never switched seats; I had the aisle seat, he had the window) and a short flight from HK, I finally made it to HCMC. The traffic here is insane!!! I'll try to describe it, even though I don't fully understand it:
-Bigger vehicles have right of way over smaller vehicles
-There are a few lines on the roads, but they are largely ignored
-There are very few traffic lights. When the flow of one street is blocked at an intersection, it builds up until there are enough cars/vans/bikes to 'push through'
-Smaller intersections are a free for all. People just drive through and gracefully avoid other drivers. It is like a plaza full of pedestrians. Everyone is going a different direction, but people time it just right so that they don't run into each other.
-There are more bikes and mopeds then I have ever seen in my life
-Crossing the street is quite fun. You just walk slowly across and time your walk so that you don't hit anyone. I think the slower you walk, the better chance you have for making it across alive. If you dart across a steet you will probably end up in the hospital.
Dave and Emily are coming to HCMC tomorrow, on the 7th! We are going to visit the war museum and the Cu Chi tunnels. Then we plan to take a sleeper train south to check out Phu Quoc Island. I am super stoked, this place sounds amazing:
"Sitting back in a hammock, looking out over the quiet surf, you may wonder why more people don't know about Phu Quoc Island. It gets almost none of the press of those islands over in Thailand -- and yet with its rugged jungle, squeaking white sands and sparkling cobalt waters, it can more than match them. And though an unbroken beach stretches for almost the entire length of the island's west coast, only a small path of it has been developed."
Time for some breakfast.
-Bigger vehicles have right of way over smaller vehicles
-There are a few lines on the roads, but they are largely ignored
-There are very few traffic lights. When the flow of one street is blocked at an intersection, it builds up until there are enough cars/vans/bikes to 'push through'
-Smaller intersections are a free for all. People just drive through and gracefully avoid other drivers. It is like a plaza full of pedestrians. Everyone is going a different direction, but people time it just right so that they don't run into each other.
-There are more bikes and mopeds then I have ever seen in my life
-Crossing the street is quite fun. You just walk slowly across and time your walk so that you don't hit anyone. I think the slower you walk, the better chance you have for making it across alive. If you dart across a steet you will probably end up in the hospital.
Dave and Emily are coming to HCMC tomorrow, on the 7th! We are going to visit the war museum and the Cu Chi tunnels. Then we plan to take a sleeper train south to check out Phu Quoc Island. I am super stoked, this place sounds amazing:
"Sitting back in a hammock, looking out over the quiet surf, you may wonder why more people don't know about Phu Quoc Island. It gets almost none of the press of those islands over in Thailand -- and yet with its rugged jungle, squeaking white sands and sparkling cobalt waters, it can more than match them. And though an unbroken beach stretches for almost the entire length of the island's west coast, only a small path of it has been developed."
Time for some breakfast.
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