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'Lucky' Escape
We were up at 4:30am this morning to get picked up at 5am. I slept well but Chris didn't. We had been given a room situated at the noisiest part of the hotel, right above a karaoke bar. I'm not sure when the music started because I went off to sleep pretty quick, but it was still going on when we woke up and it didn't end until we left at 5am! We could hear a group of lads singing (shrieking) at the top of their lungs, killing our favourite rock tunes. We heard one local shout at them to shut up!
We checked out and waited outside for our bus, it was half hour late. When we got on we chose the two seats at the very front so Chris had the leg room, put them back and were ready to go to sleep. Then a man got on and asked us to move our seats forward so he could sit behind us. We both looked around, there was still plenty of room for the man to sit comfortably and the bus was empty! Chris said no to him and told him to sit somewhere else. He still sat in the seats behind us.
Later into our journey we suddenly realised we had no more than $4 left, we had already eaten some bread baguettes with dairylea cheese but that wouldn't be enough for us on a six hour journey. The bus stopped at a couple of places so everyone could eat and use the bathroom. These places we're really dirty, flies we're rife and not surprising, there was dumped rubbish at the back of the restaurants. We are so lucky to have a council back at home to regularly take our rubbish away. We qued to use the toilet at one of the stops, there was a huge heap of rubbish and nappies right next to the building. I said to Chris, even if we did have money to eat I wouldn't eat here. We had just enough for a packet of Pringles and Oreos to last us until we reached Kratie.
At this point of being in Cambodia I have to admit I wasnt a big fan, but then my mind was changed when we reached Kratie which is much less crowded and is surrounded by green countryside. We were dropped off near the Mekong Delta river and instantly greeted by tuk tuk drivers. One guy named Lucky recommended a hotel he worked for on the river front. Fanned rooms were only $7, we didn't know where to go and couldn't be bothered to walk around town so happily accepted and went with him.
The coach journey had taken longer than expected so the sun was already beginning to set. Lucky said he could also arrange some tours for us, he seemed friendly enough so we agreed to go through them once we had checked into our room.
The hotel was quite big and our room looked fine so we threw our bags in and went down to see Lucky. He offered to take us to a place on the river called Kampi where the dolphins always are, then drive us to a picnic area where we could take a swim, relax in hammocks and eat whole chickens! Apparently the chickens are a lot smaller here so have to be bought whole. Afterwards we had the option to visit a sanctuary for endangered turtles! It sounded like a great day out so we asked him how much. Including the drive, entrance fees but no food... $78!!!! We thought this was very pricey, I knew when Chris said he wanted to have dinner before deciding that he really wanted to find out some prices with other people. Lucky had asked us where we were from when he greeted us, like the taxi driver in Siem Reap, he made a comment that we must have lots of money, so we think he was trying to mug us off.
Lucky hung about while we ate by the river, he really didnt want to lose us as a sale. We watched the sun set which was nice then Lucky came back over. Chris gave him an excuse that he wanted to go to the market and find some shorts and vests, then we would be back to book with him. Reluctantly he aggreed to wait for us. So we went into town and guess what? A guy gave us a price for the same tour but half the cost! Chris wasn't happy, when we got back to the hotel Chris went over to him and for about ten minutes they went over the costings again and again. Lucky argued that the guy must have been confused and given us the wrong price but we wern't stupid. We eventually all agreed that Lucky could drive us to the places at the same cost of what the other company quoted us and we would pay for our own entrance fees on arrival.
We are in our bed now, tiny insects and bugs keep landing on us! We've just noticed that our window is open and they are attracted to the light directly above us. We have a fan pointing at the bed so every time they fly too low they are being blown straight in our direction.
Hopefully now the window is closed they will disappear, eww I don't want to eat bugs tonight. I had enough in Bangkok.
Charlotte & Chris
- comments
P Hello you lovely people! So, your having a nice time - bugs and all?! This 'Lucky' person doesnt sound so lucky to me. Charlotte, how is your tan? I bet your really brown now! Chris, how are you coping with Charlotte? There's not much mention so far about anything to cause you both to argue.... apart from Charlotte wanting wooden elephants and tut jewelry! ;0)