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So, Cambodia.
Started off continuing our beach theme by visiting Sihanoukville on the south coast. Unfortunately, due to Kim's stubborn adherence to 'winging it' as opposed to having some semblance of an idea of a plan I was left running around the town trying to find digs. After 5 unsuccessful places (tho one landlord kindly offered his seats after the people watching the film vacated for the princely sum of £1) I got us in somewhere. It wasn't until I returned with Kim and the bags that I noticed the lack of a mozzie net and the rank smell of the toilet. Oh well, a beds a bed. How the mighty have fallen.
Anyway we could only stick it there 2 nights and as time was against us we never got to any of the recommended islands. We did lie on the beach next to where the 'top boss' of Cambodia was holidaying tho. There were 300guards with walkie-talkies around in civilian clothes, I wonder if he was a popular chap? We went to a really seedy bar where we were intrigued at the brazen approach to prostitution. We could only stay a bit and were glad to leave.
On to Phnom Penn. We had read the book 'First they killed my Father' about the Khmer Rouge and the start of Pol Pot's regime. A saddening event, which chills even more knowing it wasn't that long ago. We went to the 'Killing Fields' and after being swindled out of cash for a 'guide', were horrified. Hearing how they swung infants by the leg, smashing their heads off a tree trunk to save bullets, and seeing so many pits grouped so close together was gruesome. We also seen bones and skulls of the dead before we went to S-21. This was a prison where they kept people to torture them before taking them to the Killing Fields. All doctors, lawyers and teachers, anyone with a sense of education or intelligence, or had mixed heritage, were subjected to a form of ethnic cleansing on a massive scale.
So after that we went to Siem Reap to see the Angkor temples and had our first bit of real misfortune. After getting out o the tuk tuk for the second temple we were accosted by the usual amount of kids tryin to sell stuff. Two girls came up, one to Kim and one to me, offering drinks. We said when we come back we will get some and sure enough, after only reaching the top of the steps there they were. Kims' got to her first and she asked for two waters. Now, thinkin they were workin together I told mine no thanks, we already got. But that wasn't what she wanted to hear. For the next three minutes on our walk back to the tuk tuk we (me in particular) were barraged with an assault of emotional terrorism. I was a very bad man, and that all people from Ireland should stay there because apparently we were all now bad tourists. Obviously I objected as I know some of the finest people are from Ireland and defended all your honour folks, but that's not what she wanted to hear either. She went on to curse me, hoping that the water would make me sick and I would choke on it. Nice.
I must say at this point this is not representative o Cambodians as we found them the most welcoming, happy people on our trip. But this was not the bad part. After driving off and arriving at the next temple Kimbo realised she did not have the camera. After a frantic bag check we drive back, searching the roadside en route, to out last stop. Everyone was tryin to be helpful, but my new no. 1 fan was conspicuous by her absence. Kim ha only places the photo-box in the shallow pocket of her shorts, so most likely it fell out of the tuk tuk. But one can't help think it could have fallen out earlier, or was an easy target for light fingers. Anyway, whoever got it never showed and we lost a lot of photos from BA, Sydney, Vietnam and Cambodia. But hey, if that's the worst thing to happen we'll take that.
Next day and sunrise at Angkor Wat. Truly a magnificent spectacle and a very awe-inspiring structure. Naturally we argued who was best - Inca or Amgkor, but we are ultimately lucky to experience both. Plenty of photos were taken courtesy o the iPod!
Only other thing to note was we got really drunk in Seim Reap on buckets of cocktails - Kim thought she'd be thrifty an order two for a free t-shirt,then another for good measure. A milestone was reached that night when Kim one her first competitive pool match when we played doubles against two guys. I'm sure Harry you would have been very proud!
- comments
Orla Wow this sounded scary!!! I'm really gutted for youse losing your camera! Did u manage to get any of the pics downloaded before it went missing?? As you said Damien, if that's the worst think to happen yur doin ok! Can't wait to hav u both home!!! Everyone missing u and Caoimhe can't wait to meet her aunty and uncle xo
Mary Damien you'll be home before you finish this blog! I'm sure you've a few more places to add before you get home (ahem tomorrow!). See you both soon x