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Mike & Benedict's World Adventures
Time I finally wrote something as Mike has done them all so far. Cambodia was amazing - my favorite place we've been even though it was a rush job in seven days. We arrived in Phnom Pehn and to our guest house on the lake (Happy Number 11), the rooms were basic but the seating by the lake was plush and the curries great for $5 a room. We made a new "friend" as soon as we arrived - one of the hotels moped drivers was doing everthing for us and like all the others asked us "you smoke, yes?" No deal! He finally got our buisness the next morning after he lay in wait and pounced. They took us on mopeds to the killing fields, S21 and the Royal Palace. The Killing Fields was the execution site for the Khymer Rouge regime and 84 mass graves have now been dug up. Piles of bones and clothes were scattered about and the tower in the center was full of 1,000s of sculls. S21 was even more creepy - a school which Pol Pot turned in to an interrigation prison for political agitators (eg: anyone who wasn't a peasant). It has been left almost as it was and some of the pictures and sights were really terrible -it all felt so unreal and it's hard to believe it went on just 30 years ago. The photos of the top generals of the regime were covered in Cambodian graffiti and Pot's had to be removed because of the damage - which cheered me up abit. Then to the palace which was really beautiful and a good end to the day.
The next day we took a bus to Sihanoksville on the coast. Everybody told us to miss it off as it didn't compare to Thailands resorts, but we're so glad we ignored that. We stayed in a guesthouse on Victory Hill - the backpacker area - which was as "zany" as Mike's Rough Guide promised. A French barman gave us directions to the emptiest and most beautiful beach, so the next morning we hired a moped and Mike drove us down dirt tracks and through minority villages - praying we didn't break down where canibalism may be alive - to Otres beach. We chose a bar with difficulty as there was barely anyone in them and sat on our free deckchairs with cold drinks, food and baking sun right next to the warm water. I can't think of too many nicer places? Oh and Mike played Noughts and Crosses with the campest mincer in the kingdom!!! We drove back to the main beaches which were dirtier and packed but the bars were really nice in the early evening and then home along the coast following the sunset. We ate at Rose's place a really cheap & odd place (the toilet was through Rose's bedroom!) and Rose kept Chang Towers growing. We went back to the bars for the beach party later and I played pool doubles with an old Cambodian women (we were unbeatable and her one handed shots were legendary!). There weren't so many people about but we met a group of English lads and girls. Once more mincing Cambo boys left in their ultra tight jeans I commondered the Ipod so the 8 of us had an all night Indie party. No Aciiiiddde House yet (Kevin will be pleased to hear!) We were kicked out after I put one too many Libertines songs on - the barman (and Mike) just wanted their Hip Hop!
Back to Phnom Pehn where Mike had a Happy Happy pizza, which didn't seem to work but luckily I missed him laughing himself silly on his own in the bar after the mystery ingredient went to work.
The next day we took a bus up to Siem Riep (its not worth keep mentioning how bad the buses were but I managed to land the worst seat and with a Cambodian woman reclined to the extreme on my legs) seven hours later we arrived with the sister Happy guesthouse waiting at the bus stop for us. We got up at 5am the next day to go and watch the sunrise above Ankor Wat. it was spectacular as you can see and each temple we visited by moped was amazing in different ways - some to look at and most with the steepest and high steps to climb, which was no good for my vertigo but good fun anyway! Mike was loving running up and down exploring esp the ruins where Tomb Raider was filmed. A great end to Cambodia. Next day it was off again, headed for Bangkok in another woeful bus, on a road which pumelled us for six hours and without breakfast or lunch as we ran out of money and they don't have ATMs. Through the border - eventually - and in to Thailand.
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