Cambodia

Dear all,

Well another email and another country has gone by in a flash. My last night in Saigon was great fun. Myself and a friend from the tour met up with my Vietnamese friend Vu and went out all day and evening enjoying the bike taxis in the traffic and the food and drink. We ate in a very cool place where they cook rice in clay pots, then smash them and through the hot ball of rice across the restaurante to another waitor. We finished off the evening in the market with a beer.

The next morning we were off at 5am after getting in at 1am for the 9 hour bus ride to Phnom Pen. The early start ensures a smoother border crossing. I was waiting for the rough ride I had heard about but it never really happened. I thought it was quite good!

There is some waiting around at the border and the door to the bus is pounced on by a heard of women with hands full of money all competing to buy your Vietnamese Dong and trade for Cambodian Rial. They are quite intimidating but the exchange rate is reasonable and it's a good way to change the money. They look a bit rough though and I don't think it's a lucrative trade... :0/

Once over the border you're struck by the difference in appearance of the people... they are darker and more indian looking and tougher looking. There is also a very strong difference in character. Vietnamese people come across as proud, strong, respectful, charming and happy. The Cambodians look desperate and a little damaged. As we drive further there is also a lack of scooters compared to Vietnam and surprisingly there are lots of very expensive 4x4's and Mercedes Benz!!! I'm confused...this supposed tobe more rugged and poorer that Vietnam. We come to a ferry to cross the river and there is a queue of these cars as well as lots of small children begging (we've been asked not to give them anything as this encourages them to depend on begging). Many of them are dissabled from mines.

The countryside is very flat compared to Vietnam where there is always a mountain within eyeshot. Getting closer to Phnom Pen more expensive cars drive through organised traffic and past proper petrol stations with modern buildings and large car dealerships with shiny Lexus, Toyota and Mercedes. It's a big surprise. Later that evening when we go out it becomes apparent that this country is backpacker central and I beging to miss Vietnam.

The next day we take a tour of the city and start with the Royal palace and temple Wat Nom. Tourists everywhere!!! Beggers too. We go for lunch to the bodhi tree which is full of backpackers trying to look as cool as possible. After lunch we cross the road and go straight into the Prison known as S21 where the Kmer Rouge tortured and killed. It's so weird to go from cool backpacker cafe to this. As we go around looking at the sells and walls of photos of the people killed... some people are obviously not coping with this very well. A lot of people are in tears and there is blood splattered all over the place, although some people seem to want the t-shirt. It's the beginning of a difficult afternoon as we move onto the killing fields. As we pull into the carpark a man with no legs is being beaten up horribly because he is drunk and has been begging. It's very hard to do nothing but interfering apparently makes things worse. We go into the killing fields and as we walk around there is clothing sticking out of the ground everywhere. I nearly step on a human jaw bone sticking out of the ground and there are bits of bone sticking out of the ground everywhere where they only partialy finished clearing the graves out. Tourists are wandering around snapping away and walking on everything and to be honest I'm starting to get pissed off cos it's like a theme park. A tower has been built which houses human skulls but it doesn't appear to be well looked after.

Time to leave and go back to Phnom Pen.

On day 3 we leave at 5am to get the boat the crosses the country to Siem Reap. It's a fantastic boat ride and the lake is massive taking 5 hours to cross in avery unstable speed boat bus thingy. It's a bit like a narrow boat with a very cool twin turbo V12 diesel in the back (I couldn't help having a look) that feels like it may capsize at any minute.

Arrival in the floating village on the outskirts of Siem Reap is insane. The boat gets swamped with people trying to sell you a taxi ride or carry your bags for money, and kids trying to get there hands on some spare food. They rifle the through the boat, which is again trying to capsize (I nearly fell in), for anything they can find. There are a lot of French tourists on the boat and I don't want to say anyhting about the French but they are all SOOO RUDE!! You sit anywhere but these guys all pay porters to sit in théir numbered seat and general bahve appallingly One in particular who makes my life difficult.... and then the boat owner's by putting his foot through a window and refusing to pay for it. In fact all the tourists have changed compared to the people we meet in Vietnam. They are alll backpackers or pensioner wannabe National Geographics. Cap, neckerchief, white photographers waist coat, shorts, hiking boots and a complete lack of spacial awareness. Yes I'm having a rant but it's actually really good fun and all part of the experience.

Siem Reap is even more of a backpacker zone than Phnom Pen. We go for lunch and walk into the Purple Pumpkin... it's a tippical south east asian dusty town with french architecture everywhere but the Purple Pumpkin is like walking into a really cool bar in Soho with modern minimalist furniture all in white and cillout beds with wireless network and amazing food (Black Ice tea is so good). I'm completely confused!

Next day we go off to Angkor Wat at 5 am for the sunrise. I won't go into detail... amazing, huge beautiful... go see it! The complex is massive with many other temples. Also the kids in the carpark are very funny! so buy something from them cos it's worth it just for the entertainment. Beware, they are much smarter than you or I. That evening we went to the mine museum to watch a play by the kids who live there, about the country's history. The museum is run by Akera who was trained by the Kmer Rouge to lay mines from the age of 5. He estimates he has layed 20,000 mines. He now spends all his money looking after children injured by mines and going out to clear mines himself. He has cleared many more than he has layed but still goes out every week to clear more.

This morning I said goodbye to the group who are going to Bangkok in a pickup truck... I was jealous, then I saw the truck!!! Good luck to em. I fly there tomorrow! ;0) Despite this email sounding negative Cambodia has been great fun but after Vietnam it is a little too cushy and just ver touristy and not what you expect at all. It's confusing and weird but then after what happened here it kind of makes sense. I like Cambodia but love Vietnam.

Missing you all, but not that much ;0)

Love, Kaveh.