All good things have to come to an end!!!
We would just like to say thank you to everyone who made our travels what they were. We will always remember this amazing experience and nothing will ever be forgotten.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Bangkok, Thailand
Our last stop before home!!!!!
Bangkok is crazy. Its huge and as we only had 24 hours there we based ourselves on Khao San Road. Here there are lots of places to eat, drink and shop. We stayed in D&D's Inn which had a lovely roof top terrace with swimming pool so we could soak up a few last rays before heading back to England. However, our priorities while we were here were to go and witness a ping pong show (... cant believe they do such things, absolutely hilarious...) and enjoy a shop around the markets!
It was a shame we didn't get to go to all the other great markets but I think it was for the best... realistically we could not have carried anymore in our bags and we only had pennies to spare!!!!
Bangkok is crazy. Its huge and as we only had 24 hours there we based ourselves on Khao San Road. Here there are lots of places to eat, drink and shop. We stayed in D&D's Inn which had a lovely roof top terrace with swimming pool so we could soak up a few last rays before heading back to England. However, our priorities while we were here were to go and witness a ping pong show (... cant believe they do such things, absolutely hilarious...) and enjoy a shop around the markets!
It was a shame we didn't get to go to all the other great markets but I think it was for the best... realistically we could not have carried anymore in our bags and we only had pennies to spare!!!!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
A little beach resort on the south coast of Cambodia. Not the most idyllic place but nice to relax for a couple of days and go out drinking with other travellers. There are plenty bars around to keep you entertained and an air conditioned cinema if you fancy just chilling out.
Unfortunately due to our luck, there was a storm while we were here so we didn't have that much time on the beach. You probably wouldn't want to spend too long there anyway as you constantly get pestered by the locals, especially children, who try to sell you bracelets, food, manicures, massages etc. They also work as theives, as we found out... Greg got his wallet stolen by a group of kids, they did it right under our noses, but luckily it had little money in it and we still had our camera and ipods!!!
Unfortunately due to our luck, there was a storm while we were here so we didn't have that much time on the beach. You probably wouldn't want to spend too long there anyway as you constantly get pestered by the locals, especially children, who try to sell you bracelets, food, manicures, massages etc. They also work as theives, as we found out... Greg got his wallet stolen by a group of kids, they did it right under our noses, but luckily it had little money in it and we still had our camera and ipods!!!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siam Reap is home to the famous Temples of Angkor. They are magnificent and can take a long time to look around them all. We went there for sun rise so we would have all day there, but unfortunately the weather wasn't on our side so we did not get the postcard picture of Angkor Wat. However it was nice to do some of the walking around before the sun came out. We ended with the temple best known from the film Tomb Raider. It was beautiful with tree roots growing through the walls and breaking through the grounds of the temple. We also climbed to the top of another one, which was a little scary as the steps were almost vertical but the tranquility at the top made it worth it.
Apart from the temples there is not much else to do. There is a small market there and plenty of nice places to eat and drink. We also stayed in a brilliant hostel which had everything a traveller could need, indoor swimming pool, friendly and helpful staff, lots of communal areas to meet other travellers, giant jenga and connect four, TV, free pool table, darts, great food... think ive got my point across.
Apart from the temples there is not much else to do. There is a small market there and plenty of nice places to eat and drink. We also stayed in a brilliant hostel which had everything a traveller could need, indoor swimming pool, friendly and helpful staff, lots of communal areas to meet other travellers, giant jenga and connect four, TV, free pool table, darts, great food... think ive got my point across.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
There are not many things to keep you busy at night in Phnom Penh, but by day there are a few breathtaking sights to see. First we visited the Killing Fields, where Cambodians were sent to their death, by the truck load. Sometimes up to a hundred a day. At first glance it comes across as a beautiful and tranquil place, that is until you see the monument and read the plaques. The scripts on the plaques tell the tragic story of the killings, and the monument displays hundreds of the victims skulls along with some of their clothes.
When you visit the S 21 prison, you begin to comprehend the brutality of what went on. This is definitely the most shocking thing we have ever seen. You walk around the prison (which was converted from a school) and see the many torture and detention rooms, which still contain weapons and blood stains. You also witness the small cells they were locked up in. The most graphic part was seeing the display of photographs of the victims. The photos showed head shots of all the detainees, some old, some young and some still cradled in their mothers arms. There were some photos showing the prisoners after they had been tortured, some even when they were dead.
On a slightly lighter note the views of the Royal Palace were lovely and very grand. We also visited a shooting range where you got to buy your own bullets for whatever gun you wanted, it was absolutely mental and completely surreal. Kim got to have a go with the James Bond hand gun and both Greg and Kim fired a machine gun. The machine gun was brilliant if not a little scary. To top it all off we bought a hand grenade. After a short briefing greg reluctantly pulled the pin and threw the grenade into a pond. The explosion shook the ground like an earthquake... We couldn't believe they let you do such things.
When you visit the S 21 prison, you begin to comprehend the brutality of what went on. This is definitely the most shocking thing we have ever seen. You walk around the prison (which was converted from a school) and see the many torture and detention rooms, which still contain weapons and blood stains. You also witness the small cells they were locked up in. The most graphic part was seeing the display of photographs of the victims. The photos showed head shots of all the detainees, some old, some young and some still cradled in their mothers arms. There were some photos showing the prisoners after they had been tortured, some even when they were dead.
On a slightly lighter note the views of the Royal Palace were lovely and very grand. We also visited a shooting range where you got to buy your own bullets for whatever gun you wanted, it was absolutely mental and completely surreal. Kim got to have a go with the James Bond hand gun and both Greg and Kim fired a machine gun. The machine gun was brilliant if not a little scary. To top it all off we bought a hand grenade. After a short briefing greg reluctantly pulled the pin and threw the grenade into a pond. The explosion shook the ground like an earthquake... We couldn't believe they let you do such things.
Ho Chi Mihn City (Saigon), Vietnam
We were prepared to face the meyhem of Hanoi but instead Saigon came across as a lovely city full of cheerful people. Before sunset everyone would be out exercising in the parks, the men would be playng badminton or football while the woman would be in their groups doing aerobics, with the kids joining in wherever they could.
We visited the Cu Chi Tunnels which were fascinating. It was where the viet cong fought the Americans. The tunnels had three layers, and were so small you had to crawl through them. We got given the chance to go through some of them and it was horrible. Greg managed to make it through the whole 120 metres however Kim only made it through the first 20 before having to go out through one of the exits!!! That day we learnt a lot about what went on and how they fought. We even got to have a go at shooting an AK.47 at the end. The gun shots were so loud but so exciting! We loved every second of it.
Link to photos of Hoi An, Nha Trang and Saigon:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2302157&l=87694&id=197810485
We visited the Cu Chi Tunnels which were fascinating. It was where the viet cong fought the Americans. The tunnels had three layers, and were so small you had to crawl through them. We got given the chance to go through some of them and it was horrible. Greg managed to make it through the whole 120 metres however Kim only made it through the first 20 before having to go out through one of the exits!!! That day we learnt a lot about what went on and how they fought. We even got to have a go at shooting an AK.47 at the end. The gun shots were so loud but so exciting! We loved every second of it.
Link to photos of Hoi An, Nha Trang and Saigon:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2302157&l=87694&id=197810485
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Nha Trang has a long stretch of beach that seems to be never ending. Due to tummy bugs we spent most of our time here chilling out in Louisiana's cafe which is set right on the beach front. If we were feeling better we would have made it to the nearby island with a water park, which you get to by cable car, but instead we opted to do some of the local sightseeing.
We visited the Long Son Pagoda to see the Buddha that looked over the whole of Nha Trang. We also went to the Po Nagar Cham towers just before sunset. Both were very impressive.
We visited the Long Son Pagoda to see the Buddha that looked over the whole of Nha Trang. We also went to the Po Nagar Cham towers just before sunset. Both were very impressive.
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