Hanoi and…goodbye.

8 months in, 5 countries down and we arrive in our final destination: Hanoi.  To say it has been a pretty wild ride would be a complete understatement, but wait, it hasn’t finished yet.  We still had more than a week left before our flight back home, time left to unwind and relax a little.  I realise that all the beaches and swimming pools and cocktails and scenic walks may have made this journey sound like an idyllic break from the ‘real world’, but in fairness, it has been hard work.  Tight budgets, extreme heat and a multitude of foreign languages has really tested Malene and I individually and as a couple.

 

Arriving into Hanoi in the early hours of the morning and you would be amazed at the buzz that’s already flowing through the narrow streets.  Unlike a lot of other cities in Vietnam, there are a lot of cars here which reflect the wealth of the city.  Unfortunately for us, our bus decided to drop us miles away from anywhere remotely touristy or interesting and the inevitable walk began.  Luckily the heat was still low and as we followed the GPS on my phone, we snaked our way through the streets and towards the old city; home of anything that’s anything in Hanoi.

 

There is no divide between the old city and the new. But there is an astonishing difference between the architecture and the road system and in general the feeling between the two.  The streets close in as the buildings tower over and create eerie shadows below.  The details in the buildings themselves are simply beautiful, most of which originate from around 1000 years ago.  As the pavement disappears, we found ourselves walking in single file trying to dodge the speeding motorbikes. Coffee time.  I don’t think our backs could have taken much more plodding and so decided to stop in the heart of the backpacker region.  I was sure I would find a place to stay around here, but didn’t want the challenge whilst lugging all our stuff around.  The hunt began.  The goal – under $10 and a soft bed; how hard can it be?  An hour later, I returned to Malene who was beginning to worry about me.  Once again, my tail was firmly placed between my legs as I told her the bad news.  Nothing here was in our budget, one that we thought was quiet generous compared to previous places.  As we slowly strapped our bags back on, we began to trudge through the streets and after another good walk, finally found a nice place for bang on budget (of course now we wanted something cheaper), a soft bed and in a good location; we were too tired to haggle and collapsed in what would be our home for the next week.

 

Apart from Pokhara (Nepal) and possibly Nha Trang (Vietnam), we hadn’t had the luxury of spending such a long time in one place, and it felt a little bit strange. We found a place that did breakfast, another shack that did good Vietnamese coffee, even a bar for some cheap drinks and Western music.  It was as if we had separated ourselves from the ‘travellers’ and were making friends and settling into this relaxed new life. 

 

This time also allowed us to wander the little side streets and explore the shops.  We wanted to find all the things we saw whilst travelling around Vietnam and buy them as souvenirs or gifts for people back home – needless to say, our shopping list was long.  We also had the mission of booking our Ha Long Bay trip – or final farewell tour of one of Asia’s most breath-taking places.  Booking this trip turned out to be stressful, time consuming and energy zapping.  Next time, I think we would rather just pick a name out of a hat and go with that company rather than trying to research them all in the blind hope that we could eliminate any chance of wasting our hard saved cash.  It took no less than 3 days to book the tour.  We studied all the price ranges from budget $50 to the high roller $300 for the 3 day options.  It all looked too good.  Until we went online at looked at the reviews and that was when it got tricky.  With so many stories of people being ripped off, rat infested boats and dodge salesmen, what do you go for?  To be honest (and probably no help to anyone) I think you have to go with your gut feeling.  Choose your price range and plum for the office that treats you well and respects your questions.  You can’t buy a guarantee that says your trip will be wonderful.  More importantly, keep an eye on the weather – this will make or break your trip. Our trip cost us $120 each for 3 days (1 night on the boat, 1 night on Monkey Island), all food and activities included with the Asian Cruises company. It was all booked through our hotel – Rainbow Hotel (Hang Can Road, Hanoi), which we also recommend for a no-thrills, pleasant hotel.  So, did we get lucky?

 

I think someone above has been looking after us on this entire Asia trip.  Once again, we did get lucky and have a host of stories to tell from our trip out in Ha Long Bay.  Yet another UNESCO World Heritage site and home to some 2000 islets (huge hills that protrude from the calm water), this place is like no other on Earth.  The limestone islets form a forest in which our Junk (old Chinese sailing vessel) carefully meanders through.  The whole place is a little creepy, but we are constantly eager to see what lies behind the next corner.  With the sun out for the first of our 3 day trip, we stayed on the top deck and enjoyed the deck chairs and serenity – a stark difference to the city.  We stopped at a small fishing village and used canoes to explore the surrounding area.  We even managed to paddle through a huge cave that gave us that instant Indiana Jones adventurous feeling.

 The food on board was simply wonderful.  A huge range of fresh fish and delicate Vietnamese dishes were on offer and all included in our package.  After living so long on such a tight budget, we really got our money’s worth here!  Our first night was spent in a lovely little cabin, but not before we all decided to go for an evening swim.  Like little kids, we all rushed to get our swimming shorts on and run back up to the top deck.  After a few moments of hesitation, we carefully stepped over the barrier and dived off into the dark waters.  It was a great first evening.  Tomorrow: Cat Ba  and Monkey island.

 

Cat Ba island is one of 2 big habited islands in Ha Long Bay.  We docked at one end and proceeded to take a mini bus across the island to the other side where we boarded a small boat that would haul us to our final destination for the day: Monkey Island.  Yes, there are monkeys on the island.  No, we didn’t see any!  It was a beautiful and remote place that seemed perfect for one of our last nights in Asia.  The following morning, after a huge buffet breakfast (sorry to keep banging on about the food – but it was good!), Malene and I took another canoe and decided to travel around the island.  At first, this was an easy task.  Fairly calm waters surrounded us as we gently paddled clockwise around the island.  However, by the time we reached the backside, the stretch of water opened in front of us and the waves grew big.  Before we knew it, we were being dragged closer and closer to jagged rocks where the huge waves were now crashing.  Malene and I put our backs into it and dug our oars deeper, determined not go down without a fight.  Our adrenaline levels rose and within 20 minutes we were back in calmer waters, this time with a few beads of sweat running from our brows.

 

It was a special place.  We climbed the hill high above our beachside resort and watched as the sun gently dipped its gleaming head beneath the watery horizon.  This was it. The end of a chapter.  Malene and I have survived 8 incredible months of self-exploration and togetherness.  We experienced some fantastic things and met some truly wonderful people along the way.  As much as we talk about all the things we’ve done, it always comes back to India and the school.  Every day we think about the children and the things they taught us during our first 4 months out here.  We truly hope that one day we can come back and visit them all.  Those children really filled our hearts with love and became our family out here in Asia.  We will never forget all our special memories of these beautiful children and truly wish them all the success they deserve.

 

So how lucky were we? Very lucky.  Very lucky indeed.

The worlds largest cave: Hue and Dong Hoi

It was refreshing only to spend 4 hours on a bus from Hoi An to Hue, and we had heard so many good things about Hue that we were eager to get there. With a gem of a hotel and our first private pool in nearly 8 months, we could have spent more time just soaking up the sun at the pool side whilst sipping on cocktails. It felt a little strange sitting back and doing nothing, when we knew how much the area had to offer. In close vicinity to the city, there are the DMZ (demilitarised zone) tunnels and the worlds largest cave in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park. We had to make some decisions as to what exactly we wanted to see. The tunnels were quickly scratched from our to-do list, as they are too similar to the Chu Chi tunnels we visited in Saigon. This left the caves. Situated in a national park, 4 hours away from Hue and buried deep in a forest, the day tours going there didn’t make much sense. With 8 hours of travel and only an hour for visiting the colossal cave systems, we didn’t think the tour option would work for us. With our poolside antics over slightly quicker than planned, we said goodbye to Hue and took a local bus to the town of Dong Hoi.

Pool side cocktails.

Not the best form.

Dong Hoi (4 hours north of Hue) is the closest town to the caves and the best option for a base. It probably wouldn’t shock you to hear that we hired a scooter early the next morning. With a 40 minute ride out to the cave entrance, we gave ourselves a full day of exploring the area. Not only was this option considerably cheaper than the tour from Hue, but we had far more freedom. This felt good.

At the caves, we hired a boat and joined 10 others for the hour long ride along the river. The countryside was incredibly beautiful. Huge green mountains shoot up from the bank of the river and as we meandered along, we got to see local life on the water. Farmers bathing their water buffaloes and fisherman catching delights for the local markets were just some of the glimpses we got into the traditional life here. As the sun beat down relentlessly, we edged closer to a mountain and at the bottom, an eerie, black mouth. Nature was inviting us inside and we didn’t want to turn her down.

No turning back.

We slowly crept forward and into the mouth of the cave. As we entered, the engine was cut and the silence surrounded us like an evil aura. As our eyes adjusted to the blackness, we quickly saw the beauty and magnitude of the caves. The huge stalactites hung down above us like jagged teeth, dripping cold water onto our clammy shoulders. As we floated deeper into the cave, we approached a small beach landing and disembarked onto the land. From here, we would continue by foot, hundreds of meters under rock and at the mercy of mother nature. The equally impressive stalagmites thrust up from the damp floor and as we weaved between them, we felt like Indianan Jones on a quest for a lost land.

Stalactites or stalagmites?

Back into the sunlight.

Our caving experience didn’t stop here. A further 20 minute scooter ride along deserted roads took us to the Paradise Cave. This was the big one! But ‘big’ doesn’t really do this incredible cave justice. With a cavern over 80 by 80 meters big, we were struck by its size. Dim lights steer you down steps and to the base of the cave. From there, we could walk further deeper into the cave system and view the different rock formations, each one different from the next. The feeling of being inside a mountain is so amazing. Slightly daunting at times, but always awesome. There are lights inside that illuminate the entire cave. However, you could really appreciate what it must have been like to discover the caves for the first time with nothing but a flash light in hand.

Staircase into oblivion.

More spooky rock formations.

Entrance/exit.

We never expected to be so struck by the magnitude and impressiveness of these caves. Vietnam’s little gem is tucked away so secretly and we have to say that to truly enjoy this place, you need time and freedom. Not something a guided tour will generally offer. This is slowly becoming our greatest words of wisdom for those looking at doing a similar trip. Although we tend to stick to tourist routes, by doing more off your own back, you will get more out of it. It takes a little more planning, but what you get back is so much greater.

Stunning scenery.

A short break for the intrepid explorers.

With one final night bus, its slowly sinking in that we’re getting close to our final days of this trip. But without thinking too far ahead, we had Hanoi to think about first. Ha Long Bay, a 1000 year old city and a good old party awaited us. Fancy following us to our final city?

Lanterns and romance in Hoi An

Our first night bus was an interesting and pleasant experience. After so many wonderful night trains in India, we didn’t know what to expect from Vietnam. In conclusion, they are certainly passable. You don’t get the local interaction or the constant chai as you do in India, but the seats/beds are comfortable enough and apart from it being quite a bumpy ride, we found the bus a good way to travel the large distances.

We arrived into Hoi An fairly early in the morning and the heat was already beating down on us. Thinking we weren’t too far away from a place to stay, we again refused taxi offers and headed towards the main market situated in the old part of the town. The market was already busy, with locals frantically trading with eager customers, we walked along the river bank with eyes on the buildings searching for a hotel. No luck. But we did find a little cafe – cafe des amis – and inside, it was as French as the name sounded. In fact, the entire town is incredibly French and quaint. The architecture is detailed and beautiful. With little window shutters and small balconies, it was hard to remember that we were still on Vietnam soil. Hidden speakers line the streets and play French music which creates a wonderful and peaceful atmosphere.

Truly relaxed.

With Malene enjoying her mornings fruit shake (not so French) and guarding our bags, I walked around in search of a place to stay. An hour later and I wasn’t any closer to finding anything. I’d found the main hotel strip, a small side street close to the old part of town, but prices were high; 15/20/25$ a night. Admittedly, most of them came with indoor pools and looked lovely, but we weren’t in Hoi An to spend our time in the confinements of a hotel lobby, and so I pressed on. Eventually, I found one for 6$, a 5th floor shoe box sized room with shared bathroom, not ideal, but all I could find. With my tail tucked between my legs, I headed back to Malene and told her the bad news. On our way back to said hotel, we took a little detour and found something much better. Again close to the old area, we found a family run hotel, with large rooms, tv and a bucketful of character.

After settling in, we headed back to small streets of the old town. Quiet roads with beautiful lanterns hovering above you and small shops offering a full spectrum of tourist goodies, had us captivated for hours. Next to the market area we found our first meal. Inside, what appeared to be an old town hall, row upon row of women and basic oven setups were cooking typical Vietnamese delights, the only difficultly was picking one. Vietnamese food was quickly becoming one of the hi-lights of this leg of our journey. Delicate vegetables wrapped in rice paper and sea food served with sticky rice was two of our favourites, but the menus were almost endless.

Hoi An’s beautiful streets.

A rainbow of choice.

Food glorious food.

With our bellies full, it was time for a little light refreshment. And with Bia Hoi at 2000 dong a glass, sorry, 6p a pint for those back home, it was hard to refuse. That evening we made plans, plans that got Malene rather excited. We were going to find a custom made, tailor fitted dress, or two and maybe some matching shoes for her. Not my ideal type of shopping exercise, but Malene liked the idea.

Cheap beer always makes us smile.

The following morning, we started browsing the many shops offering services that I’m sure a lot of women would dream of. The previous night, Malene had searched the internet for a dress that she liked the look of for her sisters wedding. Upon entering the first dress makers, we showed them the fuzzy image copied from google and everything went from there. First, choose a colour. Second, the material. And 5 hours later, like magic, there it was: a beautiful, hand made, tailor fitted dress. A true one of a kind. Next up, shoes. For me, it was a little too much. I headed back to our previous watering hole, blogged and waited for my beaming eyed girlfriend to reappear. This time with two dresses and a pair of shoes in hand. Success on her behalf and I had a matching tie too; all parties were happy!

The beginning of something beautiful.

A girl can never have too much choice.

That night, we strolled along the river banks and as the lanterns were turned on, more magic filled the air. French music serenaded us as we dined and the romance was tangible. Sorry for being so soppy, but Hoi An will have that appeal to all that travel here. This town quickly topped our Vietnam charts.

Watching our lanterns being made.

Romance wasn’t hard to find.

As quickly as we arrived, the following morning, we would depart. Without trying to rush around this amazing country, there was just too much to see in the short month that we had. Still, the world’s largest caves would be our next destination and Hue was planned as our base to visit them. Onwards and upwards it was.

Finding Nemo: Nha Trang

After a few cold days in Dalat, we were excited to find the sun again. The bus journey was long, but it was interesting watching the green hills turn into flat, red sandy coastal towns again. After out visit to Mui Ne, we were hoping for something a little better from Nha Trang.

As the buildings grew larger and the traffic got worse, we knew we were getting close. Once in the city, we were, again, dropped a few miles from anywhere of interest. We had to quickly get our bearings (google maps), grab our bags and start walking. At first it was nice getting back in the sun. Our bodies had quickly grown accustom to the drop in heat that we experienced in Dalat. There’s too much Scandinavian blood in Malene and British blood in me for it to take too long to get used to the cold again. Walking down Nha Trang’s main road, with the beach on our left and huge, elaborate hotels on our right, we knew we still had a while to go.

Beach days.

There was really only one thing on the itinerary for us to do here in Nha Trang. Malene was dying to do here open water dive course and after a lot of research, she had previously set her mind on this place. Why? 20 meter under water visibility (more than Thailand apparently) and the lack of sharks and other big fish of which she’s not so keen on. With Malene set on this, we headed towards the place she wanted to book it through. We thought, if she was going to do a 4/5 day course, then we should really be living close to the dive centre. I could feel her excitement rise in every step we took. For me, diving isn’t really on my shopping list. You could push me out of plane, off a waterfall or even off a bridge with a piece of elastic strapped to my ankles: I wouldn’t have the slightest of problems. But when it comes to underwater activities, be it diving or even snorkeling, then that’s where I draw the line. I like air. I feel I need air to have a good time and also to live too. Take that away and replace it with a big cylinder fixed to my back and something to inhale on and it just doesn’t feel right. I will be staying on terra firma as Malene dives into the deep and I wished her all the best.

At the dive centre (apparently the only National Geographic approved one in Nha Trang) we spent a long time going through the course and spoke to the guy that would be guiding Malene all the way. As I wouldn’t be there to help her with anything, it was crucial that she felt comfortable and happy, especially considering the cost of it all. We both felt a little nervous and didn’t know if it would be enjoyable or not. Still, I was fine. I knew it left me time to kick back, hit the beach and have a few lazy days, bring it on!

Around the block from the dive centre, we found a lovely little guesthouse that was owned by an elderly lady, but run by her niece. The rooms were a good size, with tv (ready for the F1 that weekend!), bathroom and fan and cost us 6$ a night: not complaining. The family also had two little children that were a delight and made us feel part of a family.

For a full account of Malene’s dive course, you’re going to have to ask her yourself. From what I’ve heard, she loved just about every minute. The first day was spent in the ‘classroom’ where she worked through a series of written tests (all in English). She of course passed them with flying colours and was itching for the next stage: the pool. This was her first experience using all the equipment, but in the safety of a pool rather than out at sea. Again, learning all the time, Malene got to grips with the different skills and sign language used whilst under the water. The final 2 days is where the real experience takes place. After an hours boat ride, she performed multiple dives and saw a myriad of underwater life. She particularly enjoyed playing with the little Nemo fish as they swam between her fingers. Back at the dive shop, together we went through the book of fish, and like a check list, she told me about all the beautiful exotic fish she saw, as well as the colourful coral. I am so proud of Malene for accomplishing something like this, and in English as well. I have so much respect for those that go out diving as its something that I can’t get my head around and I’m so glad that Malene had the opportunity to do it in this amazing part of the world.

Kitted up and ready to go.

Showing off her new paperwork.

As for me, it was a quiet, yet productive week. Instead of waking up at the crack of dawn to catch buses, I could take it easy, wonder the streets and meet locals. It gave me time to get up to date with this blog, although I think I need far more time to really make a dent in the work I still need to do.

Best smoothies ever.

Nha Trang was quickly becoming a favorite of ours. With clean, beautiful beaches, a relaxed atmosphere and the strange backdrop of the mountains, it was a stunning place to relax and live in for a week. What could make it better? Mud baths! One evening, we hired a scooter (yes, I have the scooter bug!) put on what looked like ex-military helmets and climbed through the deserted back streets to a quiet spa. It was like a little piece of heaven. Tucked away between gorgeous mountains we were definitely excited to plunge into the brown baths. Supposedly very good for the skin, but I didn’t really need an excuse to try them out. The mud was warm and quite thick. In fact, it was a very strange feeling as you can float in the bath and obviously what we needed after a very *cough* stressful few days. Life is so good! We then washed off and proceeded to a natural spring water bath and felt like royalty. Unfortunately there was no one willing to feed us grapes as we bathed in the silence of the mountains and so took a nice swim in the equally impressive swimming pool. As my first ever spa experience, it would be one that’s going to be hard to beat.

Relaxing in the mud.

After Malene’s diving course, we had one final day in Nha Trang and one final box to tick: Vinpearl Land. Situated on an island just off the coast and accessible via the worlds longest over sea cable car; reason enough to go we thought! Suspended 40 meters above the water and with jaw dropping views over the city, it felt a little bit like we were on a ski trip, but this time we were in swim shorts and on route to a huge theme park. It was time to feel like teenagers again! In the theme park, there are some pretty cool rides, including the Alpine Roller coaster that hoists you up the mountain in a little 2 man bob sleigh. From the top, the views were incredible. And as you race down the tracks, you control the speed with a little hand break – you go as fast as you dare! We literally skipped our way around the park, trying everything, eating cheap burgers and playing old school arcade games. Bumper cars was an obvious hit, but as midday crept up and with it the heat, the water park would be our next stop. With a maze of walkways and hundreds of water slides to try out, we felt giddy with choice. We tried everything. Twice. Sometimes more. At the end of it, we relaxed on the little beach with a beer and watched the water lap the sand.

Hollywood style sign at Vinpearl.

Young at heart.

Head over heels.

There is also a wonderful aquarium with a long tunneled walk through whe you can watch sting rays and sharks as the circle above your head. I might not be game for diving, but this was incredible. I felt like I was part of a David Attenborough documentary and even found some little Nemo fish – Malene wasn’t the only one! This place comes with our highest recommendations, its not difficult being young again here and we’ll take home memories that will last forever. Ok, it might not be a typical Asian experience, but nice for a change of scenery.

My type of diving.

With more bus problems, this time a little more serious, we in fact spent an extra night in Nha Trang. We weren’t complaining, as it meant the bus company had to pay for our, now upgraded, room. Hello A/C! The following day, we would head up the coast to Hoi An, apparently an old, French styled town situated on a river. Not really sure what we would do there, but had heard some pretty good things. Goes without saying: excited? Check.

Grey but never dull: Dalat

In an attempt to keep this short (maybe even sweet?) our first stop out of Saigon was the seaside resort town of Mui Ne. Never have I seen so many extravagant hotels and spas in one place. To be honest, it was all a little too much. The beach itself was nothing to write home about and the town was way too expensive for us little backpackers. We searched under the moon light for a cheap place to stay, but our luck was out, it was going to be another 7$ night. Unfortunately this time, the cost wasn’t really reflected in the accommodation. The strip we were staying on was like walking down something from a 90210 episode, ‘life styles of the rich and famous’ came to mind.

We left the following morning.

Back on the road and possibly on the bounciest bus imaginable (my back will never be the same) we headed towards Dalat, high in the hills and famous for its coffee and wine: two of my favourite things. As we climbed the mountains, views of lush greenery surrounded us and made for a strong contrast from the cities and seaside places we had visited so far. We expected Dalat to be a small town, tucked away between the hills. It turned out to be quite different. Tucked between the hills yes, small, not so much. As we topped over the final brow of a mountain, Dalat spread out beneath us, far larger than we both imagined.

Sock horror, we weren’t dropped miles out of the centre. Things were looking good, but there was a reason why our little mini bus had struggled through the afternoon traffic to drop us at the first hotel. I think there were some family ties between the driver and hotel staff. Admittedly, it was a nice looking place, but way out of our league. It didn’t take long before we started walking. With no idea of where we were going, and only a vague idea of bearings, we started down the hill – an easier option than trekking upwards. This didn’t last long. Soon we were at the bottom, with only one option regardless of what road we picked; we were going up.

The weather here took us completely by surprise. From 30 degrees in Mui Ne, we had arrived in a place where the weather resembled something more of a British summer: cool, overcast and a little grey. This helped us as we climbed the endless hill to our guesthouse.

The large building looked good from the outside, and didn’t really disappoint on the inside either. The rooms were spacious, but there was no fan? We knew it was 6$ a night, but still, surely we would fry at night? Like I said earlier, the weather was too cold for any need of external cooling systems. In fact, after a rummage around at the bottom of our bags, our jumpers came out, albeit smelling a little damp. Nice.

It was a family run guesthouse and although not a home-stay by normal definitions, it really felt like we were part of family. It was lovely playing with the young children and the host spoke great English which really helped us out. We went through different tour options and tried to set an itinerary whereby we could see as much as possible. This was a none starter. The distances between all the attractions were just too great, and the costs of doing everything over 2 days was quickly climbing to an unfeasible high. Whilst here, we wanted to see some coffee plantations, explore the countryside, visit the Elephant waterfalls and ride elephants, surely not too much to ask for? There was only one solution, another scooter hire.

Malene’s new friend.

Early the next morning, we hired our scooter (unfortunately not pink this time), filled it to the brim and set off into the mountains. It was incredible. Everything was so green and the soil was a rich orange colour that made for a dramatic panorama as we hurtled our way through the hills. Our first stop was the Elephant waterfalls. Supposedly named because the rocks either side of the water resemble elephant heads, we couldn’t quite see it though. What we did see, was nature at its finest. After a slightly daunting descent, over slippery rocks and down to the river, we were rewarded by a beautiful waterfall. Not a bad place for breakfast we thought, and so grabbed our sandwiches and tucked in, occasionally being splashed by the cascading water.

Slippery slopes, was it worth it?

Yep!

Behind the water.

Back towards Dalat, we stopped at a coffee farm. Their most famous coffee is the weasel variety. Not sure on the name, we enquired as to its origin, not expecting the answer we got. As we walked into a little back room, we saw large cages with sleeping weasels. The process behind this coffee is as follows: feed the weasels coffee beans. The weasel then excretes the coffee beans. Make coffee out of what comes out. I was pretty disgusting and I really don’t know who thought of the idea. Ingenious or a little twisted? You decide.

My total concentration face.

After filling up our trusty 2 wheeled steed in Dalat, we continued to head through the city center and out the other side. It didn’t take long before we had to come off the main road and onto a pot holed ridden side track. But it was fun, occasionally felt like motocross and kept us excited for our next stop: Elephant island. To reach the small remote island, we had to cross the lake. The skies were starting to grow a little darker and with the silent water, it was all a little eerie. The island had the same feeling. Desert of people, we stumbled over large tree roots and passed empty swinging chairs. Eventually we found a guy and saw what we had come to see: an elephant. We promised ourselves that we would only go for ‘a ride’ if the animal looked like he was in a comfortable, nice place. With so many stories of animal cruelty, we definitely didn’t want to be part of that. But this elephant was having a great time. And as we climbed the rotting wooden stairs and onto the platform, we gingerly stepped over and onto the wild beast. It was a slow, surreal experience. He (I think it was a ‘he’?) plodded carefully through the forest and down to the waters edge. All the time chewing on a huge bamboo shoot. Naturally, I felt like I was sitting on top of an Imperial walker from Star Wars, another dream fulfilled!

Eerie lake.

Riding through the forest.

Same same but different.

The entire day was something of a dream. This was kind of the underlining tone for this entire trip so far. Right from the start, at the orphanage with the children, to the playground of Nepal and Thailand, Cambodia and now Vietnam: we were ticking so many life long ambitions. It’s all going so well and hopefully won’t change. The way things are turning out…how can it get any better?

We’ve lost out camera.

It turns out that Malene had hidden our camera behind the television in our room in Mui Ne. Without blaming her entirely, I was left in charge of packing our things together in preparation for the bus. Silly me for not checking behind the tv! Okay, I should have done a simple checklist of all important items, but it had happened and we needed to fix it. Luckily, we managed to get in touch with the previous hotel and they had found the camera and were keeping it safe. They then popped it on the bus and we were reunited with our trusty camera later that evening. I was seriously considering buying a new one, as the scratches on the lens are starting to get really noticeable. I hope the photos in this post are passable, as it was my trusty phone that took them.

Our final near miss came when we were to board our bus to Nha Trang. The confusion started with the fact that there are 2 buses, heading in opposite directions and leaving at the same time. We were supposedly booked on the Nha Trang bus, but in fact, the booking hadn’t gone through, leaving us potentially stranded. Luckily (using that word a lot at the moment!) our host managed to book us with a different company which all went through fine. What it does mean is that the company we brought our open bus tickets from, would have had to pay for the same journey twice. Mistakes on their behalf had started, and this would echo for the rest of our Vietnam trip.

Nha Trang here we come. With more beaches and Malene itching to take her PADI open water diving course, we were both eager to get there. We just had to ride out the 12 hour bus journey it would take for us to get there. Good times.

Hard to say goodbye to these views.

4 million motorbikes, must be Saigon.

It’s starting to become clear that the buses and taxis are all working together. Like a not so sneaky plan, the bus drivers drop fresh faced tourists off on the outskirts of a city and then literally feed said tourists to the pools of taxi sharks lurking at the bus door. I’m positive there is either commission or/and a cut that the bus drivers take from the taxi drivers after tourists pay the extortionate rates they offer. I haven’t met a traveller yet, who has coughed up the price of a taxi (motorbike or car), and frankly, if I did meet him/her, I’d probably want to slap them. Laziness and stupidity come to mind. You’re often being dropped in a bus station, with other buses, many of them local. It doesn’t take to much energy to realise that the chances of one of these local buses going your way at a fraction of the taxi price are pretty high. Maybe I’m being short sighted, but that last option is what Malene and I tend to do and Saigon was no different. After barging our way through the crowd of blood thirst taxi men, we eventually found a local bus that was going the right way. Not only saving money, but making it a little easier for future travellers passing through. If tourists insist on paying these crazy prices offered by taxi drivers, then there’s no reason why they should ever lower the price of their services. If more and more travellers use local methods of getting around, then hopefully (I might be wrong, it’s happened before) taxi drivers will bring their prices back down. Just an idea.

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city in the guide books) is an alive and buzzing city. With its complex road system as its veins and the motor bikes its blood, its life. Yes, there are 4 million motor bikes racing around the streets but its these two wheeled machines weaving in and out and over pavements, that give the city it’s energy. It’s totally daunting at first. Even deliberating crossing the road seems like an impossibility. Waiting for the green man at the zebra crossing doesn’t help either as (a) they can still turn right on a red and (b) 70% percent of them don’t actually adhere to the traffic lights. So watch out when the little green guy gives you the nod to cross…have a good look first, in all directions. That’s another strange rule that we’re slowly getting accustomed to, you can ride on what ever side of the road you like. For example, people in Vietnam drive on the right. However, if they turned left out of a driveway, and wanted to turn left further down the road, then the would stick to the left hand side of the road, thus saving crossing the road and traffic. Whether that makes sense or not, rest assure, it’s always a challenge crossing a street, but kind of fun at the same time.

After dropping Malene and our bags off at a very expensive coffee shop and ordering one ball of ice cream (cheapest item on the menu), I headed out it the sweltering heat in search of accommodation. With our bags getting heavier and heavier, this was always the easiest option, and since I can use the map on my phone a little better, it was often my duty to search out shelter. It often felt like a cave-man-era thing to do. I would go out, make a hut out of dried palm leaves and then kill a pig for dinner. In reality, I just wanted to find the cheapest place possible. Cheap and Saigon don’t really go hand in hand. 15$, 20$, even 25$ for a room, in the heart of the backpacker district, this was ridiculous! After a little more sweat and a few more tears, I managed to find a few places for 10$ a night – still way over budget, but probably better than sleeping on the streets. We took it, along with its incredible A/C and fridge! Living a life of luxury.

Saigon is a great place to just wonder the streets. There is so much happening that you really don’t know where to look. I would say, keep one eye on the traffic (both front and back) another eye on the food stalls and street life and maybe your final eye on the fantastic architecture found in the buildings that line the roads. Sit down at any of the beer Hoi stalls in the evening and watch tourists dodge traffic and locals blow flames of fire from their mouths. Eating wise, it has to be street food. Vietnam is so famous for its delicious range of food and no where serves it up better (or cheaper) than the little glass cabinet vendors that you’ll see everywhere, normally with a sea of locals around them.

Feeling a little bit more fashionable.

Exhibit from the excellent war memorial museum.

Street food, the best there is.

We took a one day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, approximately an hours bus ride from the city. Again the sun was blazing hot, which we tried not to complain knowing what it was like back home. These tunnels are the original homes of the Vietnamese during the war and were dug by the Viet Congs in order to protect themselves and battle with the invading Americans. They dug tens of thousands of miles of tunnel networks and included booby-traps, secret entrances, kitchens, hospitals and weapon making factories. We got to go down and feel heat and closeness of the tunnels – even if they had been made wider for us fat tourists! In parts, I was on my stomach crawling through, almost imagining the American army squads walking just a few feet above me. It’s a well preserved and historically, very important area. We both gave it a big thumbs up and recommend it highly.

One of the many secret entrances.

A fat tourist.

Standard tank pose.

M60 time.

We made a lot of plans here in Saigon for the rest of our Vietnam travels, often slightly under the influence of cheap Bia Hoi. One thing we decided was to buy an open bus ticket that would take us all the way north to Hanoi and stop in all the cities we wanted to visit. At 40$ a ticket, it felt a bit expensive, but we were assured that its a lot cheaper than buying individual tickets along the way. We just hoped it would all run smoothly, and with just a receipt in hand, we left the bus office. We had no idea how many problems we were about to have.

First steps in Vietnam: Chau Doc

Our first bus of the day took us to the border. We had heard horror stories of fake visas, but everything went without a glitch. This bus dropped us in Ha Tien where we waited at a little cafe for another bus that would take us to Chau Doc. This second, local bus was packed full of people, it was hot, fast and incredibly bumpy. The countryside already looked different to Cambodia and everywhere seemed to have a lot more energy and life. Unfortunately, the bus dropped us a couple of miles outside of the centre and so we had to take 2 motorbike taxis. As we raced through the traffic, Chau Doc wasn’t really what either of us had expected. Very busy, built up and noisy is probably how I would describe it. Still, we found a hotel quickly and although the room was basic (at best), we used it only for sleeping.

That evening, we strolled around the market in the center of town. Everything comes to life at this time, when the locals come out and eat on little plastic chairs that cover the pavement, often spilling out onto the road. With the food being so cheap, all the locals eat out rather than in their homes. This creates an amazing atmosphere of togetherness and friendliness. It’s also great to sit down and watch the buzz around us. This was also the first place where we tried sugar cane juice. Pressed right in front of you, this drink is full of sugar (obviously!) and tastes so good. It also keeps you buzzing for a number of hours!

Crushing the sugarcane. Sweet and delicious.

Fruit market.

Chau Doc is in the middle of the Mekong Delta. An area covered by river networks and where the real life happens. Everything from fish farming to vegetable markets, all is found on the water. Our second day here, we hired a guide to take us on his boat and explore the area. This was definitely the hi-light of our stay here. The life on the water was far more relaxing than the busy streets, but so much was happening. First we visited a little fish farm and got the opportunity to feed the fish through a hole in the floor boards. The fish then proceed to go crazy as they struggle to be first to the feed. That was certainly a wet experience!

Loving life on the river.

Fish feeding frenzy.

From there, we continued along the river and saw the houses on stilts or built directly on top of old, disused boats. Everything was so basic and pure. A civilisation built on the water and totally self-sufficient. We visited a market on the water and watched as locals haggled and exchanged products. Fruit and vegetable stocks were being thrown from boat to boat. There was a lot of shouting and it all seemed so natural for the locals, it was a great insight into their day-to-day life. On the way back, we watched a local fisherman cast off his net with great precision and technique. Obviously a life long role that he and his wife had perfected, again, amazing to watch.

Boat. house.

Floating petrol station.

Pass the parcel.

Staying mobile.

Traditional fishing.

Although Chau Doc town didn’t really impress us that much, the river certainly made up for it. We had set our expectations high for Vietnam, but it was a slow yet promising start. The next place was certainly a biggy for us: Saigon, the city of 4 million motor bikes…expectations were again, high.

Kampot: pink scooter, crab and coffee

The riverside town of Kampot is a charming place. It’s relatively quiet streets are easy to walk around and the people are warm and welcoming. There were a few things on our itinerary for Kampot, but weren’t sure how to tackle it. The sea side fishing town of Kep was just 15km away and then there was the locally grown coffee plantations that sounded like fun. As our final stop in Cambodia, we wanted to make sure we could see as much as possible, but didn’t want to be tied up in an organised tour. It left us one option: scooter hire! This would be my first time on a scooter, but more importantly, my first time on one in Asia! As a keen cyclist, I felt that my road sense was good and we both decided to go for it.

I’ve got to admit, hiring the scooter was the best thing we have done in Cambodia, possibly the best thing on this entire trip. Being free to see what you want and at the speed that you’re comfortable with makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. The roads were not over crowded and we felt safe on our hot little pink scooter! A couple of occasions, the road got pretty bumpy, but it was fun traversing the holes. We had incredible weather, and with the constant breeze cooling us down, we didn’t think too much about the raging sun. Of course my arms were covered in a generous coating of sun cream, but it was the back of my hands that really suffered. A few days later, I had blisters full of water, not pleasant!

Hot in pink.

We found a coffee plantation and walked around the strange towers of green bushes. These bushes are dotted with little green and black coffee pods and really interesting to see. For those coffee lovers out there, traditional Vietnamese coffee is quite different. I wouldn’t say it’s an acquired taste, but its consistency is a lot thicker than normal and it has quite a chocolate taste to it. It is usually served in glasses with their own drip feed system (excuse the poor terminology) and condensed milk. It is…delicious. It’s so think and creamy and filling, it also has a good amount of caffeine in it to kick start your day!

Amazing Coffee maze.

From the farm, we followed the map on my phone and zoomed along towards Kep. This town is famous for its sea food, more specifically, it’s crab dishes. On arrival, we walked around the fish market and watched the ladies as they dragged in their wooden wicker baskets hopefully full of crabs. They would then delve their hands in and pick specimens out. How they haven’t lost a couple of fingers is beyond me.

The locals…who all had 10 fingers.

We walked down the main sea front street, and browsed through menus. Crab is expensive! 5-6 dollars is the going price at the moment – a lot when you consider we were paying 50 cents for a meal on the street. Still, it was something we really wanted to do and in the end, we found a place that did a sea food platter and rice for 2 people and for 10 dollars. We sat on their balcony over looking the sea and watched as the fishermen worked hard out in the waters. Our platter included a red snapper fish, octopus, squid, prawns, crab and a few other delights. It was so fresh and tasty and we felt like royalty dining in a 5 star restaurant. The meal was served with a black Kampot pepper sauce, mixed with lemon that was so delicious and of course local.

The best sea food platter ever…and the view was pretty good too.

A few kilos heavier, we hopped back onto our scooter, did a loop of Kep and then headed home. We stopped on the way back to walk around a little floating village and saw salt fields which was certainly interesting. Back in Kampot, we gave our trusty steed in and then noticed just how dusty we were. I had perfect sunglasses marks and looked like I had spent a week on a sun bed. Time for a shower and bed.

Looking like a cross between a Mexican and a miner.

The following morning we arranged a bus to pick us up and take us to our new distinction and our final country: the highly anticipated Vietnam. Needless to say, we were both very excited!

On a final note, Cambodia…WOW! This entire country is full of mystery, love, history and happiness. We had the pleasure to meet some amazing locals and feel so lucky to have had the chance to visit this beautiful part of the world. I might go as far as saying that this is my favorite place so far. We could have easily spent longer visiting different places and hopefully one day, we can return and do just that. Thank you Cambodia, we will certainly miss you.

Paradise found: Koh Rong Samloem

The last time we were able to walk down a sandy beach and gaze across the blue ocean was in Goa, India. If you’ve read that post, then you’ll realise why why weren’t so impressed with that place. On the other hand, the beach itself was dreamy, and that was something we definitely missed. Our beach shorts and bikinis were repacked to the top of our bags and we set off for Sihanoukville; again by bus.

5 hours later and after more never ending Cambodian musical films, we reached the outskirts of Sihanoukville (named after king Sihanouk). Unfortunately, we were dropped about 3km out of the center, and being midday, the sun was way too hot for us to walk it. The haggling began. After attracting a crowd of tuk tuk drivers who all wanted us (we felt so special!), we agreed on a price and actually got a taxi, with A/C to take us to our first guest house. It was a charming little guesthouse, covered in trees and potted plants. The 3 French guys who were there were very welcoming, even if they were more concerned with smoking the greenery rather than watering it.

That afternoon, Malene and I took a long walk down to the coast and explored the thriving beaches. It was a busy place, packed full of bars and eateries: hardly the paradise we had expected. Still, after a few hours of walking around and checking hotel prices, we found a cheap place, no more than a minute from the white sands. We booked ourselves in for the following day.

The next morning, we again packed our bags. This has now become second nature to us and although we’re getting faster and faster at the ritual of stuffing our sacks, the sacks themselves never seem to get any lighter. Although it was early, the sun was already raging down on us. We were quick to drop our bags in our new room and head straight for the beach. After a ten minute walk on the burning sand, we found an idyllic spot away from young travellers who were already set on partying. We claimed our sun loungers, ordered a beer (you had to buy a drink to use the seats – I had no choice!) and quickly settled in for a morning of nothingness. The water however was just too inviting. Deep blue and nicely warmed by the summers sun, we often took a quick dip and then returned to the comfort of our shaded seats. We began to wonder just how long we could stay here.

I had no choice but to buy the ice cold beer – honestly.

Practicing walking on water.

That evening, we wondered around the food markets and watched the place come to life. Music blared out, sun loungers were replaced by soft bean bags and tables and travelers came out in their drones looking for a happy hour. They had plenty to choose from too. We took the opportunity to enquire as to the price for getting to the small island of Koh Rong Samloem. Situated approximately 2 hours off the mainland, we studied the brochures which of course looked incredible. They always do. The price: 20$ per person. Included in this price (which was a lot for us) was a return boat ride on the famous party boat, Lunch, breakfast, one free drink and free snorkeling equipment. The prices for accommodation on the island were reasonable and so we booked our tickets for the following morning. It turned out that we wouldn’t be spending much more time in Sihanoukville. A mistake?

We agreed to leave our bags in the tour office where we booked the boat tickets. Chained to each other and in a back room, we presumed they would be safe. In hindsight, this was probably not the best of moves. But I’ll get to that later. We made our way to the jetty and waited in the shade of the bar – not drinking this time. The huge ‘party boat’ slowly edged its way towards us and before long we were on board and sipping on fresh coffee accompanied by even fresher pastries, it was going well. We set off and soon the mainland along with Sihanoukville disappeared into the distance. After an hour of cruising, we reached a small island. We dropped anchor and the mornings fun began: starting with a jump from the top deck into the warm, deep blue sea beneath. We got our snorkels and explored some beautiful coral reef just off the island. Malene was loving it. I couldn’t quite get the hang of breathing and decided to head back to the boat for some more jump offs.

Back onboard, it was time for our free beer as we dried off. Another hour passed and the island of Koh Rong Samloem came into view. It was like something from a movie. As we stood on the bow of the boat, the beach and tropical island grew closer and closer. It looked like happiness and we were eager to get even closer. The boat stopped a few hundred meters from the shore line and a smaller boat came to pick us up. That smaller boat then stopped 50 meters from the beach, and this time we were going by foot. With our bags held high above our heads, we jumped overboard and into the thigh deep, see-through blue water. We waded closer and closer to the beach. It felt like we had been shipwrecked and were now deserted.

Arriving on the beach.

Our dorm room had the greatest views. With one side of the wooden building fully open, we had uninterrupted full panoramic view of the beach and ocean. We were already excited about jumping into bed, but first, beach time! With Bob Marley playing in the bar, we soaked up the sun and relaxed into our new stress-free environment. With the bluest of waters gently crashing against the white sand, it was hard to imagine anywhere more peaceful and beautiful. I have never seen beaches like this before. I thought it was the type of place reserved for films, our overly photoshopped photos…how wrong I was.

The beach hotel

We played pool, sat in wicker chairs and got busy doing nothing. One evening, we crossed through the jungle and onto the west side of the island for a beautiful sun set. We watched the sun slowly sink down the horizon and felt totally captured by the whole place. That night we settled down in our bed and slept like babies. It was 4am when we were awoken by a crack of lightning. As we sat up in our bed, we watched a thunder storm erupt over the sea. Bellowing thunder accompanied by huge flashes of light danced over the calm ocean. It was a strange feeling that we were so safe and dry in our bed, yet we felt like we were caught in the middle of the storm. The rain didn’t last long and less than an hour later, it had passed leaving the skies to turn red as we watched the sun rise.

Sunrise from our bed.

Our days here on Koh Rong Samloem have provided memories of paradise that we’ll never forget. With all the difficulties of travelling around new countries on a tight budget, this place helped us to forget all those worries and reminded us of all the beauty we had seen along the way. Back on the main land, we returned to the tour agency to pick up our bags. Whilst there, we met another couple who had done a similar trip to us and were also collecting their belongings. Unfortunately, a bus travelling to Phnom Penh had accidentally taken their bags thinking they belonged to passengers on the bus. We were so lucky that they hadn’t taken ours. In fact, we were beginning to realise just how lucky we had been at this place. On arrival in Sihanoukville, we tried to stay at a guesthouse that was highly recommended by various travel guides. However, when we got there, it was fully booked. When we returned to Sihanoukville from the island, we actually found out that the guesthouse where we wanted to stay had devastatingly burnt down. No one was hurt, but a lot of luggage had gone up in the blaze. Again, we were very lucky…always a good thing to be when travelling.

On our last night in Sihanoukville, we met up with Jo and Tom for the final time. After here, we would be traveling in different directions and so decided to have some drinks down on the beach. It was an amazing evening, fueled by cheap beer. Meeting local people is always great and you learn so much of country by doing so. But it’s also fantastic to meet lovely, like-minded travellers. Exchanging stories and information is so much fun, especially if you’re travelling alone or as a couple. So, once again, it was time to say goodbye to Jo and Tom. For us, we would be travelling down the coast, eastwards and to Kampot. Here we would get covered in dust, eat incredible sea food and say goodbye to Cambodia…until next time.

Phnom Penh: A Dark History

There were 3 bus options available to us for traveling to Cambodia’s capital from sleepy Kratie: 7$, 8$ and 9$. We went for the 7$ option. This meant that in the mini bus, the rows of seats that usually took 3 people, would actually be taken by 4. It was a bit of a squeeze, but our new friends: Jo and Tom shared the row with us. The journey was relatively painless, with only a few legs falling asleep as the were propped up on the seats in front. As we crawled into Phnom Penh, it became instantly apparent just how quiet Kratie was in comparison. Traffic was already pilling up, skyscrapers lined the river edge and it wasn’t difficult to spot tourists walking down the streets. We felt like very little fish in a daunting and noisy new world.

As we jumped off the bus, the heat quickly inveloped us. We dodged what felt like a hundred taxi/rickshaw drivers and headed south in search of cheap accommodation. Tom and I took the lead (I was secretly just following him!) and the girls had a good chin wag a few meters behind. We had an idea of our destination, but didn’t really know if there would be any suitable hotels/guesthouses there. We walked for quite a long time. At one point, I’m sure someone attached a couple of rocks to my bag and my back was quickly giving way; time for a break. Finding a little cafe, our bags literally fell off our backs and we slumped into the fine plastic chairs provided. A cold jug of beer was quickly ordered and all of a sudden, our problems seemed to dissipate as we gulped down Phnom Penh’s finest nectar. Soon enough, Tom and I were called up by the girls to go find a place to stay. Relieved from our bags, searching the nearby streets was almost effortless in comparison with our earlier walk. It took no more than 10 minutes to find a nice guesthouse. Although it was a little out of our budget at 8$ a night, we felt that it was close enough to Phnom Penh’s main attractions (saving travel costs) and we excepted it with open arms.

Phnom Penh’s most famous tourist attractions include the killing fields, just south of the city and S21 – the school turned security prison ran by the Khmer Rouge and the site of over 20,000 killings between 1975 – 1979.

The 4 of us walked to S21, locally known as Tuol Sleng genocide museum. It was clear to see how this place was once a school. Simple buildings, full of classrooms, playgrounds with climbing frames; it was once a place of learning, happiness, you could almost still hear the children playing. But the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot soon changed this innocent place. The buildings were enclosed with electrified barbed wire, classrooms turned to interrogation and torture rooms and the windows were fitted with bars to prevent escape. The whole place was kept, exactly as it was found back in the late 70’s. The steel framed beds remained with the chains and torture equipment. Blood stains still visible on the cold concrete floors. Rudimentary prison cells still intact for new generations to view and learn from the horrors of the past.

Classroom turned torture room.

Chalk-boards still in place.

Walking through a nightmare.

As the prisoners were captured and brought to S21, each individual was photographed. These mug shots are now on show and line the ground floor rooms. So many innocent faces, including women and young children. As you move through the rooms, the photographs of the captured turn even darker. As proof death, the Khmer Rouge soldiers would use photos of the dead prisoners as proof that they performed their duties for their superiors to see. Brutal photographs showing twisted, burnt and abused bodies line the walls. It was truly gut-wrenching to look at. Innocent babies were killed and photographed, simple farm workers, men and women alike were tortured using rudimentary tools and shown no mercy. So many images, so many faces and so many fearing and tearful eyes. A place, submerged in blood soaked history and a visit we shall never forget, nor forgive.

Barbed-wire holding the innocent in.

Once a school…

From here, we flagged down a tuk tuk and headed straight for the infamous killing fields. An area where both dead and alive Cambodian bodies were brought. Here, the mass graves of thousands are still visible. Walking around the eerie site, it’s not hard to imagine the brutality and suffering that once happened here. It is said that 14000 Cambodians are buried at this site, but no one really knows the exact amount. One poignant place here is the tree in which young children and babies were killed through bashing their bodies against its trunk. It is now used for remembrance of the lost lives and covered in red wrist bands. Although an important insight into the gruesome history that once encaptured this land, it was an incredibly hard and a very emotional day for us.

Mass graves.

Remembering those that had no chance.

The following day, Malene and I had our work cut out. We started off at the Vietnamese Embassy and arranged our visas. This was all very exciting. We were taking the first steps towards visiting what was probably my most highly anticipated country. After all the horror stories of fake visas issued by hotels, it was nice to be reassured that we wouldn’t be turned away at the border. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Vietnam was still a couple of weeks away, and we were loving Cambodia!

Second item on our shopping list for the day was our return flight ticket. We hunted down the Qatar Airways office (hidden pretty well) and began the long and laborious task of changing not only our outbound dates, but the outbound airport as well. It took hours. At one point, it looked like we were hitting an unbeatable brick wall. But our persistence paid off and finally we had our new ticket in our hands. The date was set. The airport now changed to Hanoi, Vietnam. All that remained was for it to sink in. Time to grab Jo and Tom and order a tower of beer. I mean, literally a tower. 3 liters of chilled Angkor beer for 17000 Riels or about £2.80…it was a great night with two amazing friends. Thanks for all the good times guys and even more so, all the fantastic information on Vietnam. I’m sure we’ll meet again soon.

And for you Phnom Penh, what an emotional ride you gave us. We will remember your history and feel for all the families that have lost during your horrific ordeal. A country that lost 4 million people out of a population of just 7 million is a number hard to comprehend. A history never to be forgotten.