Apr 2009

Much has happened since the last blog post, so 'ill keep it punchy to get this all across!

We took a 3day trip to Siem Reap so we could see the temples of Angkor Wat and got convinced by our hostel to wake up at 5am to see the sun rise. A risky move as it just got light, saw no sun as the cloudcover was too much!! Spent 5-4 looking around the temples which was physically exhausting but well worth it.

We saw ten locals trying to shift some stones to the top of a temple and really struggling. How they did it many centries ago we will never know!! Also some kid was trying to sell us 10 flutes for one dollar after much haggling, but we invetiably had to reject this incredible offer.

Climbing to the top of a massive hill THEN preceding to climb a monsterous temple was by far our personal highlight. We were the highest point for miles and Phil conquered his vertigo fears (was whining and shaking on the way down).

After a long bus journey today and Viatnemese border control we are now in Ho Chi Minh city. Hussle and bussle and the drivers are pretty mental. We even managed to fall victims to extreme extortion after a taxi man drove us round the block 3 times then charged us 15 dollars! As cultured travellers now we will not fall into the same mistake.

Tomorrow is a public holiday so we are going to chill out maybe see what the National Museum has to offer.

Here a few pics to prove we are doing all the things weve said. Much love to you all nick phil & coops xxx

angkor wat

big tree

gormless

sunset at our cambo hostel after massive storm

the view from the top of the temple on the hill

Hello everyone!!
A lot has happened in our first few days, as I write this there is a wild, mangey dog licking my calf. Nice!
We lived the high life, arriving in Bangkok and going straight to our 4 star hotel for the night. Amongst ham and cheese croissants, ordering room service and swimming in the massive pool we tried hard not to get used to the lifestyle!

We left Bangkok early next morning to get a sketchy plane ride to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The pilot didn't appear to know when to put the landing wheels down as they whirring up and down like nobodys business! Upon safe arrival phil nearly pooed his pants for not having a visa photo but hussled a small fee.

Taxi to the hostel was ludicrous, as a 15 minute journey turned into a 3 hour one due to the torrential downpour previous to our arrival. THe traffic was entirely gridlocked so after abandoning the taxi we went solo and navigated our way through knee high road-width puddles whilst all the Cambodians were laughing at us. Character building!!

Being stubborn and British we braved another trip to the Mekong River, walking through local markets in the intense 37c heat. Coops had a rubbish HOT jasmine tea to quench his thirst. What a muppet, oh and hes scared of falling off hammocks. We walked round the Royal Palace and saw about a hundred silver Buddhas and chilled in the shade.

The torrential downpour today is incredible and the thunder is monsterous. We were going to go to the genocide killing fields but we are now stranded in our muggy hostel. There's worse places in the world to be stranded though, its pretty cool.

We're going to try and get our Vietnam visas tomorrow morning before heading to Siam Reap while they are processed, all looking forward to seeing Angkor Wat (WWWWAATTT!)

Love, hugs (not gay) and caring

Nick, Coops and Phil x

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We are leaving as fresh faced, disco-loving adolescents, but hope on returning as wise and weathered as the bush legend himself... Ray Mears.

"Bushcraft is what you carry in your mind and your muscles." Ray Mears, 2001