Dragged ourselves away from fabulous Chau Doc and boarded the boat that would take us up the Mekong - a five hour journey, including border crossing, into Cambodia and on to Phnom Penh.
The scenery along the way was amazing. We passed entire villages literally floating on the Mekong, saw people bathing in the Mekong, saw people bathing their cows in the Mekong!
Not long into our journey we docked at the Vietnamese passport control wharf and were told to alight while visas and passports were checked. We then reloaded and after a couple of minutes, pulled up at the Cambodian passport control wharf where we once again were instructed to alight for checking. The photos below say it all! Such different worlds yet only meters apart. Never before have we experienced anything like this - something we'll never forget!
Arrived in Phnom Penh just after lunch and it was love at first sight - such beautiful people and a real vibe about the place. Enjoyed the central market and paid a visit to the Foreign Correspondents' Club (the done thing). We learned that you don't have to wander too far from the main drag to see the real Phnom Penh. This is one amazing place.
Made a real connection with a Tuk-Tuk driver (Nin) who took us on a bit of a tour of the city by night - wow...
Arranged for Nin to meet us first thing next day to help us see some sights.
Spent the next day exploring the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, then on to The Killing Fields (a little way outside of town - like Auschwitz, a place that makes you shake your head in dismay) and to Tuol Sleng (S-21) Prison (from where people were taken to The Killing Fields). A massive, sad day. How any human being could treat another human being like that is beyond belief. And yet they are so gentle and happy...
Enjoyed a final evening in Phnom Penh. Don't want to leave. This is a fabulous city!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Can Tho to Chau Doc
While in Can Tho we managed to negotiate with a local for a car and boat combo to take us to the floating markets about 20km outside of Can Tho and then on to our next destination - Chau Doc.
True to their word, our driver met us at 7.00 at our hotel and took us to a small village where we met our boat driver. We boarded our boat (which looked like it had seen better days!) and headed up the Mekong. Before too long we were at the absolutely brilliant floating markets. We had specifically asked not to go to the market where all the tourists go and we weren't disappointed - this was a market for local people going about their daily lives. At one point, our driver bought a pineapple from a stall holder and then spent about 10 minutes peeling and beautifully preparing the fruit for us. All looked great until, half way through, he washed his knife in the Mekong! He had gone to so much trouble - what could we say...? Anyway - the pineapple was beautiful and we're still alive.
Eventually made it back to land and our car, which took us on our three hour journey, through amazing little villages, to Chau Doc - very close to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Spent the afternoon exploring the town - particularly enjoying the markets. Our hotel is right on the river and a beautiful place from which to observe Mekong Delta life.
Tomorrow we jump on a boat up the Mekong and across the border into Cambodia. Next stop - Phnom Penh.
True to their word, our driver met us at 7.00 at our hotel and took us to a small village where we met our boat driver. We boarded our boat (which looked like it had seen better days!) and headed up the Mekong. Before too long we were at the absolutely brilliant floating markets. We had specifically asked not to go to the market where all the tourists go and we weren't disappointed - this was a market for local people going about their daily lives. At one point, our driver bought a pineapple from a stall holder and then spent about 10 minutes peeling and beautifully preparing the fruit for us. All looked great until, half way through, he washed his knife in the Mekong! He had gone to so much trouble - what could we say...? Anyway - the pineapple was beautiful and we're still alive.
Eventually made it back to land and our car, which took us on our three hour journey, through amazing little villages, to Chau Doc - very close to the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Spent the afternoon exploring the town - particularly enjoying the markets. Our hotel is right on the river and a beautiful place from which to observe Mekong Delta life.
Tomorrow we jump on a boat up the Mekong and across the border into Cambodia. Next stop - Phnom Penh.
Saigon to Can Tho
After a brief stop in Saigon we made our way to the Mekong Delta. Managed to negotiate the plethora of buses leaving the city from the bustling bus stop and boarded the local bus to Can Tho. We really enjoyed the fantastic sights along the way - rice paddies, water buffalo, crazy little villages.
We had looked at the town of Can Tho on google maps while still in Saigon and had a really good idea of where the bus station was in relation to our hotel. Not far at all. It was, therefore, quite a surprise when our bus stopped in the middle of nowhere and the conductor told us 'Can Tho - you get off here'. 'Hmmm... It didn't look like this on the map,' we said to each other as we alighted and grabbed our packs from under the bus. We needn't have worried, though, because in typical Vietnamese style everything was organized and a courtesy van soon turned up to take us the last few kilometers into town and straight to our door.
Enjoyed spending the afternoon exploring Can Tho - a lovely town right on the Mekong. Had a beautiful meal at a restaurant by the river. Love this food! Love this country.
We had looked at the town of Can Tho on google maps while still in Saigon and had a really good idea of where the bus station was in relation to our hotel. Not far at all. It was, therefore, quite a surprise when our bus stopped in the middle of nowhere and the conductor told us 'Can Tho - you get off here'. 'Hmmm... It didn't look like this on the map,' we said to each other as we alighted and grabbed our packs from under the bus. We needn't have worried, though, because in typical Vietnamese style everything was organized and a courtesy van soon turned up to take us the last few kilometers into town and straight to our door.
Enjoyed spending the afternoon exploring Can Tho - a lovely town right on the Mekong. Had a beautiful meal at a restaurant by the river. Love this food! Love this country.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
On our way - Just!
The sign may have read 'flight closed' as we boarded... Poor Phil!
Anyway - here we are in sunny, hot Darwin. Had lunch with our friend Pete at the Trailer Boat Club and are now killing some time before heading to the international terminal. Next stop Saigon!
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