Kep

Saturday 25th

We left Phnom Penh at 9:30am for our 3 hour trip to Kep on Cambodia's South Coast, very close to the Vietnam border. Cambodia's roads have one of the worst reputations in South East Asia but it wasn't too bad on the way to Kep. I would say it was better than Vietnam simply because there wasn't so many people on the road and so many villages/towns along the way. The bus was 50/50 Cambodians and foreigners, with several locals getting off at stops along the way.

We got off in the centre of town and got a tuk-tuk to take us to our hotel of choice - it was only available for tonight, booked out thereafter. So we went to a some places up the road. One was the same situation, another was absolutely terrible (fit for a dog) and others too pricy. We decided to check out the place that our driver recommended, we tend not to listen to them because they get commissions to do so. It was suitable, only $10 with a fan but no hot water and no tv. Alot of places didn't have it so we had to settle.

Small town, buddhist country = nothing for Christmas.

Sunday 26th


Had a very lazy day today. Went for a walk for lunch and did alot of reading, which was good because i haven't done any and now i've got right into it - The Silmarillion (again, very difficult and confusing book the first time). We had dinner at the crab market restaurants again at sunset, took some great photos. The water looked like liquid silver (think Stargate portal/event horizon). We had Kampot pepper crab, fried squid and grilled fish. The other thing about Kep is that you can see the stars so clearly at night.


Monday 27th


Hired a bike today and went all around Kep.We went down to the market, which was so small, not worth it at all. We went to a Wat up in the mountains, it was very hard going up steep dirt roads on a 110cc bike with Kay and I on board, i had to go into first at one stage.

We then went to a small village off the main road where i helped a man get the rice out of the rice plant, ten locals came to watch (and laugh). Next stop on the other side of Kep was a Cham village. The Cham are a minority in Cambodia, you can tell because they're Muslims. Saw a far few (of the women) around Kep.