Goodbye my lover!

21/01/16

Koh Ta Kiev (Cambodia) to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon - Vietnam)

Our last day on 'The Island' and we're all quite excited to leave.

The storm last night leaked through elements of our open air living very wet. It has also made the whole area of jungle very humid (I
thought it might clear the air much to my disappointment). This has lead to our tree house being awash with things that want to bite you! 7 bites in an hour Ahh!

We awake early and meet Pakora and Tal for breakfast.... We arranged to meet at 8.30 and if their alarm clock didn't go off I was to go down to theirs at 8.45. They didn't show so started to jog down long beach when they arrived with their rucksacks which co incidentally match ours exactly!

We have breakfast and wave goodbye to the island as we head for mainland in the boat going for its daily market shop!

We are all very excited to have running water, toilets, electricity and most importantly WIFI again!!

The trip only takes around 40 minutes and the departing view is super stunning with the dense jungle and bright blue sea a pleasing combination (who said blue and a green should never be seen?!)

The boat team is all under the age of 20 and they do well with the whole operation (smoother than last nights drama).

We say our goodbyes to Thirsty Pakora and Tal and obviously round this off with #CWTOBD #MayDay

Now for the hard part. We have to get to Vietnam. We're not sure about Visas and we're not Sure about where we can cross the border... So we do the obvious thing and book a bus... With no idea GOD STILL LOVES A GAMBLER!

This is the moment where during the drunk conversation with Karvey I should have paid more attention and not been so easily swayed (someone was Downing a pint or something)
Something about a border crossing... Then something more fun happened and I forgot to pay attention to what she was saying.... And the last thing I remember is something about 'good luck when you're walking through no mans land and you think I should've listened to Karvey'

Fuck.... We should've listened to Karvey. I'm racking my brains, I remember exactly where we're both sat in the clubhouse.... But I can't remember what she said!!! Damn it.

So we head for the border and hope for the best.

As we're driving we reflect on Cambodia as a country and we are really so impressed with the resilience of the people. Only 40 years ago the world allowed over 2 million people to be slaughtered by their own government. One quarter of the population. Today, it was amazing to look at anyone over 45 years old, and to think of the horrors they have witnessed and which will probably still haunt them. PTSD must be massive and probably undiagnosed with very little help for people. On the upside, their religion (95% Buddhist) seems to have survived here, although perhaps not as obviously as in other countries we have been to. They have had a massive baby boom, where 70% of the country are under 40. This means there are young people creating businesses everywhere and opportunities for themselves. Construction here seems to be moving at a phnom phenianal rate! (Pleased with this one). The Chinese are investing it's got hope. I just really wish that this newly re-booted economy will keep its eyes aware and learn from the mistakes of other countries in terms of de-fore station, protection of sea beds (dredging operations already in place with 200m nets) save their Irrawaddy Dolphins and more. If they play their Exotourism right.... Surely they can do well using their unique assets as opposed to becoming another Thailand!

We ❤️ Cambodia!Read more