Wednesday 10th March, Koh Rong island

Another hop and splash (bus and boat) to Koh Rong Island, because life at the water's edge is good for body and soul, and scuba diving is like being suspended in heaven!

What an island of contrasts. So much new development to accommodate the flourishing foreigner-hosting business (the new infrastructures funded apparently all by chinese money), but drive a few metres beyond the fancy-clean-modern-designer-expensive resort and the road becomes sand-mud ridges, with collapsed buildings sheltering heaps of tourist-plastic rubbish. And food remains, rags, abandoned whatevers. We are staying in a middling sort of guesthouse, off the edge of the village of Soksan - a long way from the famed party town of Kaoh Touch. That's where the diving school is based, so 20 minutes scooter ride gets us to the sweltering, chaotic, find-food-and-fun town centre. The turkish-run diving outfit is excellent. I was feeling nervous to dive again - it's life-threatening after all! - but Cezgim made it easypeasy, and I was right back at home, at the bottom of the seabed.

Smiles are easy here, but I wonder what the future holds for the children of the new generation, and how many will come to regret so readily turning their lives and homes over to what the rest of the world calls 'improvement'and 'development'.


We've seen it everywhere, but I'm noticing more than ever how mobile phones dominate people of every age, all day every day, including 2 and 3 year olds. This gives me quite a pang. And I'm the same, right? Here I am, eating lunch on my own, surrounded by glory, and instead of looking up and seeing/hearing/smelling/an' all I'm writing this blog, waggling my fingers about and totally absorbed in my head's. Interaction with a little screen. Please leave me alone; don't look at me, don't smile or talk!

I'm also feeling the "there's no place like home" adage, and glad at the prospect of our return in just over a week. Just over a week! But Singapore beckons, with a visit to that 5th cousin (or thereabouts) and some the locations associated with my family story. I've even booked Afternoon Tea at the Raffles hotel on my birthday as one last treat. Exactly there, that is, where 150 years ago my great great grandfather had a boarding house. The adventures continue!Read more