The final leg: HCMC and Hong Kong

We flew back from the cool of Da Lat into the swelter of HCMC for a couple of days. Having been here with the kids in 2012 we had already been to a number of the main sites of interest but we did this time go to the Reunification Palace, a rather ugly piece of 1960's architecture but of great historical significance as it was where on 30th April 1975 the North Vietnamese army tanks crashed through the gates into the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam resulting in the end of the Vietnam War.

The Reunification Palace

From HCMC we then flew to Hong Kong, again somewhere we had been before but this time 25 years ago on our first holiday together, when it was still a British Colony. Hong Kong is incredibly buzzy and full of contrasts, and so different from everywhere else on this trip. Loads of things to see an do.

December is supposed to be the best month to visit but on the day we arrived there was non stop torrential rain but that did not stop us and thousands of others from going to Happy Valley to watch the horse racing. Carolyn even made a few dollars!

In fact we had only one sunny day out of four and we made the most of it taking the Star ferry to Hong Kong Island and going up to Victoria Peak, did a lovely circular walk with views over the harbour and the islands in all directions and then returned by the famous Peak Tram (in operation since 1888).

Christmas light show

We also spent a fascinating morning exploring the flower, bird, goldfish and pet markets in Kowloon.

A dog is for life.....

And yes, we did some shopping, and although interest in the glitzy designer malls soon palled, the Christmas light shows and decorations and people watching were fun. And then there was the dim sum!

A 'special cat' the lady walker said, maybe an oricat?

Just one more!

And finally, after a walk around Hong Kong park admiring the modern architecture, watching newly married couples and new graduates posing for photographs and visiting the 'Museum of Tea Ware', the evening came to fly home.....

Koalas hugging a tree?

And back to Vietnam: Phu Quoc and Da Lat

So on to the next desert island, that of Phu Quoc off the coast of Cambodia but currently a Vietnamese possession. It was a stunning place but for the wrong reasons as it is one gigantic building site around Long Beach, the main tourist area and then again to the north of the island where massive Disneyland style developments are going up.

We explored most of the place by motorbike and the contrasts were fascinating. We also ate loads of fish and seafood and swam to our hearts content. And we went night squid fishing!

Yes, you guessed who caught one!

However, we also became a little worn down with the constant vigilance to apply sunscreen and insect repellent. We both had sunburn to our faces after one afternoon on the bike. So we developed a cunning plan to travel to a hill station, the traditional way of escaping the heat, the small town of Da Lat, approx 300 kilometres north of Saigon.

A short flight and a long car drive later, we arrived and experienced the strange sensation of socks and long trousers again. Once again, we had a bike and explored the royal palaces and Art Deco and French built architecture. The Crazy House, which also functions as a guesthouse with very original themed rooms was bizarre and reminiscent of Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree! The owner is the daughter of the former president, hence the lack of need for planning permission. Our Air B& B host, an Aussie was also good fun.

Ling Bao Dai's summer palace

Hang Na's crazy house

More crazy house

Da Lat is actually quite affluent and surrounded by some beautiful green countryside quite unlike anything else we have seen on this trip, including pine forests, which, bizarrely, we travelled through on a cable car, on the way to a local pagoda and waterfalls.It is also a centre of coffee growing.

Monks at Truc Lam pagoda

 There was also a roller coaster, and with typical local disregard for health and safety ( and therefore fun, Nic says ) you controlled the speed of, or not as you wished with the ability to ram the next car if you wished.

One of us was terrified....

Oldest station in Vietnam: 1938

Kampot and Kep

Our next stop was in Kampot, an attractive riverside town with a slightly bohemian feel. Definitely one of our favourite places to date.

Travelling kitchen shop!

Whilst in Kampot we did a very enjoyable open air yoga class on a platform overlooking the river and also spent a fascinating day in the remote ( and off the grid ) countryside with an English ex teacher and her Cambodian husband who run cookery classes and are living quite a self sufficient life growing their own vegetables and herbs and keeping chickens. We also went for a walk with them to their neighbours who happened to be catching crabs in the paddy fields, so the freshwater crabs got cooked and eaten too!

Nic also had his first experience of paddle boarding and enjoyed a magical sunset.

Catching jellyfish, apparently for the Chinese market ..

We then took the 'Crab shuttle' boat to Kep, a town famed for the crustaceans, from the sea this time! They were hard work to eat but we were very motivated!

We also enjoyed a great walk in the national park and were up early enough to see a red squirrel, almost purplish in the tail, a species which has it's own local society. But it didn't hang around for a photo! Nic even got out on a short bike ride.

To the beach!

Another Giant Ibis bus to what is essentially a area of beach resorts in South East Cambodia. 

We hired a scooter in Sihanoukville ('Snook') and explored, swimbos on board. Eating great seafood in local restaurants gave us access to the best beaches outside of the town although just a short stroll down from the beach and you were back to simple fishing villages and a very different way of life.

Love the bike helmet!

Haggling whilst trying to maintain white skin!

As to the town, the beach areas are split up into the locals' and westerners' beaches, some of it fairly tacky with shady characters trying to sell drugs, though we did get to see some live music.

We also had our first direct experience of the endemic corruption here: we were aware of the local police scam of pulling over foreigners on scooters and dreaming up offences to fine them for, sometimes for serious sums. We were duly pulled over by a sunglassed thug with loads of gold braid. Nic kept smiling (through gritted teeth) and we got away with $2. By coincidence, this was what a policeman in Siem Reap had offered to sell one of his badges for as souvenir.

There are also many casinos in Snook for the Chinese who fly in specifically for them; we entered one and it was like a different planet. Away from the beach there was also a great fish market.

Idyllic but......

Kayaking through the mangroves

We then moved on to Koh Rong, an island 2 hours by ferry from mainland Cambodia and renowned for its pristine beaches and also for the location of many of the "Survivor" reality shows around the world. Our resort originally started life as a base camp for the production crews and shares the long sandy beach with a fishing village and nothing else. The white sand is so fine it squeaks when you walk on it.  Apart from the obvious sun lounging, archery, kayaking (which led to the demise of Nic's iPhone this time!) and some excellent snorkelling were our main activities. Our stay was only spoilt when on a sunset stroll down the beach, Carolyn was dinner for the local sandfly population and the following days the very unpleasant bites emerged...we will spare you any photos!

Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

At last, a proper bus, the wonderful "Giant Ibis" line that we had read about in the guides. Even had wi-fi!
So, a painless journey to the capital and our hotel, the converted former USA embassy, an attractive colonial style building.

The city is known for its French influenced bakeries (and hence our best breakfasts on the trip to date) and has some relatively affluent little boutiques. 

The Throne Hall

Four faced tower

Tiny section of 642m Ramayana mural in courtyard

We did the city sights, i.e. the Royal Palace and Museum which were not terribly exciting (frustratingly quite a lot was shut for 'renovation'), then there was nothing for it but the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields (Choeung Ek).
Apart from the obvious horribleness of the history what stuck in our mind was the extent to which foreign powers had facilitated the whole mess and that the UK and USA had actually continued to recognise the Pol Pot regime after it had been toppled by the Vietnamese. It is hard to conceive that about 20% of the total Cambodian population died under the Khmer Rouge as recently as the 1970's. 

There is an excellent and evocative audio guide at the Killing Fields and it is interesting that the UK is the country with the highest number of visitors notwithstanding that we are definitely a minority in terms of the nationalities that we see in Cambodia in general.

The gallows at B block at S21 museum, a former high school

Across the border into Cambodia and Siem Reap

Entrance to Angkor Thom: the demon is on the right!

Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom:Terrace of the elephants

After being sad enough to being excited at the prospect of a 'proper' bus we were left stranded just across the Cambodian border in a very basic "cafe" (on asking for the loo we were pointed into the jungle) for 2 hours and then eventually the most overcrowded  minibus yet arrived.

We eventually arrived in Siem Reap 4 hours late, tired and  hungry into  the surreally luxurious lobby of our hotel and the now traditional blessedly chilled flannel!

Angkor Wat

There followed four hectic days of tours and sightseeing along with Robert and Liz who joined us for this section of the trip. The sights, especially Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom were extensive and as memorable as we we hoped but the highlight at 6am was "Angelina's" temple, ie. Ta Prohm, from the original tomb raider film, really tremendously atmospheric. 

Yes, a carved face peeking through!

Cycling and walking tours got us out into the countryside and hills, and we also went on a boat trip from one of the 'floating villages' to Tonle lake.

Kompong Khleang

As you would expect with Robert and Liz we also got out for some good meals and even some drinkable wine. Had some real laughs too, Robert in the "pedicure" fish tank and Liz in the swimming hole by a waterfall having her toes nibbled by the wild version of the fish were highlights! We also had a fun evening in the Big Top watching a great modern dance and gymnastic display from Phare, a Cambodian circus troop set up for kids from particularly poor backgrounds. It was very nerve racking as the performers were very close and very sweaty!