Odyssey Overland - Istanbul to Darwin 2013: Beaches, ruins and harrowing history

Leaving Vietnam was another interesting border crossing where my British sensibilities are put to the test again with the lack of queuing and people pushing in with passports stuffed with money and then thrown towards the one immigration official on duty. If everyone had just queued we would have all got through a lot quicker, I believe, but anyway, we got through eventually and the Cambodia side was a breeze!

Our first destination is Phnom Penh, where we are all aware of the political protests that are occurring in the city. Undeterred by what could be inflated media attention and reporting we head to the city regardless. The only inconvenience was the closed road that meant we had to walk the last couple hundred metres to our hotel and the delivery of ice had been delayed making cocktail happy hour void. There was a sense of unrest in the area, made quite obvious by the teems of riot police that were outside the Foreign Correspondents club on the first night, but we saw no protests or violence during our time there.

Very civilised - on the balcony of the FCC, Spike, Phil, Teresa, Jo, Simon & Andy

Julie perched precariously on the balcony!

Most commonly known as the Killing Fields, Cheung Ek Genocidal Centre was the first of our group tour activities. We had warned the group that it was going to be a hard day but like museums we have seen previously there is never anything to prepare you for the experience you get. A totally immersive experience you walk around the site wearing headphones and listening to a survivor from the fields talk about his experiences and describing in grisly detail the horrific travesties that occurred here only 30 odd years ago under the Khmer Rouge regime.

The next tour is of Tuol Sleng Museum, otherwise known as S-21, an old school commandeered by the Khmer Rouge and used as a prison to torture thousands of innocent people into false confessions of working for the CIA.

Our guide around the site was a local lady who was 13 at the time of the Khmer Rouge regime, it was heartbreaking to listen to her account of her childhood and how she had to leave her home and work in the rice fields. She also explained what happened in the old school rooms, some converted into 2m x 1m cells in large rooms where prisoners would be shackled to long bars in rows. The photos taken of every person that passed through the prison were the most haunting. Mug shots taken by the Khmer Rouge staring out from the display boards, some looking scared some shell shocked and some defiant.

A drink in the Foreign Correspondents Club was the next destination for some of the group. A much needed cold beverage to sip while we discussed what we had seen and heard earlier in the day, we also wanted to get there before the riot police ruined the ambiance.

Riot police outside the FCC

On to the Golden Banana in Siem Reap. A lovely hotel with a swimming pool, although we didn’t think we would have time to use it as we had so much planned to do there.

Al & Fi

Dav & Al

Cambodian house with a ramp for sacks of rice

Cooking course - Jim, Kelly & Mary

This little piggy went to market

You can transport anything on a motorbike if you know how!

First things first was a sunrise trip out to Angkor Wat. We left our cosy beds at 4:30 AM and didn’t leave the temple complex till almost 1pm. Unfortunately the sunrise was disappointing with the sky clouded over, but it was still a spectacular sight to have this stunning temple slowly revealed to you in the blue hazy light of dawn. Our convoy of tuk tuks took us around many temple complexes including Angkor Thom and the Bayon Temple, the Elephant Terrace and Ta Prohm, famous for Angelina Jolie running around it in the Tomb Raider movie. The downpour of rain didn’t stop the snapping of photos whilst here as the ancient stone temples being wrapped and slowly overtaken by the roots of trees is magnificent.

Angkor Wat at dawn

The group

Andy

Al, Andy & Jo

Bayon Temple stone sculpture and Bruce

Carvings on the walls

Dav photobombing Jo

Fi & Al

Hayden & Kelly

Headless Buddhas - courtesy of treasure hunters

James taking in the view

James & Lou

James & Mahala enjoying the view

Julie

Mahala & Anna

Mary, Anna & Kelly

One of the incredible sculptures at Angkor Wat

Our tuk tuk convoy at Angkor Wat

Pernille, Yvonne, Lou, Fi, Julie & Becs channelling their inner Lara Croft

Phill, Dav & Mahala

Restoration work

Spike? Or Indie?

The Tomb Raider temple

View from the top of the steep steps leading to Angkor Wat

Once we finished our tour some people went on to the markets for food, other back to the hotel for a rest and some to a nearby land mine museum that was set up by a local man. As a boy of 13 he fought for the Khmer Rouge and placed land mines. By the age of 14 he defected to the Vietnamese army and once the country had stabilized he felt the need to make his country safe and free of unexploded ordnance, whether it was bombs dropped by the Americans during the Vietnam conflict or mines that he could have placed himself. Proceeds from the Museum help support children who have been orphaned and injured buy mines.

Our time in Vietnam and Cambodia was both exhausting and heartbreaking, but they have the favourite countries for many people in the group. The people in both countries have been incredibly friendly and so welcoming it is hard to believe they are still recovering from the devastating effects war have had on their spirits and countryside.

From Siem Reap, Cambodia we returned to Bangkok, Thailand. A great opportunity for the group to fit in the sight seeing they didn’t have time to do last time we were here and also post more brimming parcels home. The floating markets were on a lot of to do lists as well as the Calypso Lady Boy show!

Andy & Spike enjoying the floating market tour

Anyone want to buy a snake?

A huge variety of things available

The floating markets

Becs & Jo

Dav, Becs & Jo

Kelly, Dav, Andy, Spike, Mary & Hayden

Awkward... the group attend a lady boy show in Bangkok

The Calypso lady boys - Bruce, Hayden, Jim, Spike, Al & Dav - is that you?

On stage for the finale

We also say good bye to Kelly and Hayden as they head of to search Sumatra for Orangutans – Good Luck guys!

And now we head to Beach Week, for some, the most anticipated week of the trip so far. Which island you stay on is up to you; Ko Phangan or Ko Samui or Ko Tao, they are all fabulous islands ideal for getting your PADI certificate, sunbathing, shopping, eating at local markets, drinking happy hour cocktails, kayaking, scuba diving, hiking or simply chilling. You can do as much or as little as you want, just don’t miss the boat!