Cambodia

Leaving Singapore at around 6 am and arriving in Siem Reap just after 7 and being met at the airport by our driver and being taken back to our guesthouse in a tuk tuk was an experience and wonderful. Mom's guesthouse was an awesome place to stay (highly recommend it), it was close to town, near the river within walking distance to anything you needed. We were lucky and had a drive on hand for the while time we were there. The cost for him was US$60. He took us anywhere we wanted to go with our grumbling, explained a lot of things to us.

First stop was a floating village...hard to believe these people live on these boats and only go onto land for serious shopping. the have boats that visit them that are like our Four Square back home...they sell anything and everything.

The next morning we went to Angkor Wat...I was not prepared for how huge they actually were and how impressive. We had done some reading about them but this didn't prepare me! The other thing I was not prepared for was the heat...Singapore is hot...but this was in the high 30's. We went to see the sunrise but there was too much cloud.

The floating shop.
young boy filleting fishing

Firewood for the cooking fires

on the boat on our way to the floating village.

looking down a long corridor
The many faces of Bayon

A great view of Angkor Wat

The only bit of sunrise we saw at Angkor Wat

We have so many photos of these lovely temples but can only put a few on here for you to see. We wandered around the temples for 3 full days and didn't get to see them all. After spending the days walking around the temples we were pleased to get into town and find a happy hour place to have a drink and quiet meal. Beer was US 50 cents a mug, and cocktails and spirits for under US $2.50. so we made the most of it!

From here we caught the bus to Phenom Pen which took 6 hours including a half for lunch. We decided to stay a bit more upmarket here and were pleased with this decision...the only thing wrong with this was that our river view was of road works being done outside our hotel... I guess you can't get it right all the time.

We visited the Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum and this was so sobering and thoughtful and upsetting that it was a relief to leave it. Although e knew what had gone on it hadn't really hit me as too how much affect it had on the country and people. I guess I have now grown up a bit more.

Eating our Amok Fish, that we had cooked.
Making the spices for Amok Fish - mine had no spices, and Wayne's had chili.

An amazing number of different eggs available at the market.

The supra at The Killing fields

This flower smelt so sweet...the sign says you will pay for your sin by picking a flower.

a weekend in ho chi min

We left Singapore at 7.15 am for a fun packed, full on weekend in Ho Chi Min in Vietnam. We arrived at 8.15 and headed for our hotel. Empress Hotel is in district 1 but not on the tourist path. It was only a short walk to the tourist things across a beautiful park but first we had to cross a couple of roads and that is scary. you have motorbikes coming at you and you just have to keep walking and walking without stopping. we were fascinated by how many bike there are on the roads and what they carry on their bikes. Push bikes were the same...many variations and many things added to make it a versatile bike for many purposes.

We walked to many places, saw many things and bought some bargains...well we think they are bargains. We finally managed to get out to Cu Chi tunnels and this was fascinating and incredible. The tunnels had very small entrances and my hips would not fit into the small hole. The people who lived and worked in these tunnels were very clever with what they created in the way of tunnels and traps. We did manage to go through a small tunnel area that had been enlarged for the 'western' people. Our guides father lived in the tunnels and had passed on to him many tales of what it was like. This did make the visit exciting and really worthwhile.

Another highlight was bargaining for some lacquer ware. It is a beautiful and we had decided before we went that we were going to buy some. you will have to visit us to see what we did buy,

We also went up to the 23rd floor of the Sheraton after walking around trying to find a building that was right in front of us! the view was absolutely breathtaking and we even got to see a sunset!

I am amazed at how people carry there wares, hanging on each end of the poles in baskets. some then set up on the roadside and peddle their wares,

Beautiful houses but spoilt by the power lines!

Wayne coming out of one of the tunnels! It was dark and hot!

The sunset overlooking The Rex Hotel from the Sheraton.

It was a squeeze to get through the tunnels.

Wayne at an entrance! I didn't try as my hips are wider than Wayne's.

At the entrance to the tunnel complex.

A banana bike! well he has got a bananas in the front trailer!

The Empress Hotel, a lovely boutique hotel in District 1 but not on the tourist walk. It was only a few minutes walk from all the spots we wanted to visit.

We had a lovely weekend in Bintan, a small island off Singapore but in Indonesia. we caught the ferry at 9.15 on Monday morning and arrived back onthe Wednesday at 12 midday, in time for work at 2 pm.
We stayed in Nirwana Gardens in small chalets and it was a very reasonable cost.
We went for a walk around the rocks and it was great to scramble up and over them. But we were disappointed with the rubbish we found among the rocks. The day was very hot and we were pleased to get back to the resort for a nice cold drink in the pool bar.
The view we had at breakfast time...amazing aye?
I am not sure how they do this but they seem to be able to have 3 different coloured bougainvillea flowers on one plant and not it does not appear to be grafted.
My favourite fruit over here is Dragon Fruit and this is the what it grows on.

Breakfast In Botanical Gardens

Staff were invited to meet and share a breakfast in the Botanical Gardens adn then enjoy a walka round the gardens. The gardens are beautiful and we saw some areas we had not seen before.
While walking past the lillies we found this from shading from the hot sun.



I was taking a photo of the lilly and Wayne was concentrating on the frog.

A bonsai area was incredible....such amazing plants.

And then this spider was waiting above us in another area. He was huge!


Wayne drinking Asahi beer at our local, Cable Car

Well, where do I start! seems such a long time since I have added to this blog.

Our trip to the UK was wonderful...we had such a great time and saw so much. We will need to go back again and again as we missed so much too.

The highlight was to spend some time with Trevor and Colette and to catch up briefly with Max, Marwin and family.

We arrived and were met by Trev at Heathrow and we never stopped till we got home in Singapore!

Trevor lives about 30 minutes by train from Waterloo...we got quite familiar with the train network in London but were amazed at how much rubbish was left on the trains. Something we are just not use to in Singapore.

We spent the first few days orientating ourselves in London and visiting as much as we could in these days. Leaving Trev's at about 9.30 to get the cheaper train fare in and arriving home after 9 pm. It was so good to feel some cold fresh air...we were extremely lucky in that we only had a little rain the whole time we were away. We had slight drizzle one morning on our rail trip and some in Dublin when we arrived and that was all.

We travelled into Wales, too brief, up to Edinburgh, so old and so wonderful, down to Brighton Pier, stunning! and then to Dover, again to brief, and back to London. Had a night there and off again to Ireland. Three nights in Dublin and then caught train down to Boyle to be met by Colette and taken back to their stone cottage...breathtaking.

We knew how England had history but I was not prepared for how much. It was absolutely wonderful and now wish I had taken history at high school.

Castles were huge and bigger still. We managed to get to Windsor - just down the road from Trev - the oldest working castle, the Tower of London, Carlisle Castle, Dublin Castle(the only one that was a bit of let down), Hampton Court and a few others.

We stayed in an inn that Oliver Cromwell stayed in, we had breakfast where Guy Fawkes was born, we toured Guinness and Jameson Whiskey. Had an English Pub lunch a few times. walked along Brighton Pier, saw the White Cliffs of Dover, walked through Shakespeare's cottage and so much more that I can't fit into this blog. We also stayed in a place in Portsmouth which we would not recommend to anyone!

Below are selection of photos...there just isn't room to put them all up.

Cromwell's Inn in Shrewsbury. beautiful town, lovely quaint inn...think it was made for short people - I had no trouble negotiating the doorways!

Trev and Colette's slice of paradise.

Carlisle Castle. Wayne was putting his camera away as he had run out of battery

Isn't it amazing how the buildings lean out over the streets. We found many alleyways like this.

You couldn't visit London without visiting Twickenham - I think Wayne is dreaming of the what if I hadn't hurt my knee at high school!

We walked around the wall in York...a beautiful city with so much to see and do.

At the beach in Sligo, Ireland. This was such a cool beach and was beautiful to see the sea and hear the waves crashing.

Just the three of us...can you spot the family resemblance?

Edinburgh Castle...built on top of rock. Wayne is taking a tourists photo.

We had breakfast here in York. Slept in the sister hotel to this one.
Colette took us for a walk through a childhood playgorund park! and she couldn't resist climbing into this tree.

We had a yummy soup and andwich at this stone cottage cafe in Boyle.

Pouring your Guinness is almost as good as drinking one! Lucky for Wayne I found a ticket on the floor and when handing it in, was told to kept it and get another free beer!

Follow this link to Wayne's blog and see his photos and read what his thoughts were.

http://www.kopu.blogspot.com/

Hey there thought you might like to see the wonderful pictures of Christmas decorations along Orchard Road. Once again they have excelled.