Not Approved by LP

I read on the way here that rat meat and dog meat prices have doubled, hope it doesn’t affect the inflation figures by too much. Maybe Rentokil should expand here, they could catch the rats and sell the meat and it sounds like they need some financial help. Also dog-napping on the increase, just not enough here.

Kampot a quiet riverside town near the Vietnamese border. Famous for its black pepper and a few pleasant sites around, however the sites not good enough for me for a revisit. In Kampot itself not a lot seems to have changed, still a little bit quaint with its decaying colonial buildings.

Very quiet in the day, on Bloomberg they mentioned about elections here and have seen a few posters around. But the people seem to have lost their interests in politics long ago. With the governing party ruling the country with that tried and tested way so popular in African countries I think it is fairly safe to assume who will win and what the outcome will be. The elites take everything, the country and people get nothing and and social responsibilities are handed to NGOs and aid agencies, a never failing winning formula. The only consolation is that at least the elites handing out large parts of the country to British, French and Russian “investors” so our investment bankers/funds gain. Ok, its causing very large numbers of people to be removed from their houses/land at gunpoint but they should be used to it, it was the same under the Khymer Rouge.

I like Cambodia but after 4 visits I still think the politics and running of the country leads a lot to be desired and that is being polite. I am not sure what the people have done to deserve so much injustice and the West has been just as guilty as anyone.

Anyway off to Vietnam next and that is one country where certainly no one tells them what to do !

Finally got around to getting a Vietnam visa so will leave the legless, armless and pitiful to carry on their begging and head for Vietnam this weekend.  Do like Sihanoukville, partly because always seem to have good weather and the sea warm with a nice beach and comfortable sunloungers for relaxing.  With its good hotels and food can do far worse.  But the constant hasslers of the beggars and and hawkers can be a pain even if it is sad and probably a good reason why landmines and cluster bombs should be banned as the suffering goes on long after the fighting.  Certainly  puts a lot of tourists of and can’t  help the local economy in total. Admittedly the beaches where the elites go certainly no beggars, or poor white tourists like myself for that matter. 

Surprised to see how many Thais come over to visit at the weekend, obviously wealth is spreading.  Even more surprising given the current spat their respective militaries are having at the border.  The last time the countries fell out not so long ago the Cambodians burnt down the Thai embassy and businesses.  However it is normally the Vietnamese who get the greatest abuse from my experience despite the country being full of them. Its a hard life when you have aggressive over populated neighbours coverting your land and resources.

Left the bright lights of Pattaya for a quick Airasia flight to Phom Penh, Cambodia.  Met with heavy rain and a turbulent descent through the clouds but arriving in Phnom Penh easy enough these days.  As times goes on the city becomes more civilised and the waterfront area now showing signs of life.  And with its once pleasant buildings gaining a lick of paint and pavement cafes and good restaurants attracting a western crowd makes for a relaxing drink.  Give it a few more years and will once again become a top Asian city as long as the old colonial architect survives the bulldozers.  Even the people showing signs of modernisation with make up and the odd dress in what is a very conservative country.

But all told the city still offers little reason to hang around too long so now in the beach resort of Sihanoukville.  Low season but a surprising amount of people and weather good enough despite the occasional shower and good swimming.  Sihanoukville expands rapidly with a huge amount of hotels and restaurants, however is so spread out that will probably improve with time. But even now ATMs at the beach so progress coming fast.  Sadly despite the wonderful white sandy beaches the place still suffers from too much rubbish and the annoying hassle of the beggars – same old faces from previous trips.

But a few days to relax and enjoy the beach and excellent seafood before moving on along the coast to Vietnam  (on previous trips seen Cambodia well enough including the excellent Ankor Wat to not want to travel around further).

Easy enough flight with Gulf Air from London to Bangkok. Knew I must be away from the UK when an English backpacker sitting next to me informed me he had covered himself with mosquito repellant on arrival. Not sure what guide book he was using bit I certainly wouldn’t recomment it.

Nearly had a serious disaster on arrival. Used the ATM, took the money , walked away forgetting my debit card. Luckily the next guy came chasing after me otherwise would have been a big problem and hopefuuly he hasn’t cleared my account out !.

Arrived Pattaya late at night but low season so hotels quiet. If the visa card could have been a disaster, unpacking my bag I found a had a minor one. The great thing about current plane security is that you can’t take liquids in hand luggage so they conveniently get crushed in the hold. So now all the contents of my backpack is protected with factor 30 sunscreen for the trip but I won’t be. At least it wasn’t the DEET which can do much worse.

Pattaya its usual self, bright and lively and as crazy as ever. Seems fairly busy with more and more people coming from the new monied countries of the Middle East and India etc. Weather good but get the evening down pour to refesh the air.

On Monday fly to Cambodia as currently unable to get a visa for China. The visa nonsense probably one good reason why they are getting all this bad karma at the moment !. Given it has reached the stage of them being attacked by locusts, after the numerous other problems I think it is lucky they are communists as the gods can’t be happy, certainly 1- 0 to the Tibetans at the moment.

some ! of my photos of China and a few of Cat Ba Vietnam can be seen in my picassa album at  

http://picasaweb.google.com/petefurlepa/ChinaSelect

Arrived safely back in the UK Sunday.  Always good to be back and !!, but hopefully can get away in a few months time if I can find a job.  Now a chance to sort out the photos which will probably take 6 months anyway.

Left Kumming to bright sunshine and despite being taken on a magical mystery tour by the taxi driver no problems.  A big change from my previous departure from Kumming,  in what was more like an evacuation in those SARs ridden days, with never ending medicals and thermoneters being shoved in your mouth.  And Thai airways there ususal high standards despite an hour delay.

Arrived Pattaya to the normal bright lights but the Bangkok police on one of their puritan missions ( money raising exercise ) , so things quite tame and early closing, but things did seem to be getting out of hand in January and standards have never been high here.  Also quite quiet as bars being charged large sums if they want to play music, another way to screw money out of the bars – a never ending problem here.

But all good fun and a nice way to end the trip.

The end of the road.  A few months later,  have now completed a loop to the four corners – ish of China, shame to finish but it happens and hopefully will be back in the not too distant future as still love the place.  And on a sunny spring like day in Kumming and a good hotel a relaxing way to finish.

Train journey from Guiyang 12 hours , easy enough but still dislike trains despite the comfort.  Kumming a fair size city, at 1800m,  but easy enough and a pleasant climate.  All being well will get a flight out tomorrow and then back to UK in a few days time and back to job hunting !!.

Just arrived in Guiyang, the provincial capital, from Kailli. Luckily not for long as it looks as undesirable as other Chinese cities and the train station the usual hell hole of a mass of people and no English – but did walk out with a ticket for Kumming tonight so should be grateful for something.

Anyway left Conjiang for the 8 hour trip to Kailli. A narrow twisty road thru’ the terraced hills and mountains and the road at least surfaced, not that that stopped the usual mass throwing up which seems to be endemic to ethnic people and with sealed windows not particularly pleasant. The scenery lacking in colour, the rice terraces still to gain much life and what seems an excess of logging leaves parched hillsides. And of the remaining trees the recent snows seem to have caused many to collapse. But for all that still some lovely villages with people in their ethnic colours and in the towns with their Friday markets a mass of wonderful ethnic costumes and colour.

Kailli has plenty to offer in the surrounding hills but the weather now poor and hopefully will get back next time so only stayed the night and left for here, an easy bus ride on a modern expressway.

Tonight train to Kumming and then hopefully fly to Bangkok Monday.

Didn’t get the best start to the day as the hotel had told me the only bus for Conjiang departed at 8am.  Then at 7.18 in the morning they knocked on the door to tell me it leaves 7.20 so a quick scramble to get ready, luckily the bus waited for me.

The trip to Conjiang another bumpy dusty road with the occasional Dong village and not a lot of interest bar being stopped by a passing police car.  The officers flagged us down, walked on the bus, took photos of the excess passngers who then got off and carried on walking.  Having done the paperwork we then carried on, picking up the passengers 200 meters down the road !.  I even just got told off for not using the zebra crossing to cross the road and the road deserted, obviously some very dedicated local police around here.

Arrived no problem, Conjiang a small town with nothing of interest and the usual excess of white tiles but the locals friendly enough.  Just been to the lovely miow village of Bashia, the reason for coming here.  A lovely little village, very colourful and for the early travellers first coming here must have been a great experience as the place oozes character.  But in a very short time has obviously gone from being very unique to a place where the locals probably fed up with tourists and certainly not interested in having their pictures taken etc.  But for the moment still a long way from mass tourism with no restaurants etc and still quaint and an enjoyable few hours spent there.

Tomorrow head for Kailli.