Wow,
First of all some people don't like to read which i understand but check out the pics if you get a chance. http://picasaweb.google.com/martin.calkins
Well it was fun litte adventure through Cambodia and Laos. I took the train from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok. The train was great. I like getting the second class cars because they open the windows and just let you enjoy the fresh air. It was great going by the mountains and just enjoying the scenery on a Friday afternoon knowing your going to go see and do stuff that you have never done any of it before. It was also enjoyable sitting with the Thais on the train and tasting the food that they had.
It was a night train so ended up going to sleep very early. Then meeting up with another teacher and her friend in Bangkok. We then took the bus that same day to the Cambodia border. Where we got off the bus and got on the fist Tuk Tuk (a small three wheeled taxi) which is a big no no. We told him take us to the border. But instead of taking us to the border he took us to this place where they make a visa for Cambodia before you go to the border. Then they have a Cambodian that speaks perfect English and basically lies and cons you end to spending nearly three times as much as you are suppose to do at the border. So basically instead of 30 bucks, we very gullible young Americans get conned end to spending allot more money then we were suppose too.
Once getting to the border we find this out. But there is nothing we can do now. This will not be the last time that u get conned in Cambodia. The place was notorious for people in your face for money. I actually had a 6 year old walking with her mother behind me. Reach into my back pocket and try to grab my wallet. This was in the capitol city of Pen om Pen. I said no no. But what can you really do. That is what the girl is taught to do.
Crossing the border from Thailand you can see that you are in a whole different world. Cambodia is the poorest place I have been to in my entire life. Also these people have been through some very hard times. After America left during Vietnam, A regime took over and killed over 2 million people, over 10 percent of the population. This was only a little over 30 years ago.
Yet through all this you meet some very kind people. Also It has the biggest ancient holy site in the world. The ancient watt on Angkor Watt. This place is so huge and beautiful. We spent a good day exploring the Ancient Watt. It is amazing the work that had to be done to build this place. Every piece of stone has hand carvings in it. It is a very magical place. You can only imagine what the place had to be like during the top of its time.
About 30 minutes from the Ancient City was a girl and her husband in the peace corps from my hometown. We went and spent the afternoon with her and saw her village and school she was teaching at. It was amazing to see the facilities that her and her husband taught at. I have allot of respect for the two volunteers. Doing this for no money, and little resources. But it was very nice to see there village and market. The difference between Thailand and Cambodia is pretty astonishing. It is very neat though. You see people still using donkeys and ox as a way of transportation. It is like you are back in time in some places. Especially when you get out to the villages. The people are not trying to con you they just want to meet you and see you. That is all I want to do too is SEE and Explore.
I then had to go to Pen om Penn where I had to get a Visa before going to Laos. Penom Penn is a city I did not know what to expect. This is the capitol of Cambodia. Everyone is in your face. You feel terrible you don't have a dollar to give to everyone. During the rule of the Notorious Paul Pot who killed so many. He and his military coup planted minds all over the country. So there is many people who were just normal farmers missing limbs begging for money. You also have wonder full little kids trying to sell books, cards, everything trying to make a dollar. They are nonstop and there is nothing you can do.
Yet the city has a charm to it. Just walking around. It is neat city in its way. With some nice parks and the huge Mekong River goes through it on its way to the Ocean. It is very cool walking through the parks at sunset and seeing families and fishermen just hanging out by the river. Many people that go to Pen om Penn go to a place called the "Killing Fields" this is where a majority of Paul Pot and his military killed people. They killed almost every intellectual, anyone who could speak a different language. They did not want anyone to have a critical mind. You can still see the stains of blood at the school that they made a prison. I decided I did not want to go see that. In a way I'm disappointed I didn't. But to be honest with you. I don't think it is something that I wanted to see.
Cambodia is a place that someone has to see while over here. With its history and people. I spent two nights in Pen om Penn and then took the bus to the border of Laos.
Just crossing the border give you a whole different feeling. The people of Laos are nearly the opposite of the people of Cambodia. They are so layed back. I first went to 4,000 islands. Which is an area on the Mekong River with many Islands. On the islands they have bungalows with hammocks and it is just a layed back feeling. It is the wet season in South East Asia. So the River was flowing. It is one of the only places in the world where there are still fresh water dolphins. I did not see any. But I did see the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. By volume not by height. It was pretty amazing. Myself and some Irish girls and a couple from Great Britain kayaked with a guide down to the waterfalls. The scenery was amazing. The water was flowing really fast. The guides make sure you are out before the waterfalls. Then you drive down to a lookout point. It is very nice. They then drive you back up river where you get to Kayak back down to the island where we were at. It was nice. Some kids were at the beach where we put the kayaks in. They decided to try and steal my kayak. They stripped down and jumped on it and took off. They did bring it back. But I got a chance to take some really cool pics before getting the kayak back. The next day I rented a bike for a dollar and decided to bike through the fishing villages and rice fields about 30 km to the waterfall. It was quite pleasant with just a relaxing atmosphere. With some fun pictures of kids to take. I spent about 3 days and 4 nights on the island. Reading, walking, and riding bike....I did have the occasionally beer Laos. Which is a great beer.
I then decided to take the night bus up to Van Vien in the North part of Loas. It is an amazing little mountain villages. With spectacular views. It is an adventure get away with kayaking and mountain biking. It is also infamous for its tubing down a river with bars and rope swings on both sides of the river. The first day I was there I rented a bike and just road around the villages taking pictures and enjoying the fine day.
The next day was not so layed back. My self and some other people that I met up with. The couple from Great Britain , some Americans....and basically many more people decided to do the tubing thing. It was fun as hell. What else do you expect when you have hundreds of people from all over the world on a river with tubes and rope swings and spectacular scenery. The rope swings were quite fun. I wish I would have had more time and did a kayaking trip there or a trek. It was a stunning place.
The next day being on a tight schedule i took the bus Luanprabong. Luanprabong is on the World Heritage Site. The ride there was six hours and it was only about 130 miles away. You were on top of some of the prettiest views a person can see. The sad thing was they never stop so you can take pictures. You drive through some amazing mountain villages. Where peoples doorsteps look over some of the prettiest views imaginable. The ride was hell though. You were twisting, turning, stoping, going. I never get car sick....but this was one of those rides I came close to you know what.
When finally arriving in Luanprabong I found a guest house and just crashed out. When waking up you understand why this city is on the World Heritage Sight. It is a beautiful city where the Mekong meets up with another river in a Valley. There is a huge French influence in Laos and especially Luanprabong. With French Architecture all over the city. Laos also has a great influence of French food especially the bread and cheese. I was having a hay day with chicken sandwiches. It was a really beautiful town.
I rented a bike the second day I was there and road out to one of the prettiest waterfalls I have seen. I don't know why the color of the water is the way it is. But it makes it look really neat. I came to the first pool and met a group of young Laos a little bit younger then me. They let me sit down and I enjoyed some fish and other food I hadn't tried before. It was really good. They also had some beer Laos. I then joined them up the waterfall, where there is 4-5 different levels with a rope swing on one. I decided to try it. The water was very cold compared to any water I had been in before in Asia. It surprised me. Anyways the waterfall was nice and Luanprabong was a very nice little city.
I then flew back to Chang Mai, I only had a few days before school started back up. Spent a night in Chang Mai then road the train back to Nakhon Si Thammarat. Where I had two days before school started.
The trip overall was very nice. Yet there was allot of traveling involved. But when you are only going to be here maybe once in your life you want to see as much as you possibly can. I think on my next vacation over here. Maybe not so much traveling. The islands only a couple hours away from Nakhon are very nice, and I think will be calling my name.
Love you all.....
Love Martin
Again pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/martin.calkins
