TravelStream™ news feed for member jamesandruth on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jamesandruth en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:14:53 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesandruth/1/1246007559/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesandruth/1/1246007559/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jamesandruth/1/1246007559/tpod.html Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:14:53 -0400 500 bus stops

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Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

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Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Nha Trang, Vietnam

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Hoi An, Vietnam

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Well where do I start. I'm not sure. It all got a bit overwhelming if I'm honest, the atrocities that these people have seen are awful. The city itself is not my favourite place however I don't know if that is due to the greyness of the place from the war and the memories that it holds. James and I read a book called 'first they killed my father' a good read (if you can say that) which explains their recent history very clearly through the eyes of a child at the time of the khmer rouge. It definately helped me to understood better what had happened.

S21 was just opposite our hotel and this used to be a school but during the war the khmer rouge turned it into a prsion and thousands of people were torurted and killed there. There is still a lot of evidence and things left how it was found just 30 years ago. We had a lady take us round the now museum which was very interesting. It is difficult to think that it was only 30 years ago you look around and there are lots of children, young adults no elderly and those people who survived the khmer rouge. The lady was over 30 years old and proceded to tell us about her family and their movements around Cambodia at the time of the Khmer Rouge and the family she lost. I just kept thinking how awful it all was and how brave she was.

The killing fields is another spot on the tourist map and it was definatley not what I was expecting ( i'm not really sure what I was expecting though) It is a field with trees and grass with no reall border around it and it hasn't even all been excavated or done properly or systematically I suppose . You get to look round, what can only be described as ditches while walking on pathways which still contain the clothes and bones of the people still 'buried' there. It is a chilling feeling. Towards the entrance there is a monument that contains all the bones and skulls of the people they have excavated with more still there.

I use to believe and I think I still do that these terrible events in history should be remembered to make sure they never happen again but it keeps happening again.What do we have to do to stop it. (sorry if this getting a bit heavy)

The poverty is obvious and they need so much help. There are so many people trying to help them and do the right thing you just have to look in the right places ( 'child safe' is one of the them). I wanted to do something but it is difficult sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong. Buy a book from a street seller , they are not begging but trying to help themselves but then that could inturn promote child labour. It is difficult you just have to beaware.


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bangkok, Thailand

Hey good old Bangkok me and Ruth love it here . We were both looking forward to our first experience of the world famous backpacker area of Khao san road your not a backpacker till you've stayed there. We'd heard many stories of the flea pit acommadation that you find which we managed to avoid we actually stayed in a nice cheapish hotel complete with swimming pool .
Outside the streets bustled with vendors selling just about any thing you could think of loadsa bars and restaurants a world away from the the islands we had got used too.That evening after we had eaten we sat on a street corner drinking Singha beers from a cool box listening to hip hop been blasted from a massive speaker theres a picture attached of me with my new beard after a few . We both felt like proper backpackers then we headed back to our aircon room and watched a movie on our plasma sky tv ," well not too much like backpackers"

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Ko Phangan, Thailand

KO Phangan the island that holds the world famous full moon party which me and Ruth deliberatly gave a wide birth not really our cup of tea so we stayed on the other side of the island a really quite but very nice spot.We stayed in a wooden hut but it was a really nice new hut with air con also we got to use the pool in the hotel across the road, "luxuary".
The area was pretty quite just a few restaurants scattered on the beach.At night they put out tables and chairs on the beach we ate our meals by candle light just a couple of foot away from the sea .We sat and relaxed sunk a few beers and listened to Bob marley .

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Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

Koh Phi Phi the place where the film the beach was set. Some may call it paradise while others may say paradise ruined.Long sandy beaches crystal clear waters lively bars, stalls selling buckets of cocktails rabbit warrens of stalls restaurants and tattoo parlours, a place for the young 'uns to chill in the day and party at night.So basically thats what we did sat on the beach on traditionally English deck chairs and then hit the bars at night .We did an island hopping trip and visited Maya beach the actual beach from the film and book ,Ruth has a new claim to fame not many can say that they have vommited on the best beach in the world hangovers are a terrible thing.Also on the trip did more amazing snorkelling, im turning into a bit of a pro ,Saw more fantastic beaches and got really bad sunburn I think my nose will be permanently red .
We stayed on Phi phi about 4 days before we moved on, oh before moving on I bought myself a nice Bob Dylan t-shirt he gets everywhere that lad.
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Ko toa, Thailand

hello Koh Tao, Another island I have to admit the islands are starting to feel a little same same as they say in Thailand,Each have stunning beaches and clear waters I find it hard to rate one higher than the other.When we arrived on Koh Tao we set of walking to find a little bungalow on the beach it was boiliong hot and the rucksacks were getting heavier with every step I think ruth will be a candidate for the SAS when this trip is done she can trek for miles with the heavy bag.Most of the bungalows were pretty rough they were basically a shed with a bed and a fan that circulated warm air alot of the bed clothes had mould on them but they were cheap !! but I was still unable to convince Ruth to stay in one so we walked on.Maybe Ruth is'nt quite ready for the SAS, after a while I had to leave her sat in the shade while I bravely soldierd on .After walking about forty or fifty miles or maybe it was yards I found a nice clean guest house with hot shower and air con, a shower has never felt so good.
We spent about 3 days checking out the Island and its beach's , we hired a moped for about 3 quid a day and found some nice secluded beach's . The last couple of weeks have been pretty lazy but next we will be heading to Bangkok to catch our flight to Cambodia so it's good bye to the beach.
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