A
friend gave me this book, she told me that it was a bit odd and that she still
didn’t really know if there was a message to it or not, or if she fully
comprehended what it was all about. I agree! I would advise it as a holiday
read, I couldn’t put it down because I was so enthralled by the characters. I
thoroughly enjoyed the writing style, and certain aspects of the story which
were so heavily detailed. I was so intrigued because the lifestyle lead by the
son and mother in the book is so lavish and extravagant, so extreme and far
from reality that it keeps you hooked.
The
actual relationship between Francis and Malcolm is an odd one at best. The
demise of Francis and her estate is of her own doing through her
self-destructive ways, but I can’t help being attracted to her as, the other
characters in the book are. She’s full of intrigue and you yearn to understand
her way of operating. Malcolm is fully tied to his mother’s apron strings, but
you slowly begin to understand why he is the way he is due to his isolated
upbringing. Then there is Little Frank, Francis and Malcolm’s cat. The three
make quite a family. The story is riveting, and the amalgamation of peculiar
characters form an undeniably curious sequence of events.
This is a short book review because I honestly don’t know how to explain what occurs in the book and if there is a meaning behind everything (does everything have to have meaning?). For me Francis is a powerful head strong woman and I respect her for orchestrating a plan and following it through. I can’t say much more but it was an entertaining read, nonetheless. Below is my favourite quote of the book because it resonates with me!
“What you want is to know someone’s there; you also want them to leave you alone.”
When
I arrived in Beijing, I had no books to read. I’d whizzed through ‘Me After
You’ which was a marvellous story! I would write about it, but it’s been far
too long since I’ve finished it and wouldn’t be able to do it justice, I’m also
not sure how much justice I’ll give Little Women… I visited my local shopping
centre and found the one part of the book shop with English literature.
Typically, Harry Potter and all the classics were available, Little Women being
one of them.
It
has taken me since then till the flight to Hong Kong to finish the book. It
just didn’t grip me like the usual chick lit or murder mystery etc. I usually
read! I think I struggle with period novels and prefer to see them visually
represented.
As a wholesome moral novel, it serves its purpose. Following the lives of four sisters. I know I need to keep in mind that it reflects the times when it was written. BUT. Argh. Frustrating is the word. A woman is seen as the wife, mother, caregiver, housekeeper. Ever since the women were ‘little’ they were molded into the stereotypes and expectations of what society had expected of them. They seem to make such a meal of housekeeping it’s quite shocking. Don’t get me wrong, I loves me a tidy house, baking, cooking, cleaning… but my goodness!
I
can fully appreciate the honesty and family values that are presented in this
book, it must be said, and I did enjoy the eloquence of which it was written
with. At times I wanted to use ‘frolicked’ and ‘romped’ in daily life and found
myself speaking as if I was taken right out of the book. However, as previously
said there are frustrating parts that I just really struggled to deal with,
especially when it comes to courtship and marriage. Although, there was a very
funny part where one of the sisters who marries early on, spends the entire day
attempting to make her own jam and fails miserably, her husband doesn’t
understand why she is so upset by it. I empathised with her to an extent
because we’ve all been there, where we’ve set out to do something and it fails
miserably. You feel terrible and get in a rotten mood, it was a very sweetly
written chapter of the novel.
I
think it would be fair to say that you can resemble each of the sisters in some
way. Their characters differ greatly but the main point that I could take from
their relationships and journeys they go on, is that they all love each other a
great deal and that the family bond is a strong one for sure.
In
terms of how women were viewed and the expectations of them… one of the quotes
I enjoyed most;
“At twenty-five, girls begin to talk about being old maids, but secretly resolve that they never will be. At thirty they say nothing about it, but quietly accept the fact, and if sensible, console themselves by remembering they have twenty more useful, happy years, in which they may be learning to grow old gracefully.”
p528
There
is so much of this to pick apart. I’m currently twenty-five and I chuckled to
myself when I read this. It’s truthful, because I’m guilty of saying that I’m
going to live out my days in my barn conversion alone with my dog… But deep
down I know I would like a family at some point in my life. Where I differ is
the time limit which is put on women. Okay, so there is a time when your body
will prevent you from physically having children but there is actually no age
which you can’t and there should be absolutely no judgement of anybody for whenever
they choose to have children or if they choose to have none. I go through ups
and downs of what I want, where I want to be and what I want from relationships
that I have. Times are so changed now but there are still stereotypes and
expectations of women, which are stuck in the past. Also, “twenty more years,”
that IS a reflection of the time and… “May be learning to grow old gracefully.”
Spit your tea out kind of words that is me lady. What even is growing old
gracefully anyway?
Main
moral I think you need is, stay kind and do as you please. Ultimately, you know
what makes you happy and you should be fulfilled in life no matter what it is
that makes you content, don’t pass judgement and compare yourself to others. If
you love someone let them know, don’t hold back because there is nothing worse
than meaningful words left unsaid. I fear that I have gone off on a ridiculous
tangent, but I think I’ve got my point across.
There
is so much to this novel, there as some tender parts in it, as I’m thinking
about it now, I have got a quiet appreciation for it. When I began writing
this, I was partially dreading it as I didn’t think I would be able to write
enough! As much as at times it took me forever to dip back into it, when I took
the time to connect with the characters, one found it quite amusing.
I’m
going to apologise in advance for my writing when discussing books that I have
read; they aren’t as fully formed and structured as I’d like. My writing style
I feel, is constant rambling which sometimes works alright for blogs but not so
good on book reviews.
Why?
I was cutting it ever so fine for getting my train to Yangshuo. Forgetting that
I would have to pass through security checks from HK to mainland China.
Luckily, I had 20 minutes to spare and all was well. The train was relaxed as
ever, although arriving at the station there were a few minor issues. There
were no ATMs to withdraw money (I only had HK dollars and WeChat which needed
WiFi). I had to attempt to buy a bus ticket, thankfully there was WiFi so I
could use WeChat.
Some other westerners were in the same
situation and I helped them out by buying their tickets! Always nice to help
someone out especially if you were ever in a similar situation elsewhere, also
I can’t stress this enough – the experience of the Chinese people is that they
could not be more accommodating and helpful in times of need. Not knowing
exactly where I was meant to go me and my new acquaintance Will hopped on the
bus, then arrived in the station where we had to get another bus to West
Street. The staff at the tourist information desk lent us 1 yuan each for the
second bus. Then without a map on my phone or one in hand I searched for my
hostel. I asked numerous people, all sending me in roughly the same direction.
It was difficult, I was tired, and I rested in one of the restaurants nearby.
Yangshuo is unlike any other places I’ve
visited in China, it’s remarkably pretty and the mountains are stunning (Not
that I haven’t seen some stunning places already). It has such a fun atmosphere
with market stalls lined along the streets, bars and restaurants galore – a
hive of activity. After eating some food and chugging a pint I finally found my
hostel. I was pleasantly surprised, and the hostel staff were incredibly
helpful. I booked a bicycle to rent for the following day and the bamboo
rafting down Li River.
West Street (pedestrian street)
I
met up with Will again and Meagan another solo traveller and off we cycled
following the road alongside Li River. At times I thought I was going to faint;
I’m not going to lie! It was boiling. Worth it though to take in the sights! Also, at one point my chain fell off which
was worrying! We got back in time for me to make it for the bamboo rafting. It
was one of the loveliest afternoons I’ve had. The bus took us to the entrance,
there was quite a large queue and I got talking to a friendly Chinese man and
an elderly lady; Felicity from Madrid. The bamboo rafts were two to a raft and
me and Felicity teamed up. When on the raft we took in the views and I had a
glorious time speaking to Felicity, she was a worldly woman and it was so
refreshing to hear her traveling stories as a solo lady. When back in Yangshuo
I visited a café where I had asked directions to my hostel from the day before.
It had caught my eye because it was purely vegetarian. I had my favourite green
beans with chili and garlic and sweet and sour lotus flower stem and a pink
lady cocktail. The heavens opened whilst I was there, I thought it would cool
us down for a while, but it only made it more humid. I ended with a fresh apple
juice and chocolate cake, with a full tum I headed back to the hostel and had a
quite evening in after an exhausting day.
On
my last full day in Yangshuo I spent the morning at the Silver Caves. It was a
great experience and a very extensive cave system; however, I was reminded that
I was back in China; there was just so many people and at times it felt quite
claustrophobic. I just wanted to get out and get some fresh air. When I got
back, I found an Indian restaurant that did a lovely vegetable jalfrezi and my
hunger was satisfied. I was also offered out for a drink by the gentleman that
served me in the restaurant although I politely declined when a lady in my dorm
suggested that she was going to see the Impression Light Show. I decided to
join her! Whilst we waited in the communal area of the hostel a girl brought
her younger sister to talk to me and asked if she could have a picture with me,
of course I accepted! (I’ve gotten used to it whilst being in China). A Chinese
family (the one with the young girl and older sister) took us under their wing
who were also going to the show and it was so impressive! The backdrop of the
karst mountains and the reflections upon the lake were astounding. A definite
must in Yangshuo!
Yesterday morning I was ready to get the shuttle bus to Guilin with a few others from my hostel. Again, the weather was unrelenting. One of the ladies could speak English and she was trying to work out which station I needed to get off near (I didn’t know for certain but was sure it wasn’t the north one). The driver dropped me off in the centre of Guilin. I went in search of a Chinese sim card so I could have mobile data, but I wasn’t able to do so, so I hopped in a taxi and went to my hostel. It only cost 9 yuan and was a 10 minute walk, but I didn’t know the direction I had to walk so was thankful anyhow. The hostel – Travel Light is absolutely fantastic, highly recommend if stopping in Guilin. The location is great, and the staff are the best! As soon as I arrived, they gave me a map and told me where to go and my four bed female dorm is extremely comfortable and clean (I have it all to myself).
*Edit
– I’m currently writing this during my 11hr or so journey to Zhangjiajie*
Continuing
with yesterday’s activities, I showered and relaxed, then set out to look at
the famous Elephant Trunk Hill, the two towers on the Fir Lake and the
pedestrian street. Guilin city is a nice place to visit, I just think maybe I
could’ve timed it better with the season. Whilst ambling freely down the
pavement a young girl approached me. She asked if I could help with a school
project and I happily obliged. One of the questions she asked me was, “but…
Why? Why are you here in Guilin? There’s so many people.” My response was that
it was the holidays and that it was somewhere where I wanted to visit! Aha! I
continued my travels to the lake and saw the two towers, then the pedestrian
street. I ate food alone, as always, in a place called ‘National Cuisine of
Guilin’ it was an amusing lunch. It’s quite awkward too because of the heat and
the times I choose to eat they don’t seem the most popular times and I’m never
eating much more than one large meal a day. Anyway, there was only me and a
family in the restaurant alongside a business meeting, the lady heading the
meeting did not stop talking the entire time I was in the restaurant. Which I
must say was lovely, and the waitress, though her English was broken, was
extremely pleasant. The food was fresh cucumber, Chinese spring onions with
chilli, rice and prawns in tons of garlic and chillies; another delicious meal.
I
continued my journey with no place in mind, I was just looping round. Then, at
the exact moment I was thinking how long I’d had my flip flops for or
‘slippers’ as one of my friends calls them … I slipped. I slipped over. I’d already done
this once in Cambodia and now have a scar on my right foot as the proof. As you
get older you fall less, and when you do fall it hurts! I was pushing my luck
anyway in my flip flops as there is that many puddles from the air conditioning
on the sidewalks it was only a matter of time. I’d broken my right flip flop
and had to scamper barefoot across the street to a shoe shop and get some new
ones. You have to laugh. Finding myself in a bakery, I purchased a sizable bun
and moon cake I think? One must have a sweet thing to cheer one’s self after a
great fall, I continued my quest. I came to the river and munched my bun,
taking in the sights. Back at the hostel I facetimed my mum for a well needed
catch up and killed time till the evening around 11pm to then head back out and
take some pictures of the two towers on the lake, as seen below.
This
morning, I had a lie-in and enjoyed the small luxury of having the room to
myself. I’d decided to ask if I could pay for the night so that I could rest
and shower before my train at 6:56pm. The hostel staff told me I could keep the
room free of charge! Great stuff. At around 4pm I asked if there was a swimming
pool nearby because I’d tried searching online and already looked once with no
avail. Again, the staff were super helpful and told me what bus to catch and
where to go. I hopped on the bus and after getting off at the correct stop and
inquiring I eventually found the swimming pool, ever conquering small victories
of getting on transport and paying for things etc. in China. I’ve only been to one other
swimming pool in Beijing and there I was not prepared for the nudity in
changing rooms. It’s not because I found it scary or intimidating because it’s
the most natural thing of all, but it’s just not what I’m used to back in the
UK! I was prepared this time… although not fully because as I submerged myself
into the pool the lifeguard waved at me and pointed to his head – I realised
everyone was wearing a swimming cap instead of me… so after a sweaty walk and
bus ride and just wanting a leisurely swim I got out and bought one from the
vending machine and finally had swim, albeit lane swimming. It was refreshing
and I caught the bus back to the hostel. I got to the hostel for 6:15pm. I have
no idea why I am like this, but I am a serial faffer. I faff like there is no
tomorrow. I leave everything till the last minute, I really would love to know
how I came about this trait because it frustrates me an unreal amount, but this
is me and I’ve begrudgingly accepted this fact. I caught the train on time, and
everything was grand. Waiting in my connecting station I bought a noodle pot to
have on a train, my translator app couldn’t make out the writing, but all the
pots had images of meat on them! I’ve learned to now just accept that I could
pick any up and just not empty the sachet of ‘meat’. On the train I found that
it was river snail flavouring for this particular pot!
Now,
I booked this train late and unfortunately could only get a ‘hard seat’. There
are three options you can choose from – hard seat, hard sleeper and soft
sleeper. I drew the short but cheap straw. I found my seat sat with two sets of
friendly families offering me fruit etc. The train is similar to a train I
caught in Java, although this is air conditioned and much comfier than that
one. It’s currently 11:11pm and the only things that I have had to endure is
not so great noodles, the friendly family cracking out the chicken feet to
snack on and a very cute girl sat 3 rows in front staring at me throughout.
We’ve shared some smiles, haha… Oh no, I spoke too soon, the gentleman who is
now seated beside me has whipped his foot out and put it on the seat opposite.
Fantastic. Well, public transport at its best.
I
downloaded some things on Netflix during the journey and they aren’t playing
but I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to the ‘My Dad Wrote a Porno’ podcast
which is class. If you haven’t listened to it, I strongly advise it!
This
has been possibly one of the longest but most entertaining posts I’ve written
so far. I think it’s because I’m writing as it happens which is terribly fun.
Hong
Kong (HK) was the last place I was going to via plane, I had heard many a good
thing about it, and it did not disappoint. As soon as I stepped foot inside the
airport a feeling of comfort and familiarity took hold. Hong Kong reminded me
of Singapore, not as green but still as beautiful and metropolitan, (the food
also similar in delicious standard). The familiarity came straight away as soon
as I heard people speak, after living in Beijing it was nice to hear Chinese
again!
Oh
boy was it hot though! I melted. As much as I loved the city and its
industrious charm, at times it could be overwhelming! Not because of the amount
of people but because of the heat!
The transportation system as like Beijing is smooth and well operated. It’s incredibly easy to get around. Before leaving for my travels this summer I lost my phone the day before I left. A travesty, as in China it is used for absolutely everything!! I bought a phone in Cambodia and used my English sim. Even though I didn’t have data, HK was well linked with WiFi and I could easily locate my hostel having been given thorough instructions via communication using WhatsApp. I can’t stress it enough how welcoming and friendly the staff at my hostel were. The hostel was called AMU Dreamhouse and the location was perfect. It was also fairly priced for HK. Another thing to be aware of… HK is expensive. It’s hip and spenny but, I do believe you get what you pay for and I didn’t have a bad meal there! In fact, I had some of the best food in HK.
When I arrived at my hostel, I couldn’t check in till 3pm but I dropped my bags off and one of the staff took me to a vegetarian restaurant as I asked them for recommendations. Sometimes it’s a struggle being pescatarian in China and the lady even told me I was ‘missing out’ not eating meat. I’ve had that told to me quite a bit in China. However, the restaurant she took me to was fantastic. 2DP. The veggie burger I had was divine. Probably the best I’d had. I also couldn’t quite believe the fake meat. I hadn’t been well on my last day in Hanoi and was steadily getting my appetite back. The meal came to around $17 for burger, fries and a drink which was expensive but worth it, I think. One of my close friends once told me that, “life is just filling time before your next meal,” and I 100% believe in this! My mood can change dramatically when having food or none or a bad or fantastic meal. I headed back to the hostel to take a shower and freshen up. Then ventured out to the Avenue of Stars to see the stunning skyline. It looks just as good in real life as it does in the pictures. Skyscrapers unbelievably high in contrast with the vibrant green mountains as the backdrop. It was where I felt content and relaxed, by the water. After ambling down the avenue, I watched the light show, hinting at current political events ‘stand together’. Numerous people had told me to be careful in HK, but I believe sometimes it is truly fascinating being in a country or city when there are developments ongoing. It’s history and we’re living it. I took a walk to Temple Market which was a very typical market full of souvenirs and tat. Then went to a place named ‘Dim Sum Here’ and had some lush dim sum!
Delicious veggie burger in 2DP
Recommended by a friend, I ventured to see the big Buddha Tian Tan on Lantau Island. Subway then cable car was the mode of transport. The Ngong Cable Car was a fantastic feat of engineering and ridiculously high, it was excellent viewing point of HK and a very pleasant journey. The actual village of Ngong is very quaint and I decided to get the meal ticket of $150 for the deluxe vegetarian meal combined with being allowed inside the Buddha. For a while whilst clambering up the steps to see the Buddha I couldn’t fathom out why there was a Nazi symbol on some of the gates, after consulting with a friend I was mistaken; the symbol is the Buddhist symbol, but the Nazi symbol is the mirrored image (didn’t I feel stupid?) I then bussed to the fishing village which was modest and rustic. I bought a magnet and a mango ice cream and perched on the pier before the bus came around. The day was quite exhausting, I felt weary and a little lonely. What makes me happy? Food. I decided that night to find a nice restaurant and participated in fine dining. I sort out a rooftop bar close by and found Upto; it was exactly what I’d hoped, the food was scrumptious and filling. Spinach and ricotta ravioli with black truffles, deep fried churros and chocolate ice cream for dessert and a lychee martini to finish it off.
For my final full day, I had Victoria Peak in mind. It was unbearably humid that day. I didn’t let it dissuade me though. N1 Coffee and Co. was my first stop for a salmon bagel and peach and guava juice. Scrummy. I got the tram up to the top of the Peak and was rewarded. Epic works of construction stood before me and it’s hard not to appreciate the effort, time and manpower that goes into buildings of such grandeur and scale. Although soaked in sweat and dreaming of my air conditioned room, I staggered down the Peak, at times I thought my knees would buckle but they fortunately they held out. My next port of call was the Botanical Gardens which were charming. I’m always drawn to parks and museums in big cities and it reminded me of Brisbane in some ways, I sat reading my book in on the park bench and happily took pictures of families in front of the fountain when asked. Defeated by the heat I steadily made my way back to the subway not before walking along the pier front of HK Island. It is quite breath taking. I ended my night getting take-out from a local vegetarian restaurant, as ever, my eyes are far too big for my belly…
Hong
Kong is a definite place to visit in my eyes, especially if it’s a stop over
city. You don’t need much time to get a feel of the place. Physically and
politically vibrant this city is diverse and at the height of development. It
will be fascinating to see what happens in the coming years.
I arrived
into Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) around lunchtime of the 27th July. Excited
to meet my friend and experience a different culture and obviously try the Vietnamese
cuisine!
On attempting to get a ‘Grab’ which apart from this occasion works fantastically just like DiDi or Uber, we could not find the driver among the multitude of cars. So, we hailed a taxi, a firm that was suggested by our hostel company. Vinasun. The taxi driver was pleasant enough, however, on leaving the taxi he gave the impression of being nervous and was confusing us with the price and also reaching into my purse (stupidly should not have allowed this) I realised after, a feeling came over me that something wasn’t right. The taxi driver had stolen 500,000 dong from me in the confusion. ANYWAY. Needless to say; I was in a pretty bad mood. We then entered our hostel and were greeted by our rooms still being cleaned. It just wasn’t my day!
However,
we didn’t have long in Saigon and we needed to make the most of the place! We
got ourselves a map and wandered around the place. It was very pleasant, although
I did find myself wondering what was truly Vietnamese… Like Cambodia, I was
yearning to learn the history of Vietnam. Ambling through the city, (although
lovely as it is) there was a mismatch of modern and old. But it did feel
characterless. This is just my opinion and maybe I didn’t spend long enough to
get a better feel for the city.
Day
two we headed to Củ Chi Tunnels. I am so glad we did this tour! Honestly, the
guide we had gave us a wealth of knowledge on Vietnam’s history, he was genuine
and honest. From what I heard and observed the Vietnamese are extremely
resilient people in times of adversity. Having been ruled by numerous countries
and having to fight countless wars, Vietnam has rebuilt itself. From beginning to
end I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would say it’s a must see in Ho Chi Minh.
We paid a little extra to come back on the boat and loved it too.
As previously stated, I was so ready to try the Vietnamese food but… Unfortunately found most of it quite underwhelming. Although we did have quite a nice meal in a local vegetarian restaurant. Maybe we were just unlucky or didn’t try hard enough to seek out the right places… Nonetheless, we had a good time in Ho Chi Minh and were flying to Phu Quoc the next day!
Phu
Quoc, the large island at the bottom of Vietnam overall was a great place to
visit. It wasn’t necessarily what I expected. Having read about the national
park on the island I thought there would be less development than there was,
but I was mistaken! Phu Quoc is very much a tourist hub! There are many great places
to see but wouldn’t recommend staying any longer than three nights.
The
weather was on our side and we crammed as many activities in as we could. Our
hostel (9 Station Hostel) was also fantastic – like a hotel! We ventured to the
local beach and to our dismay, were disappointed. It was littered with rubbish
and the sea wasn’t suitable for swimming. Deflated, we went back to the hostel
and asked them what we could do! They suggested mopeds, but honestly, having
known some friends have a rough accident and witnessing another crash in Sihanoukville
I was feeling perturbed. Instead, we hopped on the ‘hop on hop off’ bus tour of
the island and it was such a good shout! We visited the lovely Sao Beach, visited
the Pagoda and local fishing village. A fantastic day all around. We ended the
night in Saigon Eatery; a little expensive, but the coconut gin and tonics were
delectable.
The
next day we took the bus then the cable car to the southern islands. The longest
non-stop three rope cable car in the world! The sights were breath taking, but
I couldn’t help wondering what the locals thought of the cable car and the
developers of Sunworld. Once on the final island, marketed as a resort with numerous
activities; we quickly realised that this place was incomplete. Nothing was properly
up and running, there was cafes and restaurants, plus a beach with sea you couldn’t
swim in.
The
feel of Phu Quoc was that there was just constant construction everywhere. It
was quite astounding. After the cable car we got a taxi to a waterfall on the
bus route and it was lovely! Once we got back, we went to the night market
which was a hive of activity, we tried some local snacks and ice cream. Yum.
For our final day in Phu Quoc we took a boat trip to the southern islands, there
weather was good, the sea not so calm… The best thing about this trip was the
food! It was wholesome and simple and just what we needed. A great day all in
all.
Phu Quoc Night Market
After
Phu Quoc we flew to Hanoi and booked a car to straight to Ha Long Bay. When we arrived,
I was… Surprised to say the least. Like Phu Quoc, this place was under a vast amount
of development. I genuinely question whether there was demand for construction
taking place here. The Aroma Hostel is a good hostel but in terms of places to
eat nearby, it is very limited. We had a delicious meal at the seafood recommended
by the hostel, but it was like a ghost town, apocalyptic. A typhoon was also due the whole time we were
there! Fantastic. We decided to ride the storm out and believe this was the
right decision, but we were really scraping the barrel for things to do whilst
waiting for the weather to turn so we could see the bay via boat. Karaoke on
the night we got there, then the following day we searched for food and hiked
up Poem Mountain. Now this place is a not so hidden gem, however, we were given
the address by a friend in Phu Quoc. It’s a lady’s back garden, you pay her 100,000
dong and she let you climb over a precarious rock and fence. The views are
incredible, but it’s a 40-minute trek and quite dangerous really. A trip to the
cinema was the thing to do with the constant rain and the following day was
spent wandering to the beach and museum, we also got the green light for the
boat to the following day and it did not disappoint.
Ha Long Bay
Having
stayed longer than expected in Phu Quoc we only had two nights and one full day
in Hanoi. If I was to go back to Vietnam I think I would visit here again, the
food was much better than in Ha Long Bay and the Old Quarter was definitely the
place to stop, albeit not in the hostel that we did – it was very basic,
although breakfast was okay. We managed to get quite a lot done in the day
walking around, visiting the Ancient House and the lake as well as viewing the water
puppet show and relaxing on Train Street. It was a lovely area.
(Above is the infamous egg coffee and Train Street) Overall, it was a fun non-stop trip of Vietnam, crammed full of activities and sights!
Those moments where you are truly on your own. In another country. In another city. Where you feel at ease with yourself and your surroundings.
I love traveling with friends, but I also love traveling alone too. It’s hard to explain the feeling you get when you’re on your own if you haven’t experienced it, but it can happen for the shortest moment whilst alone and a wave of contentment comes over you.
Times when you get to think about everything, everybody and nothing at all.
Where
to begin with this country… It is unique
in its own right. Before I continue, I would like to say that for anyone
traveling around South East Asia (SEA), I would highly recommend a visit to
Cambodia; especially if passing through. The country is steeped in history (as
with all countries) but as someone from the UK living in China it was
fascinating. I have visited other countries in SEA but Cambodia left a lasting
impact on me.
The
first stop was the capital; Phnom Penh. Having only two nights there, it was
very much a whistle stop tour. My first impressions were pretty good. Having
travelled from Beijing it was refreshing and a welcomed change from what at
times can be quite an intense lifestyle in China. The capital reminded me slightly of Bangkok, construction everywhere, bustling
streets, scooter heavy traffic – it felt familiar. We stopped at Base Villa
Hostel, which I would recommend – the staff were friendly, and the location was
good, the only negative was that the rooms were quite dark.
For the full day we were there we had planned to visit the Tuol Sleng
Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. We hopped in a tuck tuck and the driver
drove us to each place and waited whilst we visited.
Having limited knowledge of Cambodia’s history, the museum was a
sobering and at times quite overwhelming experience. I highly recommend using
the audio guides whilst there. A brief overview of the museum which was
originally a school and then adapted into a prison as part of the Khmer Rouge government.
The atrocities that occurred there are unthinkable. From 1975-1979 the Khmer
Rouge ruled. They took advantage of weak government after suffering affects
from the Vietman War and at times of hardship people look for strong
leadership. Khmer Rouge promised so much but essentially under Pol Pot’s
communist regime the country was torn apart and between 2-3 million people were
killed. I won’t say too much, but both places are well worth a visit. Traveling
is all about learning history and culture, whilst also being thankful for what
we have back home.
From Phnom Penh we took the bus to Sihanoukville. To be frank, it is the worst place I have ever visited. On numerous levels. It is rapidly developing at an uncomfortable rate. It was before seen as a place to visit with beautiful beaches, but now it’s a construction site and dumping ground for other countries. I didn’t necessarily feel unsafe, but just extremely uncomfortable and saddened by the shocking inequality which was apparent everywhere you looked. We were also unfortunately given the run around by a tuck tuck driver who hadn’t any idea where he was going, (but that’s not a huge issue) we were more concerned by the accident we witnessed on route to the ferry port. Two gentlemen had crashed their scooters, one hobbling to the side of the road, the other sat in the road with all tendons and bone showing in his foot. A harrowing sight. Seeing is believing and I really wish I had taken more pictures whilst in Sihanoukville. I can’t really emphasise enough how much other countries have affected this place with development and investment, and I mean for the worse. Casinos, half finished buildings and holiday resorts, and rubbish EVERYWHERE. It’s no life. The Cambodian’s have been pushed out of their own city and it was heart breaking to see. I’m slightly disappointed that I didn’t take pictures in Sihanoukville but you should definitely do a comparison or google search for yourself!
From Sihanoukville we traveled to Koh Rong Touch (the bigger island), depending on what you want from your holiday – if you like drinking a lot and chilling by the beach it is a good place to be – but I would highly recommend visiting other parts of the island and Koh Rong Sanloem. *Also, no islands have ATMs so draw money out before you go*. Unfortunately, we arrived just as five-day storm was hanging over the islands. The weather can make a huge difference, but we didn’t let that stop us. If you’re looking for a quieter beach – head to Coconut Beach which has 2-3 restaurants and the beach is much prettier. However, word of caution. The beaches are not pristine! We have such a huge environmental issue with pollution in our oceans and if you don’t believe it – visit the Cambodian islands and see for yourself. It’s disturbing. Plus, this was a familiar story in Bali. Rubbish and plastic are everywhere.
Koh Rong Sanloem was my favourite island, the local town had such a relaxed vibe, less party but still pleasant bars and places to eat. Also, the food was delicious in most of the restaurants on the Community Pier front. The Wildflower guesthouse we stopped in was fabulous, I couldn’t recommend it enough. Another mention is The Cliff, which has fantastic sunset views and beer for 75 cents when happy hour is on. The beaches were lovely, (although again, you can’t escape the rubbish) all in all a definite place to visit in Cambodia. We had a lovely relaxed time here and spent one of the days kayaking round the island which was fantastic. Also, if you’re an avid dog lover… Go to the Cambodian islands! The dogs are so characterful and very friendly. Apparently, all the dogs on the islands are owned and often vaccinated (that’s what we were told) but yes, they were very comical to observe!
As I write this, I’m sat in what could possibly be the best hostel
I’ve stopped in on my travels so far – 9 Station Hostel on the island of Phu
Quoc (Vietnam). The rain has seemed to follow me everywhere, but the sun is shining
now and it’s time to explore this island! Vietnam blog to follow.
My favourite dog Stanley; mange ridden and afraid of the sea..
Beans on toast blog 