22nd Sep
I jumped into a tuk-tuk for an expensive 10minute ride into town, around Nam Phu. After wandering around trying to get my bearings I found a Scandinavian bakery and treated myself to a breakfast of croissant with ham and salad, strong coffee and an apple juice for 26000 kip (under $4)!! Then i checked-in to the White Orchid Hotel and paid $20 for a big room with air-con and bathroom. I decided to take a walk around and ended up walking a few km to see Vientiane's version of the Arc du triumph. A little different... It was really hot walking around but I continued on and stumbled across a shopping centre I'd read about Talat Sao. It wasn't too impressive! It was multi-level and basically was full of small clothing and jewellery shops but nothing tempted me. On the way back to my hotel I stopped at Croissant d'Art for some rice noodles with vegies and a watermelon juice for 20000 kip, yum! Back at the hotel I slept for two hours...considering I got little sleep the night before it's not surprising right? I organised with a tuk-tuk driver to head to Pha That Luang...and as usual paid more than I expected (cheers Lonely Planet) as it seemed the drivers all had a set price they had agreed on. There and back, with a 30 minute wait at the temple, was 60000 kip! Rip off. In the end I didn't even have the 2000kip entry fee as I only had enough money to pay the driver. But I took some photos anyway...it is apparently a main attraction of Vientiane and was a temple covered in gold, especiually pretty to see at sunset but I was too early for that. I got back to the tuk-tuk within the 30 minutes, slightly hot and sweaty! Driving along the driver picked up another fare. It was an Indian guy who introduced himself and was quite chatty, especially on discovering I was Australian. Turns out he was there on business etc etc. Back at the hotel I got changed...something you have to do out of necessity in SEA when it's so hot because you're clothes end up sweat-soaked...so I'm glad I didn't go too crazy minimising my wardrobe! I wanted to find a bar along the Mekong river to watch the sunset so set off with a map in hand. Again...the map was more of a "guide" and not entirely helpful. The names of the streets on the maps are always slightly different to the names on the street signs with minor differences in spellings. Why is that? Anyway after wandering around some back streets I finally stumlbed upon the "Spirit House" which wasn't where I had intended to stop for a drink but you tend to just go with it! I had myself a large Lao beer and relaxed while the sun set over the Mekong. It was fabulous. The colours became more and more vivid as rowers passed by and locals sat fishing. It was another moment I wish everyone was there for!! Eventually I walked back into town and made it to the Full moon cafe and had yet another Beer Lao (it was really nice!!) and more fried rice noodles with vegies! Could never get sick of this lifestyle! It was a huge serving but of course I finished it all....and for 37000 kip (less than $5) I was getting my money's worth!! Yep it's gonna be hard to be back home and eat out. Don't think I'll be able to!! I spent some time on the net and bought myself an icecream. After perusing my Lonely Planet some more I fell asleep around 9pm!
22nd Sep
For some reason on this trip I seem to wake up before my alarm...I swear I've been getting up earlier than I was when I was working. Makes perfect sense. This morning proved no different...I guess I was asleep early but when you don't have to be up for any reason you feel a bit cheated!! So I showered and packed...the usual routine. And I was getting good at it, probably becuase I wasn't unpacking much anyway. After checking-out I organised a taxi to the airport. It was a bit overcast and when I arrived at the airport it was completely empty. I was early to check-in so I had a look around...and stumbled upon the airport restaurant which was called the "West Coast Airport Restaurant" AND there was the WCE logo on the wall!!! No joke!!! Can't wait to get home and e-mail the club and see if they know about it...wonder if there is any copyright something going on with that?? After check-in I had breakfast at the restaurant..."American Breakfast". I guess the asians think Americans are pigs because it was huge; 2 eggs, bacon, ham, and 2 MASSIVE sausages. I spent a bit of time on the net and exchanged the remaining kip I had...and in the process heard my name on the PA! So I rushed to immigration and soon after boarded the plane. It was pretty empty. After 1 hour 10mins I landed in Phnom Penh. It wasn't a very inspiring airport but the guys at the Visa desk were chatty and it didn't take long to process. I took out some money and after a tuk-tuk drive into town I checked-in at the Royal Guesthouse. A room with air-con and bathroom, complete with balcony and bars on windows (!) was $12 a night. I organised with the driver to meet me at 3pm to go to the killing fileds and Tuol Sleng Prison. I relaxed for a bit then walked to the Royal Palace. There were drivers everywhere singing "you want tuk-tuk lady"...they even drive alongside you and stalk you!! Not scarily...just annoyingly. I explored the palace and pagoda and took photos...blah blah blah. Not much to say on that. On the walk back to the hotel I had drivers telling me I was a celebrity...beautiful...whatever they could thin to try to flatter me into providing them with a job! One guy even stalked me for a while and proceeded to tell me how happy he was that he was driving next to a beautiful girl and looked me up and down (bleh!) but I protested that I just liked to walk so he was not needed. He replied by saying he likes to walk to and motioned to get off his tuk-tuk so he could walk with me!! Then I was firm and told him "No. I walk ALONE". Freak! But he backed off making sulking noises. Pretty extreme for tuk-tuk driver standards.
Back at the hotel my driver was waiting for me. So I jumped on and we headed to the killing fields. Along the way I was mentally preparing myself and the drive there wasn't...pretty. The road was dusty and i had to blink my eyes constantly. There were people living all along the road and it was certainly a new level of living standards. Still, there were children playing in the streets and they seemed happy. We arrived at the killing fields. It was quite and very...chilling. There was a temple built to house the some 8000 skeletons they had exhumed from the mass graves. The kind of sight that stops your heart and stifles your breath. As I walked around there were graves everywhere and signs detailing the number of skeletons they'd found....and the tree upon which babies were thrashed to crush their skulls. There were speakers which played music or propaganda about the Khmer Rouge and "Angkar" (the organisation) so that when people were killed the other prisoners couldn't hear their screams as they were bashed to death to save on bullets. Horrible. Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, had studied in France, as many Cambodians did who could afford the education. This was where he formed his Marxist ideas. Next it was onto the Tuol Sleng Prison. This used to be a school buit was transformed into a prison. It was very eerie and the photos of prisoners were on display. The photos went on and on...and on. Illustrating just how many had died. 1.7 million cambodians died under the Khmer Rouge rule which lasted 3 years, 8 months and 20 days. After the Vietnam war I might add. All as the West watched on. Or didn't...I guess they turned a blind eye to the atrocities that occurred. I have since read "First, they killed my father" and "stay alive, my son". Accounts from 2 people about their struggle through the Regime and how they survived.
Needless to say I was quite depressed that night and really missed my family and friends!!! I just needed a hug and someone to reassure me that there was some good in the world!! I am glad I saw it though. The only thing to do is learn from the past so as not to repeat it.
