A rough few days in Sihanoukville and escaping Cambodia

Well, it's been kind of a funny week really. After the highlight of Angkor Wat, things kind of went from bad to worse in Cambodia for us. We reckon the decision to have some 'fresh' spring rolls in Siam Reap eventually caught up with both of us over the last few days. This was compounded with the side effects of the Malarone which we had started taking for this section of Cambodia. It is fair to say that I was experiencing some very peculiar side effects of the anti-malarial drug including dizziness, a slight fever and weirdly (although this was stated in the leaflet as "feeling low") this kind of impending sense of dread, doom and destruction. Have to admit it kind of puts a bit of a dampener on things when you are sat under a palm tree on the beach, looking at the sun setting and drinking out of an iced coconut - but all you can think about is how terrible everything is!

This was further compounded by me actually caching a proper flu-like bug (one of the other effects of Malarone is it reduces your white blood cell count) and also having some pretty nasty bout of food poisoning as well (did mention that Malarone also acts as an antibiotic so plays with your digestive system too??!!). Jaryn also caught a stinker of a stomach bug as well just before me so it fair to say we spent as much time sitting on, or looking into, our hotel room toilet over the last 4-5 days as we did exploring Sihanoukville. Luckily it was a fairly nice hotel.

When we did get out into the town and it's surrounding beaches, which on paper tick all the boxes of being up there with the worlds best, I am sad to say that they were a bit of a disappointment. Whilst the sea was indeed a turquoise blue (and certainly warm) and the sands were indeed white and soft, this was all lost below piles of rubbish and junk. There were a few spots were you could find some pristine beaches, and the outlying islands are the places to find these, but the beaches on the mainland it has to be said leave a lot to be desired. It is also a slightly sad place as well, with a ridiculous amount of Russian oligarchs with their trophy wives and ridiculously massive beer bellies (bigger belly = bigger fortune, or so we presumed) parading around with their jet ski's and flashy cars contrasting with the local people who are clearly scratching out an existence on the poverty line. It is a real shame and hopefully something that will improve in the future, as the beaches have the potential to be world class and create jobs for local people.

Sadly it seems Cambodia is still too corrupt and inequitable for the government to provide a useful refuse collection and management service for these parts of the country (let alone any of the other important key services it's population needs). The governing party here is called the 'People's Party" led by a leader who has been in power for 23 years and refuses to give it up until he retires. I only hope that is sooner rather than later for the people of Cambodia who come across as a spirited, hard working and very open and friendly bunch. One of the most interesting encounters was with a fellow tourist on a boat trip who was a Cambodian who fled to Australia in the late 70's during the Khmer Rouge era and his story was very humbling. His kids with their broad Aussie accents were a delight as well!

However thanks to rubbish, illness and Malarone we both had a bit of a dim view of the place and when we were just about well enough to escape then we took the first chance we could to get away. This leg of the journey was actually smooth, straightforward and kind of went like clockwork (pretty sure the Vietnamese would not let you leave so easily without a little farewell scam or two??!!).

So we didn't really see as much of the 'real' Cambodia as we would have liked, apart from looking out from the side of a tuk tuk or the bus as we left towards the airport. Jaryn vowed he would never come back, me I am not so sure - but certainly not in a hurry! I do however wish them all the best and hope the nation gets the chance to grow and flourish like some of their neighbours and the potentially stunning coastline the have can bring them the potential it deserves. I have attached a couple of photos that give you an idea of its scope anyway...will upload more in the future of the less celubrious aspects! iPad still not liking my camera but working to resolve this!

A pleasant couple of flights and a dashing shuttle connection between Bangkok's airports followed (all that I will see of this sprawling city for now) sees us heading to Chaing Mai in Thailand and hopefully a much more relaxed, illness free and pleasant time...well that's the plan...!