Phnom Penh - Cambodia

Well off I went to get my flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  The flight was with Tiger Airways via Singapore which was a bit backward in coming forward but it got me there.  Had a 5 hour layover in Singapore so I decided to once again, top up on my caffine.  It was perfect timing actually because I could skype home at a decent hour for them.  Went and got a grande latte at Starbucks where I saw my first Christmas tree.

Starbucks Xmas Tree

Child seat in the toilets at Singapore...genius!

Arrived in Cambodia'a capital around 8am where Ricky collected me to take me to the hostel...Nomads.  OMG! it was a proper hostel.  There were 8 beds well, mattresses well, foam thingys on the floor and a shared bathroom.  Later that day Martin the owner had just booked 6 mexican men into my room.  He asked if it was ok and that I could move down a floor if I wanted to.....NO CHANCE MATE!! I'm staying put!  I took this as a gift from my amigos currently living it up in Cancun.  Thanks girls!

Rickay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My foam thingy was near the balcony

As always on my first day I don't do much.  I was told by Martin that I should be very weary of pick pockets and carrying my bag especially at night as bikes will swipe them and take you with them if your still attached.  This put the bejesus up me right then!  I went out for food in the afternoon and took only the money I needed and my camera which I carried in my pocket with my hand in at all times.  Found a great restaurant called The Mekong River.  Beer was 50p..SOLD!!! Ended up eating here most days.  The food was nice and cheap and the staff were friendly.

Mekong River Restaurant

After all I had done in China I decided to chill out for the days after.  I went for a massage (£6) and got my nails and toe nails done (£4).  A proper pamper day.  I got talking to a lad called Sayha who sold books (one of them annoying mitherers coming upto you).  He made me laugh though so I bought some postcards from him and we ended up arranging for him to take me to the Killing Fields the next day.  I bargained down from $25 to $15 which was what my hostel was offering.

The next day I arrived for the buffet breakfast at the Mekong (£1.50) and waited for Seyha.  He told me his tuk tuk was broke so his brother Laa was going to take me.  We arrived at the Killing Fields where they gave me a headphone set with a comentary on it.  It was awful.  I had to turn the headset off halfway round because it was really upsetting.  Next he took me to S21 prison which was where people were tortured and part of the same regime.  Again, I felt sick walking round and left after 10 minutes.  They had before and after pictures of dead people and I felt sick.

Killing Fields

S21 Prison

Not a nice place..had to leave before I threw up

Met a Canadian guy whilst trying to catch some rays on the river front.  Well wierd and not all there I think.  He proceded to tell me how dangerous the city was.  He told me of a girl who won a beauty padgent got invited to a girls house on facebook and was killed by her!!! FFS!! Excused myself quickly and went back to my hostel.

That night was my last night so I headed back to the Mekong for dinner.  Seyha was hanging around so I asked him to join me for dinner..my shout.  We chatted away and then went to the bar upstairs to get cocktails for £1.  He stuck to juice though.  Had some good music, then he escorted me home.  He tried to come into my hostel the little bugger and I said NO! and sent him on his way.

The next morning I could the bus to Siem Reap (5.5hrs).  Realised I didn't know what my hostel was called so thought I was buggered until I remembered my 3G Kindle!!  It worked too, in the middle of nowhere on a dusty road in Cambodia.  Well impressed!  When I arrived my tuk tuk driver was waiting for me to take me to Jasmine Family Guesthouse....with a pool.  Couldn't wait coz the temps were hitting 35 degrees daily.

Middle of nowhere...on my Kindle

Hong Kong Fooey

Arrived off the night train after a comfy sleep and something to eat in the food car.  Forgot the address of my hostel AGAIN!! and my camera battery and computer has died..DOH!  I knew it was called the Yesinn and was in Causeway Bay.  The taxi driver was great.  He called his office and they found it.  He dropped me off and said its down there..... Thanks mate! Couldn't see it so I asked around.  Loads more people speak English here thank god.  Turned a corner and entered what looked like an office building and found it.

Dorm room

Checked in and chilled with a beer whilst looking for things to do here.  Made a list and went to reception for them to tell me how to get to the places.  The weather here was a lot lot warmer..about 27 degrees.  I looked at the forecast for the next day and it was glorious so I decided I was gonna hit the beach.  Needed so well deserved down time.  I was only here for 2 nights but my flight wasn't until 9:40pm 2 days later so I would do the other sights that day...The Big Buddha and The Peak.

That night I got talking to Dan behind reception as I had just purchased a bottle of wine and was going on the 4th floor terrace.  He said he finished soon and would join me.  A few minutes later a friend of Dan's came and found me (Morgan) and sat with me.  She was really nice.  When Dan came I'd told Morgan I was hitting the beach the next day and they decided to come with.  Dad was here teaching English and Morgan was interning at a Dolphinarium...how cool.

Morgan and Dan

The next day Dan got the meet time wrong and as I didn't yet have a new sim card he couldn't reach me.  They were already at Repulse Bay (hahaha) so I said I would meet them there.  The bus stop was right outside the hostel and I asked the driver to tell me when we got there.  A full journey into Stanley later.... I asked the driver and he hit is head and said sorry sorry and told me to sit back down and ride for free back to the beach.  This time he told me when to get off lol. The beach was gorgeous.  I couldn't believe it was only 10 minutes from the hectic city.  We chilled for the day and had curried fish balls and noodles for lunch mmm.  The beach was really strict though.  You couldn't smoke, play ball games, throw frisbee's or anything else that might annoy other beach goers!!

Repulse Bay

Curried fish balls and noodles mmm

That night I decided to head to the light and sound show looking out to Hong Kong Harbour from Kowloon.  Had to get the metro and then a ferry.  Finally got there after getting lost coming off the metro.  At least I found the bus station to take me to the Peak lol. The show was good and got some great pictures.  Headed back to the hostel and went to bed...in my 21 bed dorm.

Hong Kong Harbour

The next day I packed and checked out, storing my bags in the hostel.  I made my way to the Big Buggha - whoops I mean't Buddha haha!  I queued for about an hour! I wish the hostel told me to book online to avoid the queues.  It was a cable car upto the top.  Took about 20 mins.  A little scary but I was getting over this finally.  Was really good.  I climbed all the steps to the top and was knackered.  Kept stopping to take pictures but really it was to catch my breath!

Scary!!!

Up we go....

Taking a picture / having a rest!

Almost there...

By the time I got back down it was 3pm so decided not to risk the Peak as my flight was later.  Plus, it was really smoggy so probably wouldn't have seen much.  Headed to the airport at 6pm by bus and checked in for my flight to Phnom Penh via Singapore. 

Shanghai Nights

Arrived off the boat in Shanghai on the 28th Oct.  Jumped in a cab and made my way to the Captain Youth Hostel.  I was a bit jubious coz of the reviews but the views were supposed to be amazing.  As I entered, Clare was there in the lobby.  It was great to see a friendly face and not have to hold my tongue in front of the blue rinse brigade lol!  A few shouts, screams and cuddles later we headed upto the bar.

View from the bar (this was hair of the dog after the bar crawl)

Our Captain type beds

The reviews were right about the view....it was amazing!  I couldn't have found a more central hostel and the staff were great!  Shame about the bar upstairs.... We got a breakfast which cost us £4.50 ( a rip off in China) and we got a measly plate of scrambled/fried egg that looked like someone had just spat on the plate, a slice of ham and some toast that was tickled by the toaster!    

Call this an English breakfast baahhhh!

We decided to go to the 7/11 and buy some beer and sneak it in the bar hahaha! Typical Brit style.  Well, they wanted £5 for a tiny bottle of beer and the supermarket was 80p each BOOM!!!  So we just sat there and chilled out for the day and decided on what to do whilst in the city.

The next day we got on the Hop On / Hop Off bus.  Cost £3 for a 24hr ticket.  We made our way round the city and got our bearings.  We stopped off at Nanjing Road - a massive shopping area and treated ourselves to a few pints and watch the world go by.  Before this though we went to the train station to get our next tickets.  Its funny how we always just happen to get the 'last seat'.  Had to settle for a top bunk hard sleeper (tell you about that later).  As my train was every other day and we decided to stay for Halloween I extended my stay 2 extra nights.

We tried to track down a costume shop everywhere.  We asked loads of people and searched Google with no result.  That night we went to the Old Street to have a mooch and get some dinner.  It was gorgeous!! Spent ages there.  We did see some red horns for Halloween but thought we would keep looking.  We did however, find a M&S and I bought a new top and shorts for a tenner.  I know I know but no chinese shops have my size.

Old Street at night

On the day of Halloween I decided I needed some make up.  I felt so pale.  So off we went back to Old Street.  The darkest foundation they had was still not my colour but it made me feel better.  Clare spotted a painting she really liked so we spent the next hour bartering.  She got it down from £125 to £45 bargain!!  Whilst in the shop I spotted a really nice one too.  I don't normally bother with that arty farty stuff but I went away and thought about it and returned 10 mins later to buy it.  Cost me £30 but its an original and I love it.  Also bought the red horns for our Halloween Bar Crawl.

My painting...love it!

That night we met up with the crawl in Camel Bar in the French Concession area of Shanghai.  OMG!! Wish we knew about this area sooner.  We talked 2 roomates form China into coming with us...Sally Sue and Jane.  Also found out we could have got costumes from near here as well. Gutted! but still had an amazing night!  As Jane was on the last minute she didn't have any costume so Clare collared a guy outside, showed her boobies and got a pair of light up pumpkins for her LMFAO!!!!  The bars were great and apart from the £13 we paid for the crawl, we spent aound £4 all night.  Spent more at KFC at 3am hahaha.

Jane and Sally Sue's first ever bar crawl

The Bar Crawl crew

My very pale foundation....the darkest one they had!

The next day we were both ok....strange but true.  I slepted on and off all day.  That night we decided to walk along the Bund (right opposite our hostel) and join a river cruise.  Got back and we were starving.  The hostel told us that KFC deliver!!!! BOOM...another zinger burger meal for me at 11:30pm.

On our last day the first thing on our agenda was a GREAT BRITISH BREAKFAST! Went back to O'Malley's from the pub crawl.  Ok it cost £12.50 but check the picture out!! An orgasm on a plate mmmmmmmmmm.  

PHWOARRRRR!!!!!

Sally Sue's first English breakfast ....omlette

Later we went back to Old Street yet again to get some souveniers for Clare and a new camera lead for my camera as I misplaced mine.  Later that day we parted snogs at the train station and promised to keep in touch.  Got to my cabin on the train to find my top bunk.  JESUS... it was an effort to get up.  I had a laugh with the Chinese people about it but I managed.  Couldn't sit up lol!  Tried to get a photo but my camera battery died DOH!  Got talking to a guy from Hong Kong and the night went really fast.  Bed was comfy so just finished my 3rd Hunger Games book and went to sleep.

Bye Bye Shanghai...my most favourite city in China x x

Hey Mickey!

Arrived in Chongqing and my hostel was great.  Right on the Yangtze River.  As you may have seen...they had no dorms rooms left so I got a single room with private bathroom.  When you travel you realise the small things you take for granted become a luxury.  Toilet paper provided, western toilet and hot water to name a few!  The bed was rock hard mind but hey, you can't have everything.

My single room

The next day I had to venture out as I needed toiletries and to send my Panda pressies home.  Guess how I got there.........yep more bloody steps!! Looked like a drowned rat when I reached the top.  The centre was huge and full of famous named shops but all I wanted was a bit of shampoo and toothpaste.

Dungeon corridor

Got back to the hostel and through the night I got talking to different people...which ended up with a few drinks too many (sorry mum) and a rough hangover the next day.  Shot out of bed the next morning and ran for my cruise.

Hostel drunkards

I was well surprised when I got there.  It was amazing!  Checked in and got to my cabin and thought YES! my own cabin.  That was til my roomie arrived.....71 yr old Mickey from San Francisco.  Yep, thats right, Mickey 'as in the mouse' her words not mine.  Turns out she didn't like her name Leah Anne so she changed it by deed poll to...Mickey 'as in mouse' of all names LOL!  

Victoria Sophia

* Infasemia - so I couldn't smoke near her or spray anything near her
As many old people, they seem to share their list of current illnesses with you so off she went....
* Gluten Free Diet - or she shit herself
* Pork Intolerance - or she shit herself (the staple food of China)
* Hunchback of Notredame - she used to be 5ft 9in and now she's 5ft 4in
* Bladder weakness - had to go to the bog a minimum of 10-12 times per night
* Bad kidneys - Every little bang caused a bruise or a cut

Mickey 'as in mouse'!!!

BLOODY HELL and that's all I remember!  She was ok though and I give her her due, she was up everyday doing all the trips and even climbed the Yellow Mountain once up there.

Anyway, the first few days of my trip I really suffered.  Has a bout of sickness and diahorrea for 3 days.  Eventually I got a little better and started to enjoy my trip.  The Three Gorges were amazing and I went up the Yellow Mountain and really overcome my fear of cable cars.

Top of the Yellow Mountain

Also treated myself to some acupuncture.  I've had a really bad neck/shoulder due the the way I sit at work so he treated it with acupuncture (with electric currents so I sat there with a twitch for 20 mins lol), cupping (seen below) and a deep massage.  It must have been bad as at one point he was kneeled on the table behind me really trying to get the knot out.  Hey, it worked!!! No more pain!  He gave me 20% off if I paid him cash and didn't tell the head coordinator (god knows how much commission they take off on the cruise!!) and in return he gave me a really nice embroidered picture...bless him.

Being cupped

After cupping...

I tell you what though, the blue rinse brigade were out in abundance on that cruise.  I was the youngest passenger apart from a 7yr old chinese girl.  The couple I met from Holland were funny.  One night the guy (Gon) sat down and spilt a full cup of coffee on his crotch and jumped up and did a little dance and made sounds from some seedy porn right on the stage in front of everyone ahhaha.

My table

Arrived in Shanghai and as I reached the hostel Clare Bear was waiting with a big scream and a hug.  Let the fun begin...................

CHEERS!!!!