ANA AND ANDY, KAMPOT, CAMBODIA. 11th MAR 2014.

Kampot

We'd not known too much about Kampot other than it was a riverside town with many pepper farms in the vicinity. Once in Kampot we used our map to navigate to our guesthouse- which was wrong... We wandered around for a good 30mins in the baking heat before stopping at a hotel to ask for directions. We ended up hopping in a tuk tuk and it took us almost back to where we started- whoops!

Cool little local fishing village at the end of town - every morning a flotilla of boats would leave here for the day upriver.

Pretty Kampot across the flat river, a very chilled and relaxed place to be.

Settled into the Champeysor guest house and saw that there was a pub quiz on at a local hostel so headed there.

River view (sort of!) form the top of Champeysor guest house.

Arrived at the 'Blissful' guesthouse and sat at the bar chatting to a gang of expats who had made Kampot their temporary home. One guy we chatted to was an East Londoner who drove long distance lorries for 9 months of the year and then spent the next 3 months abroad. We ate a big bowl of pasta for tea and joined a team for the quiz. We met Nathan, Nathan and Ellie who formed the 'We're not here to take part, we're here to win' quiz team. And luckily for us- we did! Hurrah, 4 Brits and a Kiwi won the quiz and the coveted prize of 8 cans of Angkor beer... I traded one in for a sprite ;)

Yeah! We did it by 2.5 points, we were a little surprised and happy- hence the expressions!

Our own 'Angkor Wat' made of victory Angkor beer (clearly empty cans by this point) :)

We celebrated and chatted with the gang before saying our farewells and heading back to our guesthouse.

We wanted to explore Kampot so headed out on foot to the other side of the river over the 'old bridge', the bridge itself is actually 3 or 4 bridges of different designs that were welded together after the orginal was destroyed in a bombing raid. This gives it a very distinctive look and you can even see where the old bridge twisted and fell into the river. Across the river we walked for a good hour or more in the heat and strolled through local villages and salt flats and amongst the water buffalo, birds and other wildlife making a life for themselves in the dusty landscape. It was like a walking safari!

Even the cows are getting a little restless in the heat! I didnt want to get much closer to this guy who was attacking the ground!

The old bridge or should I say the new bridges, how many can you spot here?

Saw this little fella hanging out basking on the wall.

We walked for what seemed like ages (Ana wrote this so those who know her know this is a long way!) and saw so much of everyday local life- it was ace. We stumbled on the salt feilds and one of the salt stores.

Local kids strolling across the salt flats, reminded me of the Beatles Abbey Road album Cover...

Alex D's dream, a warehouse of freshly made salt!

The 'Durian' roundabout a key landmark in Kampot, all roads lead from here!

This chap is trying to sell chickens, the poor little blighters are still live but I suspect not for long...

Pretty cool to see and we had plenty of warm welcomes from the locals. We also bumped into this little fella!

What's that you've picked up there Ana?

Ah...Its a flat dehydrated frog! Something about coming from flatland? Apparently Robyn will get the reference?

Certainly couldn't stand the heat and was a dried up as we felt being in the heat. Headed back across the bride for lunch and back to the guesthouse for air con before we ended up like the frog!

That evening we went across to the 'Magic Sponge' guesthouse in expat central where we would be staying the next night. We needed to sort a scooter for the next day and our room for the next night and whilst we were there had a drink and a listen to some of the live music going on. We wanted to at the Magic sponge originally but they didn't have any room for the first 2 nights, it was a very 'backpackery' place with its own free (mini/crazy) golf course! A guarantee of quality :)

Next day before we checked out of the Champeysor guest house and into the Magic Sponge, Andy ventured out for an early morning run!  Temperatures still very high and Andy is now like an athlete been sent to a hotter climate to train before an Olympics.  There is no stopping him at the moment and he's certainly far more active than I at the moment.

We jumped on our scooter again (getting to be a regular occurance now!) and headed out to Starling Pepper Farm. It was a great drive through the countryside and villages out to the farm. But mega hot!!! It's now creeping above 35 degrees and we are in a constant state of sweat. Arriving at the farm we'd persuaded one of the girls who run the shop to take us around, she knew about 3 words of English, one being pepper. So we muscled in on a tour being given to some others by a tuk tuk driver and . We ended up learning quite a lot about red, green, white and black pepper (all the same plant don't you know?) and ended up eating quite a lot of the fruiting pepper too. A little spicy straight off the plant!

The intrepid explorers wobble off on another scooter adventure, why do the helmets always make you look daft?

Some more than others ;) Anyone else thinking Penelope Pitstop?

Hide and seek in the pepper farm!

Trying to look like a professional pepper farmer...and failing!

Learnt a lot about pepper - maybe ate a little too much too. Red, white, black and green all come form the same plant, just picked and dried / skinned at different stages - did you know that? I didn't. E-mail me for more pepper facts!

1st year pepper plants growing around brick towers

Pretty flowers on the farm

Just before we left this little guy poked his head up - probably one of the best photos I have taken whilst away! I love this one!

We then took shelter in the farm shop, had a game of pool and tried to cool off before getting back on the bike. A very dusty 30 min ride back to beautiful, relaxed Kampot for lunch!

Long dusty ride back to Kampot in my Robocop helmet!

Back to the Magic Sponge for a chilled our afternoon of reading, golf and a beer. We headed down to the river and fishing village for photos and sunset views followed by tasty dinner, Andy had squid and green pepper as if not enough pepper had been consumed already that day.

Afternoon Mini golf - Ana taking it very seriously!

Back to the fishing village, on purpose this time ;)

Great views of the river at sunset with the funky French style lamposts, the locals hang out along here as the sun goes down...

There's one now... Oh no, it's Ana

The following day we set off for tourist central in south Cambodia, Sihanoukville. We were crammed into a minivan that seats 15 but had squeezed around 20 of us in plus luggage and parcels to be delivered along the way! An uncomfortable 3hr ride along the coast with our baggage poorly tied into the boot. Still we should consider ourselves lucky, on other minibuses they use the luggage tied onto the back to add seating capacity! We have seen people clinging onto a pile of roped bags for dear life. Crazy.

We walked to our guest house a stones throw from the beach and checked ourselves in. We'd chosen to dice with death and go for a room with no air con! Yes, a fan room only! Big mistake, the room was smelly and damp and was constantly hot. So headed out for food and a stroll along the beach. The coastline is beautiful and certainly reminded me a little of the Thai beaches that we'd visited back in Feb.  That eve we headed to 'Holy Cow' restaurant for food, pretty quiet but had come recommended so we dined in peace :)

Andy decided that he wanted to head out for an beach run... So at some early time (I stayed asleep!) he disappeared and returned suitably sweaty and said he'd run on the beach bare footed... Now this 45 minute run had turned out to be a 45 minute exfoliate of his soles, so smooth skin and giant big toe blisters were his reward (and hobbling for a couple of days afterward)! We headed out to a cafe which employs and trains local young people (Starfish Bakery) serving ace food for breakfast. Always good when you're eating for a good cause ;) after a great breakfast which included a huge BLT sandwich on home made bread and a random massive slice of melon as garnish.

Home baked bread and stacks of filling, awesome BLT for breakfast! Well done Starfish Bakery (Good coffee too!).

We headed back to the beach to spend the day in the sun... Well under a parasol as it was too hot! Andy spent most of his time playing in the sea- something new I've learnt about him, he must've been a sea animal in a former life as he regresses to childlike play in the water!  And I power read my way through Tess of the D'Urbervilles whilst fighting off an army of kids selling bracelets and women wanting to massage, feed and beautify me.

The pier on Serendipity beach, before the hungover kids flood back down for the day to burn...I feel old!

View of Serendipity beach, Sihanoukville. Beach is the best bit here...

That evening was the final 6 nations matches so as we were in a part of Cambodia which could easily pass as the costa del sol we thought we'd make the most of it. Settled into the game in a sports bar and watched England win the game, hurrah!

Bored of the beach way of things (namely me, Ana) we headed back to Phnom Penh to sort out our Lao visas and catch up on admin before heading north.

Sihanoukville would be a great place for a lads weekend or a post graduation, cheap beach piss up holiday but not the best place for a relaxed vibe for 2 travellers approaching middle age ;) (sorry Ana!) a bit too 'Brits abroad' for my liking but the beaches are nice.

Next stop  Phnom Penh again (I like it there)!