I started the year with a few really good intentions. Like not drinking alcohol, not eating meat, not brushing my hair. So far I have found varying degrees of success in each.
I also started the year looking forward to a trip to Cambodia in February to build houses for charity and even though this was changed last minute, we had flights booked and were still very keen to go.
We decided to call our trip - "The Hippy Trip", because we're both middle aged hippies on the inside. This also meant a fair degree of backpacking (yes, we bought a backpack), and using the cheapest transport options available to us. All of our accommodation was booked as we went along through Agoda using last minute specials and crossing our fingers we'd find a decent bargain!
I'd won a free trip to Singapore flying Scoot Airlines through a Facebook competition via Nova 96. A little nervous about flying a budget airline, I was extremely surprised - in a nice way! The seats were comfy and the customer service was outstanding! We were fed and watered throughout the flight and arrived on time into Singers.
Singapore didn't disappoint. We stayed a few nights with my gorgeous friend and her family and laughed ourselves silly. She lives very central to everything; a quick stroll down Orchard Rd, a morning coffee in Botanical Gardens while my husband jogged, and we also enjoyed fantastic views on the rooftop before dining in the Supertrees at Indochine. Half an hour at Brix was more than enough for me, an expat bar under the Hyatt where men go to pick up high class hookers. Enough said.
Jetstar flew us to Phnom Penh, and at $55 per person we were definitely succeeding backpacking.
This was my third trip to Cambodia and my husbands first, so we decided to acclimatise for a few days in a cute little boutique hotel overlooking the Mekong, The Quay! Its one of my all time favourites, and even thought the upkeep is starting to slide a little, I still really love it there. John was excited to explore and we wove our way through the streets to bookstores, restaurants, cafes before climbing onto tuk-tuks to visit the Killing Fields and Toul Sleng Prison.
Our concierge booked us onto a bus for Siem Reap, and thinking we might like comfort, had booked the "private minibus". 8 hours of hell, sitting in the last seat in a cramped mini bus over potholes and dodging large trucks, I truly wished we'd gone more budget and spent a third on the public bus. Lesson learnt....
The last time I was in Siem Reap I was only one of a handful of tourists, and being there in February was more of a culture shock. Busloads of noisy and disrespectful tourists ruined some of the nicer temples - selfies in front of ancient monuments were their priority. A Facebook profile pic. A pose in high heels. Many tour leaders held megaphones and yelled at their "charges" as they scrambled over ruins and rubbed oily hands over bas relief sculptures. I had to walk away for fear that my memories of such amazing temples be tainted.
The 4am wake up call to watch the sunrise over Angkor Watt was hardly worth the effort, however I did manage to run into a lovely acquaintance, Johanna of Traveleater as we both tried to escape the noise! The world truly is a very small place.
I also spent some time in the Royal Angkor Hospital feeling sick and sorry for myself. I left with a goodie bag of medication to see me through the remainder of my trip. (I can highly recommend the hospital - clean, knowledgable and very efficient, but not for the backpacker budget).
Our time at Siem Reap had come to an end and we caught the public bus to Battambang. Well worth the $6!
Battambang - what a place! We found a cute little villa to rest in that was not quite backpack style, but we could keep our backpack there. The Sanctuary Villa was fantastic respite from the dry and dusty heat, with a swimming pool and really lovely gardens.
On arrival, we'd met a young polite driver - Darra - who we hired for a full day to take us to some remote temples. Totally inspiring, Darra is putting himself through university to do a business degree as well as paying for his sister to do her university degree in hospitality. He is also supporting his grandmother.
Climbing the three hundred stairs to Watt Banan, being fanned (literally) by an 8yr old was a highlight, as was going for a fast and furious ride on the Bamboo Train! The other higlights of Battambang were discovering and old friend Daisy at Jaan Bai, run by the amazing team of Cambodian Childrens Trust and spending a night watching the Phare Circus!
We also spent some time at the Bat Caves, and wandering the streets of my new favourite little town.
Back in Phnom Penh, we booked ourselves smack bang into the red light district - something the reviews on Agoda don't tell you about! Le Cube was really quite nice, and we were upgraded to an executive suite, complete with golden leather headboard and round bed....... I shudder to think of the activity that goes on there.
Our final days in Phnom Penh were spent eating at the FCC, walking through the markets, having afternoon tea at Friends and generally just enjoying being on the streets of this busy little city.
There are so many things I truly love about Cambodia and each time I return I find more to love. We may not have built our houses this time, but we had an amazing hippy time being backpackers.
I also started the year looking forward to a trip to Cambodia in February to build houses for charity and even though this was changed last minute, we had flights booked and were still very keen to go.
We decided to call our trip - "The Hippy Trip", because we're both middle aged hippies on the inside. This also meant a fair degree of backpacking (yes, we bought a backpack), and using the cheapest transport options available to us. All of our accommodation was booked as we went along through Agoda using last minute specials and crossing our fingers we'd find a decent bargain!
I'd won a free trip to Singapore flying Scoot Airlines through a Facebook competition via Nova 96. A little nervous about flying a budget airline, I was extremely surprised - in a nice way! The seats were comfy and the customer service was outstanding! We were fed and watered throughout the flight and arrived on time into Singers.
Singapore didn't disappoint. We stayed a few nights with my gorgeous friend and her family and laughed ourselves silly. She lives very central to everything; a quick stroll down Orchard Rd, a morning coffee in Botanical Gardens while my husband jogged, and we also enjoyed fantastic views on the rooftop before dining in the Supertrees at Indochine. Half an hour at Brix was more than enough for me, an expat bar under the Hyatt where men go to pick up high class hookers. Enough said.
Kylie, John and I on the rooftop of Indochine, SuperTrees!
This is not at Brix.
Jetstar flew us to Phnom Penh, and at $55 per person we were definitely succeeding backpacking.
This was my third trip to Cambodia and my husbands first, so we decided to acclimatise for a few days in a cute little boutique hotel overlooking the Mekong, The Quay! Its one of my all time favourites, and even thought the upkeep is starting to slide a little, I still really love it there. John was excited to explore and we wove our way through the streets to bookstores, restaurants, cafes before climbing onto tuk-tuks to visit the Killing Fields and Toul Sleng Prison.
Our concierge booked us onto a bus for Siem Reap, and thinking we might like comfort, had booked the "private minibus". 8 hours of hell, sitting in the last seat in a cramped mini bus over potholes and dodging large trucks, I truly wished we'd gone more budget and spent a third on the public bus. Lesson learnt....
The last time I was in Siem Reap I was only one of a handful of tourists, and being there in February was more of a culture shock. Busloads of noisy and disrespectful tourists ruined some of the nicer temples - selfies in front of ancient monuments were their priority. A Facebook profile pic. A pose in high heels. Many tour leaders held megaphones and yelled at their "charges" as they scrambled over ruins and rubbed oily hands over bas relief sculptures. I had to walk away for fear that my memories of such amazing temples be tainted.
The 4am wake up call to watch the sunrise over Angkor Watt was hardly worth the effort, however I did manage to run into a lovely acquaintance, Johanna of Traveleater as we both tried to escape the noise! The world truly is a very small place.
I also spent some time in the Royal Angkor Hospital feeling sick and sorry for myself. I left with a goodie bag of medication to see me through the remainder of my trip. (I can highly recommend the hospital - clean, knowledgable and very efficient, but not for the backpacker budget).
Our time at Siem Reap had come to an end and we caught the public bus to Battambang. Well worth the $6!
Battambang - what a place! We found a cute little villa to rest in that was not quite backpack style, but we could keep our backpack there. The Sanctuary Villa was fantastic respite from the dry and dusty heat, with a swimming pool and really lovely gardens.
On arrival, we'd met a young polite driver - Darra - who we hired for a full day to take us to some remote temples. Totally inspiring, Darra is putting himself through university to do a business degree as well as paying for his sister to do her university degree in hospitality. He is also supporting his grandmother.
Climbing the three hundred stairs to Watt Banan, being fanned (literally) by an 8yr old was a highlight, as was going for a fast and furious ride on the Bamboo Train! The other higlights of Battambang were discovering and old friend Daisy at Jaan Bai, run by the amazing team of Cambodian Childrens Trust and spending a night watching the Phare Circus!
We also spent some time at the Bat Caves, and wandering the streets of my new favourite little town.
Putting together our little carriage of the Bamboo Train
Back in Phnom Penh, we booked ourselves smack bang into the red light district - something the reviews on Agoda don't tell you about! Le Cube was really quite nice, and we were upgraded to an executive suite, complete with golden leather headboard and round bed....... I shudder to think of the activity that goes on there.
Our final days in Phnom Penh were spent eating at the FCC, walking through the markets, having afternoon tea at Friends and generally just enjoying being on the streets of this busy little city.
There are so many things I truly love about Cambodia and each time I return I find more to love. We may not have built our houses this time, but we had an amazing hippy time being backpackers.
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