Cambodia - Vietnam

My time at the beach had to come to an end sometime but it was hard tearing myself away, I could easily have stayed there another 7 weeks!

I got the bus back up to Phnom Penh and stayed by the lake in the same guest house as before (I think this time I had the company of bed bugs but for $3 a night you can't complain!). Took another whirl around the city on a motorcycle to the market where I bargained hard for a small wooden buddha, some silk cushion covers and a hat. To be truthful I found it really hard to bargain as it's all so cheap anyway... I think in my head what the price I want and am willing to pay is, then I ask how much it is and they always say either the price that I am thinking or a lower price - doh! So I ask for a dollar off what they say and go on my merry way!!

Up early to catch the bus to Ho Chi Min City. A little bumpy but nothing compared to the Poipet to Siem Reap road. We got stopped on the way because the Prime Minister was opening a school so the road was blocked for about an hour. He eventually flew off in his helicopter and his assistants sped past in big Lexus 4x4, there was about 30 of these cars so he obviously needs a lot of assistance!!

The border crossing was OK. I had to pay a man $1 to fill out my form and another guy 1000 riel for him to staple my 2 forms together, the joys of bureaucracy!

A man with massive shoulders sat next to me for the rest of the trip which was a little uncomfortable. (These little things are all important parts of my day!)

Arrived in Ho Chi Min and no word of a lie (!) I have never seen so many motorcycles in all my life, driving at immense speed in all directions. This city is mental! The traffic never stops and, as everyone advises, if you want to cross the road you really do just have to step right into the traffic, slowly walk aross the road and hope for the best! I find closing my eyes whilst doing this helps!

So here I am, going to book a few trips around the city and then head for the beach (again) before everything shuts down for the Chinese New Year.