Enough of the City - Heading For The Beach - Sihanoukville

David our Cambodian Little Friend Making Lee A Bracelet
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After two days in P.P. we decided enough was enough and we desparately needed to have some fresh air and see the sea - so we booked a USD5 ticket on the GST bus bound for Sihanoukville on Cambodia's south coast.  Its the nearest thing to the beaches of Thailand that you will find here in Cambodia as is facing the Gulf of Thailand.

After a non eventful journey watching a funny Cambodia movie and Karaoke songs we arrived in Sihanoukville around lunch time to a rather deserted bus station.  This was very unusual as the bus stations we had experienced in the past had been a hustle and bustle of tuk-tuk drivers shouting for our custom.  We were met by a few curious locals and a few moto riders trying to tout business to the guest houses.  There was no alternative but to take two motos (motorbikes) to a guesthouse they recommended right on the beach.  Well, anyone who knows us can imagine the sight I (Jan) looked with huge backpack on my back and daypack on my front looking at this motorbike...... help..... but the driver took my pack and positioned it on the front of the bike in between his legs and I popped the day pack on my back and that was it - hopped on the back of the bike gripping for dear life and off we went.  Lee was behind me and he has told me that he laughed all the way to the GuestHouse at how tight my grip was onto the back of the bike.  Just as well the journey was only 10 mins or I would have lost all feeling in my fingers!

After our bike ride in the rain!
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Reached a lovely Guesthouse just about right on the beach and was very pleasantly surprised with how nice everything was.  Our little room consisted of two double beds, ensuite bathroom and two wall fans (aircon was USD10 and our room was USD6 so we opted for the cheaper option), however at 6pm it became evident that all the fans did was move the heat around the room and the room became like a sauna.  After a hot and uncomfortable night we decided to stretch to the USD10 for aircon and moved the next day.

How come Lee is dryer than me!
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A few days later we decided to venture into town on the back of two motos.  We should have guessed what would happen we our drivers but on their rain poncho things but we didn't.  We weren't 20 metres down the road when the first few drops of rain hit us and about 30 metres when someone turned on the tap and the monsoons hit.  I thought by putting on my sunglasses this would somehow stop the rain from blinding me but not so!  I then spent the next 10 mins swearing and choaking as if someone was drowning me.  I am sure I terrified the poor driver of the motorbike.  At last we reached the town and I could see Lee laughing himself stupid at the sight of a rain soaked Jan getting off the bike.  He had reached the shelter a good minute before me and was so releaved to see me as he tells me he was convinced I had fallen off.  I reckon the driver was going so slow as he was concerned about the weird noises I was making!