And the Lefootprints Awards go to: Best and Worse of everything

So as my time in Asia recently came to an end and now I've decided I'll be throwing darts at other parts of the world map (Macchu Picchu is calling), it got me thinking about what I've enjoyed while I was there. What was it that kept me coming back year after year and also what didn't I enjoy about it? There was plenty of stuff that just wasn't worth flying 1000's of miles to see but what were they? So the awards for...

Highlights:

30,000 Tori Gate Shrine (Fushimi Inari Shrine) 

Take the winding trails of this beautiful shrine in Kyoto, Japan and you’ll be amazed by just how many tori gates line the paths of this place. I don’t know if there really are 30,000 of them but it feels like there are millions! Follow the paths up to the top of Inari Mountain and the picture perfect becomes atmospheric and eerily quiet.

Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji)

This Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan has two floors completed covered in gold leaf. It’s beautiful and a must-see.

Shibamata Taishakuten Temple 

A lot of Japan doesn’t really feel like what it should but with a trip to this Tokyo temple you can be immediately transported to the real Japan. It’s made completely out of wood and features a traditional style garden and delicate carved decorations.

The Bamboo Train

The bamboo train in Battambang, Cambodia might look slow but it’s not. Have a go, it’s so much fun!

Chu Chi Tunnels  Fun and educational, you can experience these tiny 75-mile long tunnels in Saigon, Vietnam that were once a hiding place for the Vietnamese during the war. Bamboo rafting and elephant riding  Ever fantasied about being Indiana Jones? Well that’s what I felt like when I did this, just like I was in the movies! Touristy but none the less it’s an unforgettable experience.    Floating villages and markets They come in different styles and sizes from touristy markets to entire communities and some are better than others but they’re all an experience and no 2 are quite the same. The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) It is rare I get amazed by a temple but this one in Chiang Rai, Thailand is exceptional. Considered blasphemous by many locals, the unconventional temple features all manner of things from illustrations of Spiderman to creepy hanging heads. It really is one of a kind and is highly recommended if you’re ever in Thailand.

Erawan National Park 

One of Thailand’s most popular attractions and it’s easy to see why. The seven tied waterfalls are spectacular and the best I’ve seen so far. There are also 5 caves consisting of interesting stalactites, stalagmites and limestone formations to explore as well.

Mount Merapi  Feel the force of nature with a visit to Indonesia’s most active volcano and witness the nothingness left by the eruption in 2010.  A reminder that human’s are powerless to stop mother nature. Truly an experience not to miss.    Kawah Ijen In Indonesia kawah means crater and if you do manage the 2,600 meters to the top of this one you’ll be rewarded by magnificent views of the world’s largest sulphuric lake. You’ll also get to witness what must be one of the hardest jobs in the world, sulphur mining in action.   Banaue Rice Terraces 2,000-3,000 years ago these rice terraces in The Philippines were carved from the land by the hands of the tribes’ people of Ifugao. Considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world and the 8th wonder to, this really should be on your bucket list.     Angkor Wat Temple Complex  If I was asked to choose the best thing I’ve seen, hands down it would be the largest religious monument in the world, Angkor in Cambodia. This place is so vast and every which way you look there’s something of interest. If you only get to see one thing in Asia, make it this. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town About 2 hours drive from Shanghai, China lays Zhujiajiao, a picturesque water town a world away from ultra modern Shanghai. It’s considered by many to be too touristy but I really enjoyed my time here and consider it a highlight from my trip to China.   Miajima and Hiroshima Hiroshima doesn’t have a lot to do but what it does do it does well. It’s quiet, relaxing but also eerie and feels more like one huge graveyard rather than a city. Everywhere pays homage to the atomic bombing that took place on the 6th of august 1945 and all around there are tragic reminders of the lives that were shattered that day. 2 hours boat ride away is Miajima, in the list of the world’s top 5 beautiful places it really is an awesome sight, the famous floating tori gate is fantastic and the wild deer will you keep you entertained for hours. Make sure to stop by if you’re ever in Japan. All hype:

The Great Wall of China
They say it’s great but it’s just a wall and not a very tall one either, the views were pretty good and it did seem as if it went on forever but I was a little disappointed with the Mutianyu section of the wall.

Puerto Princesa Underground River
It may be the world’s largest one and the only nominee of Philippines to make it in the new 7 wonder list but it’s just a river under a mountain. It has a few interesting formations but you can see those kind of things in most caves, worth a look but only if you're in PP anyway. 

The Golden Triangle
More of The Mekong River, as if you hadn't seen enough of it already...

Food:
Favorite: Chinese
Least Favorite: Japanese
Best Dishes: Northern Thai Curry (Chiang Mai), rice soup (various), crepes (Harajuku)
Weirdest: Scorpion (Bejing), dog (Banlung) and balut (Manila)


Money:
Least expensive: Thailand
Most expensive: Japan
Most scams: Vietnam

Least scams: Japan 

Misc: 
Best skyline: Hong Kong
Worst skyline: Jakarta

Best music: Vietnam 

Worst music: Cambodia

Most beautiful places: Hong Kong, Banaue, Kuala Lumpur and Miajima

Favorite cities: Lopburi, Tokyo, Hoi An, Beijing, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Manila, Hiroshima, Kanchanaburi and Battambang. 

So that was The Lefootprints Awards, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed reliving some of my best moments. I’d love to hear about where you've been to so please leave a comment or subscribe and tell me all about your favourite and least favourite places, which place had your favourite munchies or even if you just think this post was a load of rubbish and Cambodia has the best music ever.

Penang: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's ass-saving Kevin!

I didn't get arrested I got this fine instead!

Wow! It's been a while since I posted but you may have guessed I didn't get arrested, in fact the staff at immigration were all smiles and they were happy to accept my 1000 bath no questions asked. Long live Thailand ha ha!

Anyway, I don't know if it's due to lack of planning but every time I go to Malaysia I have problems and this time was no different. it's always somewhere that's just been transit for me and I always end up stuck in KL so this time I really wanted to see a different side to Malaysia. Now for some weird reason I'd seen some photos and thought Penang was going to be this quaint and quiet riverside town place.

Boy, was I wrong...

Instead I found myself in a massive city, which was part mainland and island! I guess I'd been looking at pictures of Georgetown all this time but that's just one part of Penang! I was tired and so grumpy when I arrived as it had taken me a good hour and a half longer than I thought it would of done to get to my booked accommodation. The traffic and rain was killer, I was running a day behind schedule and I'd forgotten to let anyone know that. Now I know websites like Hostelbookers and Hostelworld claim you'll be hit with charges for not contacting your accommodation if you need to cancel or change your booking but I've never seen it. However upon my arrival I noticed a note pinned on the door with my name on it.

Please help yourself to tea or coffee I will be back in 10 minutes.

Cheap plastic shutters instead of toilet doors...really?

I knew then, it wouldn't be that simple...

Unfortunately for me the manager had lost some business and sat up till midnight waiting for me to walk through the door. I'm feeling pretty guilty but then he tells me he'll have to charge me for the extra night and now I'm feeling pretty pissy but thanks to my grovelling skills he feels sorry for me and lets me off. I'd never stayed in a home stay before, I normally avoid them as cosy houses converted into hotels/guesthouses really don't do it for me but it turned out to be pretty cool. However, just as expected there was very little privacy. Everything was provided from soap to banana bread though but not sure I would stay in one again mind.





I can honestly say there have been very few times in my life I have been so scared I just wanted to go home and hug my mum like I did while in Penang. I'd seen posts online about people stumbling across old cemeteries and graveyards and getting awesome photos. I wouldn't go out of my way to find one but if I happened to come across one I would definitely venture inside to. So after I managed to miss the Komtar building twice (how? I don't know, it's a bloody obvious bus stop!) I do indeed stumble across a fantastic looking cemetery so I ring that bell and stop the bus. Turns out this was a christian cemetery that was built in the 1700's and it was as cool as it had looked from the passing bus, creepy and like something from a scary movie. So I'm in there having so much fun, getting snappy with my camera and thinking how awesome I am for coming across this gem and then it happens...

I see that stupid doorway, I almost miss it and I wish I had done. It's the entrance to the catholic section of the cemetery and the beginning of a very stressful day for me. Everything is going well, I'm happily taking photos still and trying to be as respectful as I can by avoiding stamping on graves but it's almost impossible there's so much foliage. When suddenly I feel my arms tingling and when I look down I see what remind me  of miniature soldiers, my arms are covered in rows of mosquitoes! My skin crawls but this is too cool to just walk away so I ignore the burning on my arms and keep taking photos. However, by the time I do leave my arms are killing me and all I can think about is tigar balm!  I don't manage to find any tiger balm but the pharmacy I come across do have a cream for only 12.90. I'm annoyed but cough up the ringits, my arms are bright red and feel like they're on fire now!

Now the killer itch has subsided, I'm starting to worry about getting malaria and dengue. Having no travel
insurance and only a shoe string budget doesn't help matters, if I do get sick I am in serious trouble, big big trouble...I'll die! I try to calm down and get on with my day but really start panicking when I meet 2 local guys who are curious about my lumpy lobster coloured arm and tell me that "it's the black and white ones that make you ill" and oh the joy, those were the ones that bit me! It's going to be all ok though as one of them knows there's a clinic nearby where I can go to get medicine, it will only cost 1-2 RM and it's oh so important or else I will get sick. So off we go but we get lost several times on the way and after we do finally find it I spend the next few minutes being scared stiff by a doctor who basically says there is nothing you can do but wait and see if you'll get sick but he can prescribe cream in the meantime. URRGGG cream, I just brought cream so it's a no thanks, well you'll have to pay 35 RM regardless if you take the cream or not! Again, what a waste of money! I'm now in a foul mood and about 2 hours behind schedule so the man's attempts to touch me up as we cross a road later don't go down too well. Luckily for me the streets of Georgetown are nothing short of brilliant and there's something to see down every corner from fantastic artwork to charming old buildings. It is truly a pleasure to spend a day walking in these streets.

I get back in the evening to discover my phone is missing but I'm beginning to panic again and far too tired to look for it but I can't sleep either and spend most of the night tossing and turning and researching dengue mosquitoes. I can't find it in the morning either so I head to reception assuming the worse. Lady luck is rarely on your side in these situations but she must have been watching over me while I was in Penang as some brilliant person had handed it in! I never did get sick either but I learnt the value of travel insurance, I'll not travel long term without it again.

At the snake temple

I met Kevin through one of those random face book encounters and it just happened that he was living in Ipoh about 2 hours from Penang. Thank goodness for the randomness because without him I wouldn't of seen half of what I did while I was there. He liked to call it saving my ass and remind me of this numerous times we were together. I'd seen a night tour advertised in a magazine at the war museum that would have been IMPOSSIBLE to get to and a complete waste of time without the help of Kevin and his awesome jeep (really wish I had a photo). I couldn't have afforded the taxi fare and it could have possibly been quite dangerous to as there wasn't much in this part of town, it was closed and pitch black when we arrived and I may just have been eaten by the barking dog who greeted us at the entrance. As we were driving back Kevin asked me to check how old the magazine was...January 2011 of course.  We also went to check out the snake temple and the jewellery making tour, which would have been IMPOSSIBLE without Kevin and complete wastes of time as the snake temple is nothing more than a typical temple, it's tiny and features a few vipers doing sod all cos they're nocturnal. Believe what people say, it is that bad and do not go here if you don't have your own transport. The jewellery tour is by far the BIGGEST tourist trap I have ever come across and I'm so glad I didn't take a bus or taxi out to see this and I don't advise anyone else to do so either unless of course you want to buy jewellery. You'll be given an explanation of how they put gold into molds and then you'll be shown into a show room...wonderful. Somehow Kevin managed to get me a 8 RM tram ticket up to Penang Hill also, something that would have been IMPOSSIBLE on my own as foreigners usually pay 35 RM! but thanks to Kevin's ID and a shift change I was able to get the local price. I hate to admit it but I think Kevin's right he did save my arse, I got to see everything I wanted to and it would have been IMPOSSIBLE without him.

Note to Self: You Pack too Much!

Losing my wash bag has really been an eye-opener. I pack way too much stuff!

Whatever the reason, my backpack might have less in it but it feels twice as heavy. Walking has been a real downer and it’s affected how much time I've spent into finding a hotel, transport I've taken and even how grumpy I've been at times. Every year I promise myself I’ll bring less and only what I really need to but the next year I just end up bringing the same crap with me and half of it I never use.  it's so easy to convince yourself that you will have time and feel like using something but it never happens. Here's a reminder of what I brought with me.

And here is what I actually needed to bring with me;

• Tablet Pc
• Phone
• Camera
• Hairdryer
• SD cards
• External hard drive
• Razor and blades
• Clothes
• Travel adapter
• Passport photos
• Sleeping bag
• Passport
• Debit Card

Somehow the staff on the bus from Hanoi to Vientiane managed to lose my wash bag, SO GRRRRR! It's been annoying but everything has been replaceable aside from the razor, I've been unable to find any decent razors for women. The disposable ones I brought didn't do anything at all. I've used my sleeping bag way more than expected. It's super great to have somewhere to sleep when the bed is crawling with bugs.

Everything else I used I could have brought in Thailand!

• Needle and thread
• Notebook and pens
• Plastic cutlery
• Cotton buds
• Hairbrush
• Tweezers
• Nail Clipper
• Toiletries

Everything in this photo used I either didn't use at all or rarely used and will leave it with my friend for the moment.

I cannot believe I brought all this stuff I didn't use!

And this is all I'm bringing to Malaysia. I knew I've over packed but this is just silly so this is a note to myself that I pack too much!

Philippines: Why does everybody hate Manila?

Dan Brown recently described it as 'the gate to hell' and most people I know don't like it but I'm not sure what the problem with Manila is as I really like it a lot. It's just a very authentic and dare I say it a raw place unlike anywhere I have been in South East Asia before. Christmas celebrations are in full swing much to my bewilderment, it's 30 degrees out here, the sun is blazing and there isn't a snowflake in sight! Maybe it's a little culture shock creeping up on me but with the Spanish twang to the accents, Christmas trees and depictions of Jesus Christ this doesn't feel like Asia at all.

Although there isn't all that much to do in Manila the Chinese cemetery was fantastic, with it's huge mausoleums and tombs that could pass for apartments and pathways that resemble streets it looks more like a city than a graveyard.

Image taken from http://365greatpinoystuff.wordpress

Ask 9 out of 10 people and they'll tell you Filipinos are a friendly lot and I've found they can be. People really went out of their way to help me when some of that bad luck I was having followed me from Malaysia and my card was declined at the airport, letting me borrow phones, charge my laptop and even giving me 500 pesos so I could get to my friend's apartment. You walk into fast food restaurants here and people open doors for you and everybody calls you m'am and sir. However, on the flip side of this it all feels kind of false and really strange to me. I don't like feeling superior to anybody, it didn't feel respecting and I just felt really awkward. Save the mams and sirs for the rich and those in authority please.

Because of my card dilemma (turns out I'd just used the wrong card in the machine) Manila has been more about hanging out and doing weird things like trying balut, biking around the city and meeting some long term Facebook friends for the first time rather than sightseeing. Sure it's overcrowded and has one too many dodgy taxi drivers but I had so much fun here and I look forward to returning to see more of it another time. Now for Batad and the famous rice fields, I am so excited!  

Breaking the Law in Bangkok!

I’m an illegal immigrant in Thailand as of today...

Why? Because of my stupid bank, that’s why! After arriving in Laos the first thing I did was check my account online (unusually) and to my horror I was $150 short! I couldn’t work it out, the money had been there this morning! So I panicked and after considering my options and how damn expensive Laos was I decided the best thing would be just to go back to Thailand, where I can stay with friends if need be. So the afternoon after my 23 hour bus journey from Hanoi to Vientiane I was back on another bus making my way to the Thai border to catch a 12 hour train back to Bangkok. At the border I was informed just as he was stamping me into Thailand that I needed to leave by the 29^th October, “You will go before this date?” he asked me.

But my flight to Malaysia is on 31^st!

I just agree and go on my way but inside I’m losing it. What am I going to do? First I double check my flight, yes, it’s the 31^st then I count how many days there is untill the 31^st and it’s 17 days to go so why do I have to leave on the 29^th? I'd forgoten that yes, we get fewer days to visit the country if you enter by land but I’ve always received 17 days in the past but to my horror I now had only 15 days stamped in my passport! Now after a quick Google check it appears tourists now only get 15 days, just my luck that the one time I actually need the full 17 days it’s now 15!  It was also just my luck that 3 or 4 days later the money was back in my account just as it should have been. How very GRRRR! I was really looking forward to seeing Laos as well but guess it will still be there next time. I did consider going back but the lazy side of me decided against it.

I’ve read and been told that as long as I don’t get arrested (but knowing my luck…) before I get to the airport I won’t get in trouble if I pay a fine of 500 baht a day. Having looked at my options this is the cheapest and easiest way to do it as a new flight would have cost me about $50 and catching the bus and train like I did last year was one 30 hour journey I don’t wish to repeat and I'd be paying about the same as the fine. Finger’s crossed I don’t get arrested then! If my blog ends here ya'll know what happened...

I can’t say I’m sad to see the back of Thailand for a while. Lack of money has meant for the last 2 weeks I’ve been stuck in my apartment doing sod all apart from snacking on too many packs of Lays and drinking too much bubble tea. I've been to Kuala Lumpur before but Penang will be something new and that’s always exciting.

Muang Thong Thani: Why I Could Live here

If you're anywhere longer than a few days sharing a room is less than perfect and hotels can start to get expensive, so you'll really need an apartment. I'm staying in a place called Muang Thong Thani, which is about a 20 minute drive from central Bangkok and although it can get pretty boring as it's a place to live in not tourist in, I really like it and felt it deserved its own post. MTT is one of the biggest community projects attempted in the world but is often considered a failure by the people who count in real estate because it went bust during a collapse in the property market in 1992. Therefore, many of the buildings were built, never used and remain empty. It's a real shame to see some of the luxury apartment buildings here falling apart when this place has so much potential! 

Impact, the largest exhibition center in SEA

I've never seen a place have so much you need to hand, I can grab a midnight snack at 7Eleven (seen 3 so far) and anything they don't sell in 7Eleven I can probably find in Big C, Watson's or Tescos. There's a bunch of mid-range department stores, I can surf the net in internet cafes, there's cake shops, fruit stalls, ice-cream shops, bubble tea shops, coffee shops and a steak house as well as loads of cheap restaurants. I can stock up on my jewellery, DVDs, and magazines. I can get photos developed, buy a new or second-hand phone or laptop, a fake iPad, send a fax, visit the doctor and then the pharmacy. I can get my clothes fixed (and I did for about 3$) and washed, my hair and nails done, my eyes tested and grab a massage and a beer in a bar afterwards and all within a 5 minute walk! It has the biggest exhibition and convention center in South East Asia and just in my apartment block alone I have 2 shops, a laundry service and numerous washing machines and dryers if I'd rather do it myself and it's easy as most of the apartments come attached with a little box outside for drying your clothes in so you don't even need the dryers anyway. It's almost as if you could seriously never leave Muang Thong Thani and have almost everything you need to hand. Ahhhh If only it was like that back home, we don't even have an ATM there lol!

MTT is market mad to and has one every day! It's good during the day but really comes alive after dark and the food court in the middle of the market here is pretty famous, with a wide array of cheap (as little as 25 baht sometimes), healthy (they do great salads, which is a real joy after all the fried rice and noodles) and just awesome food. The portions are small though but I noticed most people get 2 or 3 meals and if you only want one, you might be lucky and get some extra added on your plate like I did :) It's quite common to see people come from outside MTT just to eat here! As well as the everyday market they have here there's also a massive weekly market, selling everything from belts to headphones but the best part is the food! There's just so much choice and so much of it is so beautifully presented, it looks like food art to me!

The cost of living here is so cheap to; you can own an apartment here for as little as $10,000 and I've got Wi-Fi, hot water and a large sitting room all for around 150 USD a month. I never feel unsafe; it's secure where I'm staying as there are security guards and cameras. If you do need to get to central Bangkok it's easy; you can take a taxi but it costs anywhere from 130-210 baht, take a mini-van 30 baht direct to Victory Monument or take a bus, which costs around 18 baht.

There is however, always a little rough with the smooth and here's a little list of my MTT peeves;

• Most people do not speak English in Muang Thong Thani and ordering food can be a nightmare as there are no non-Thai Menus or pictures to point to but learning a language never did anybody any harm and you will learn in a place like this, you have to.
• My apartment is not the cleanest.
• Getting a taxi in the evening can be near impossible after everyone finishes work.
• Access to my apartment building is by key card only but you're not given one for the first month so you're basically stuck in or out until someone turns up who does have one or one of the guards decides to actually do their job and open the door for you but so far only one seems happy to do so without bitching or looking moody. I'm sometimes stuck in or out for up to 20 minutes! I can't get my head around why you have to wait a month before you get a card; it's surely a massive fire risk?
• I'm unable to easily cook in my room, no kitchen and not allowed gas but it's nothing a couple of rice cookers or portable cooking equipment wouldn't fix but with the amount of cheap eateries around (plate of fried rice goes for about 35 baht here) there really is no reason to cook anyway.
• It’s a small community here, I am one of about 4 foreigners in the immediate area so you start to recognise people, they do you and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I quite like being anonymous. 

Cambodia: Or is that Scambodia? Either way I love it!

There aren't too many places like Cambodia around; it has this crafty way of stealing your heart and then breaking it in one swift motion and it's a little bit like Marmite; most people love it, not everybody likes it but it never fails to leave an impression. Now I love Cambodia but every time I've been here I'm some how got on the way into the country. Whether it's being put on a VIP bus when a standard one would have done fine or charged too much for a tuk-tuk to the border the scammers have gotten me :(

Battambang City

Now if you are coming from Bangkok and heading to Poipet (which is the usual route) you’ll have a number of options, you can either take;

• The train, at 58 baht it's the cheapest but slowest, busiest and least frequent option.

• Public bus, which at 200 baht is a little bit more expensive but it’s fast (4 hours) and as long as you state you want the border when purchasing your ticket you'll avoid at least some of the touts trying to scam you out of your hard earned cash. You’ll also be able to walk the rest of the way to the border rather than having to take a tuk-tuk. You can read more about getting to Cambodia and all the visa and entry scams here.

• Taxi, most comfortable way to go but it’s obviously the most expensive (expect to pay around 1500-3000 baht if you choose to go this way).

• Minibuses, often available from travel agents in places like Kao San Road. These are a scam in themselves and I would avoid them at all costs, to see why you shouldn’t take a scam minibus click here.

Don't listen to anybody offering you help; they'll stick you on a VIP bus, which isn't really worth the money. They’ll tell you there are no more buses when there are so you catch a taxi instead. You’ll be offered a free lift to the bus station but instead you’ll end up at a taxi stop. Don’t talk to anybody; you don’t need any help catching a taxi or finding the bus station. Very GRRRRR but it’s unlikely to change when nobody gives a damn, just smile and see it as Cambodian way of life.

Once you actually get to Siem Reap or wherever it is you want to go you can let your guard down a little. You’ll be overcharged from time to time but I found the biggest hassle came from children. You can't escape them, wherever there is something to see you will get children trying to sell you things. They’re polite and speak exceptional English, they'll offer you a seat if it’s available and then they'll tell you your capital city, who is running the country and even who used to. They also know how to say "now you buy lady, I know you rich". If hello is followed by lady/sir run they want something! Don’t feel too bad, maybe if more people did that whoever is giving jobs to these kids might find a different career venture. Watch your stuff, they'll crowd around you and don't buy anything. Once you've brought from one, they'll insist you buy from them all.  

$12 room in Battambang

Hotels in Cambodia are exceptional, they're clean, and you’ll pay a little and get a lot. 3-4$ can get you a fan room with a bathroom, soap, towels and a TV here. Unless you want to you never need pay more than $10-$15 for a little luxury in Cambodia. Depending on where you are and what you eat food can start from as little as 2000 riel, which is about 30p. Small bottles of water start from about 1000 riel and a can of coke 3500 riel-$1. USD is widely accepted here and in 2 months I've only had one person refuse to accept my $. 

The Khmer people are some of the friendliest around, you won't have to venture far before some kid shouts hello, smiling madly and waving as they pass. Sadly friendly doesn't always mean genuine and there are the trademark smiles of Asia but usually because they want something. I’ve had some real I wanna kill you moments here, last year I caught a bus and the guy who put my bicycle on the bus wanted a tip for doing so. God, I hate being asked for tips!  I refused and he simply walked away smiling but when I got off the bus the front wheel was hanging off... Another time I forgot the most important bag I was carrying on a bus, Everything was in there, you name it, if it was essential it was in there, money, my bank cards even my passport so as soon as I noticed I grabbed the first motodop while my backpack got left on the tuk-tuk I was going to take to my hotel but the driver said no problem, he could wait. I didn’t want to leave my bag but I really had no choice so off we sped after the bus. I get my bag back no problem and luckily everything is still inside it but of course when I get back the tuk tuk is nowhere to be seen. I’m now tearing my hair out because the guy has my bag and I had no idea if he would be back! In the end after 20 minutes and several calls from my motodop friend, the tuk-tuk guy comes back obviously having rummaged through my bag. Even though there's nothing of value in there I still need my clothes and shampoo!

(Banlung) Ratanakiri. Province

Most people come here to see Angkor Wat and while it is just as amazing as everybody says (post to come later), Cambodia is so much more than this and the killing fields. Sure, there's a lot of scams to get through but people are just trying to make a living and if you have time it's well worth riding the bamboo train, checking out the dolphins and watching the world go by in the rural provinces.

 Average daily cost: $25-$35