Kampot and Kep

So I know I haven’t updated in a while, been pretty busy with the language course and all. Currently writing this in Microsoft Word because the power is out, thus I am also sweating bullets. This morning it was actually cool/cold and rainy, which was kind of a nice change (not the rain bit), and I wore jeans. But now it’s sunny and hot again. Just had some delicious Lebanese food, one of the many things I’ll miss once I move to Siem Reap on….FRIDAY!

                Last weekend the CKS crew decided that we’d like to do our own trip, minus the advanced group, because that just gets very hectic and frustrating. So the lot of us rented a minivan and drove down to Kampot, which is a port city in the south. YES POWER IS BACK…and thus A/C. Anyway, we also picked up a few friends of Linh’s on the way. We stayed at Villa Vedici, which is a really cool guesthouse.

Inside the villa

We had rented an entire villa out for our group of about 12. It was really nice with plenty of space, a kitchen/dining area, flat screen tv, two full baths…no A/C but it wasn’t that hot and we had fans. 

View out back

Did get lots of mosquito bites, though. Our first night we got in pretty late, so we hung out at the villa and had Mexican food from the kitchen. Not terrible. The next morning we had wanted to go to Kep, a town on the beach/Gulf of Thailand, and perhaps Rabbit Island and do some water sports. But the weather had been pretty stormy and the sea was rough. We went to Kep and bought a wonderful seafood lunch from the fisherman in the market, right up on the Gulf. Fresh crabs!

                After lunch, we explored a little. Joanna and I walked out to the pier, and then along the beach. We practiced writing Khmer in the sand (very dorky) and then a few of us decided to go for a swim. It was rainy and everything, but still a lot of fun.

After lunch we headed back to Kampot. In town that night, we had an amazing meal of ribs, mashed potatoes, vegetables, wine, beer, etc, and then back to the villa we went to enjoy our last night.

Awesome dinner 

 I passed out pretty early both nights because I was just feeling worn out. Sunday morning I went swimming for a few seconds in the pool, it was rather cold. But there was an awesome view of the mountains, and I had some good food.

View behind Villa Vedici

Pool

Unfortunately the sun decided to come out just as we were leaving (naturally). The drive back into town took roughly 3 hours. Phil was back in town and picked me up from Joanna’s apartment, and he, Joanna, Charmaine and I had some decent and super cheap Khmer food for dinner. Phil had something called “NGO style beef…” we weren’t really sure what it was but it tasted ok. Then Phil and I went out for drinks and then called it a night.

Phil and his NGO style beef

                I move to Siem Reap in just 3 days now. My time in Phnom Penh has been great, with a few minor annoyances. But I’m glad I got to live here for 2 months instead of spending all my time in Cambodia in just one city. I am looking forward to Siem Reap very much. Phil is going home to Australia for a week or so for some training so when he comes back he can fly the big choppers! Oh yeah! So he’s letting me stay in his apartment while I look for a place. Should save me about $100! Probably will update again when I get to Siem Reap this weekend…

Found this in Tuol Tom Poung market