Something in the air...
Southeast Asia, and particularly Laos and Cambodia, completely captured my heart. I went there just after I started my PhD (the trip had already been organized before I found out that I had funding to begin my doctorate and, luckily, my supervisor was very understanding!). I went with my friend Bernie, to visit my aunt who was living in Phnom Penh at the time. We arrived in Bangkok at some unforgiving hour of the morning, and had a day to kill in the city before catching our onward flight to Phnom Penh. Honestly, I was so tired and jet-lagged and all the rest, that I can’t remember too much about Bangkok – we visited the Grand Palace and there was rain and lots of excitable tourists and enterprising locals trying to sell us all kinds of bits and pieces, but I can’t recollect any real details.
And then on to Phnom Penh… oh, I can’t describe how wonderful it was, driving from the airport to my aunt’s apartment in the middle of the city. It was incredible! The soft, warm evening; fairy lights twinkling everywhere; the wonderful smells of dinner being cooked on the streets – I have never felt so immediately happy in a new place as I did in Phnom Penh. And I was so tired and hungry and MANKY… but it all just seemed to melt away!
And then on to Phnom Penh… oh, I can’t describe how wonderful it was, driving from the airport to my aunt’s apartment in the middle of the city. It was incredible! The soft, warm evening; fairy lights twinkling everywhere; the wonderful smells of dinner being cooked on the streets – I have never felt so immediately happy in a new place as I did in Phnom Penh. And I was so tired and hungry and MANKY… but it all just seemed to melt away!
Ok, I'll be the navigator...
I adored Cambodia; back in those days it was possible to hail a passing Honda 50 motorbike and jump on the back, and the driver would always pretend to have complete familiarity with your desired destination. I got badly caught on my first outing, when the driver assured me he knew exactly where I wanted to go, and we ended up at a petrol station on the extreme outskirts of Phnom Penh after an hour of puttering around aimlessly. My intrepid chauffeur canvassed the assembled populace to find someone who could understand English and all was well in the end. After that adventure I consulted my map before setting out, and I gave hand signals from my pillion position (pillion, but always side-saddle) to indicate where we should go. I’ve been told that these motorcycle-taxis no longer operate in Phnom Penh, which is really sad. There was something magical about sailing along with the wind in your hair (no helmets, ever), completely exposed to the elements, in such a wonderful place.
To the land of a million elephants...
I found Cambodia to be the gentlest, most serene country I have ever visited. The people were so warm and welcoming, despite enduring the most terrible pain in the past. Even now, all these years later, I feel very emotional when I think of my time there. We used Phnom Penh as our base to travel a little bit around Southeast Asia. Firstly, we went to Laos for a week, to the capital Vientiane initially, and then on to Luang Prabang. Laos was just as serene as Cambodia, and much less developed, which I liked. The people were shy but lovely, and the scenery and atmosphere were very special. It was quite some time ago when I visited Laos and Cambodia and although part of me would love to return, the memories of my visit there are so perfect I would be afraid to ruin them...
(As a note, there's a fantastic book by the travel writer Dervla Murphy called 'One Foot in Laos' that I would recommend to anyone thinking of travelling to this part of the world.)
And finally, Vietnam...
We also went to Vietnam, and to Hanoi. This was a completely different kettle of fish, and after the serenity of Cambodia and Laos, a major jolt to the senses. There is a beautiful lake in the middle of the city called Hoan Kiem that is the local epicentre of activity. There were people playing chess, reading, talking, boating, eating, walking, and selling books.
Away from the tranquility of Hoan Kiem lake, the traffic in Hanoi was CRAZY – the first time I tried to cross the road I stood paralysed with my mouth open like a fish (not my best look), until an elderly lady ploughed straight out into the carnage. I thought to myself ‘she knows what she’s at; I like her style’ and went with her. After much observation I realised the secret: just walk across in a straight line at a steady pace while the traffic swirls all around. There was no such thing as driving on the right or left; it was just a wall of traffic - motorbikes, trucks, cars, rickshaws - going in all directions. Scary, but I just about survived.
We also got to see a little bit of the countryside, which was quite soothing after the manic atmosphere of Hanoi. We went on a boat trip to see some caves, which were very nice, and I got chased around by a tiny child on some massive huge animal with horns (a buffalo maybe? I don't know; something bovine). And I bought a Vietnam t-shirt and a really pretty embroidered washbag that I still use. Best trip ever...
Away from the tranquility of Hoan Kiem lake, the traffic in Hanoi was CRAZY – the first time I tried to cross the road I stood paralysed with my mouth open like a fish (not my best look), until an elderly lady ploughed straight out into the carnage. I thought to myself ‘she knows what she’s at; I like her style’ and went with her. After much observation I realised the secret: just walk across in a straight line at a steady pace while the traffic swirls all around. There was no such thing as driving on the right or left; it was just a wall of traffic - motorbikes, trucks, cars, rickshaws - going in all directions. Scary, but I just about survived.
We also got to see a little bit of the countryside, which was quite soothing after the manic atmosphere of Hanoi. We went on a boat trip to see some caves, which were very nice, and I got chased around by a tiny child on some massive huge animal with horns (a buffalo maybe? I don't know; something bovine). And I bought a Vietnam t-shirt and a really pretty embroidered washbag that I still use. Best trip ever...