Koh Rong? Koh Right!

It's official, we've found paradise. 

Before coming to Cambodia I had no idea that the South coast is lined with clusters of tiny tropical islands. Fortunately, nobody else seems to know either and so the likes of Koh Rong are still very much deserted. 

Koh Rong is home to a small community of locals who have built guesthouses and beach bars to accommodate the handful of travellers who've discovered the island. They're as kind and welcoming as the Cambodians we've met on the mainland and seem pleased to share their secret paradise with us. 

The tiny village (if you can call it that) is still very under-developed. There's no roads or even pathways and the only electricity is powered from a generator which runs at limited times throughout the day. Needless to say the bungalows and guest rooms are very basic but what more do you need when they back onto the most heavenly beaches in South East Asia? The crystal clear water on your doorstep more than makes up for the lack of running water inside. 

The atmosphere on the island is one of pure relaxation. There's little to do but enjoy your surroundings and whilst we soaked up the sun in our bikinis, locals prefer to wander around in matching set pyjamas - something which we found hilarious but heart warming. I suppose they find it funny that we ever bother to get all dressed up. 

Another thing that surprised me was their incredibly trusting nature. There's very little money circulating on the island and so on numerous occasions we went to pay for something but couldn't because they didn't have the correct change to give us in return. Instead they'd scribble down a makeshift IOU and trust that we'd come back to settle it at a later date. It was comforting to realise that these people don't even know the meaning of dishonesty, let alone have it in them to exercise it. 

Koh Rong is so perfect that we could easily have spent weeks here just lapping up the beautiful view. In fact part of me was actually glad that we'd already booked and paid for our bus to Siem Reap or we may just never have left! 

The Killing Fields

Think for a moment of all the people in your life. Your family and friends, colleagues and team mates, distant acquaintances that you met once upon a time. Now imagine that in the course of the next three years, over a quarter of them will be die, dragged away and murdered in cold blood. That's one in four of everyone you know. Perhaps one of them is you...

It's difficult to picture but for every Cambodian over the age of thirty, this is their reality. When the Khmer Rouge took power over the country in the seventies, every family in Cambodia was separated and sent to either work camps or prisons where three million people were then killed, most for no reason whatsoever. Everyone has their own story but they're all echoes of one another, filled with death, suffering and utter heartache.

As we approached The Killing Fields we prepared ourselves for the most depressing day of our trip. Dark clouds had begun to gather overhead and the first spots of rain fell the minute we stepped down from our tuk tuk. It quickly turned into a plummeting monsoon. Pathetic fallacy at its best.

We wandered around the Killing Field with an audio guide which explained the horror of what went on there just thirty years ago. This particular site near Phnom Penh is just one of hundreds of its kind across the country and is where prisoners were brought to be killed during the civil war. Their bodies were thrown into deep pits in the ground which formed mass graves throughout the fields. Many have now been excavated but even today, fragments of bone, teeth and rags continue to be found, uncovering more and more victims. 

The audio guide does not hold back. It tells the devastating story in brutal detail in the hope that the horror will prevent such events from ever happening again. Walking around in the pouring rain we saw the clothes of young babies who had been torn from their mothers and the cracked skulls of prisoners who were beaten before having their throats slit. It was completely heartbreaking. What should otherwise have been a peaceful and beautiful woodland is poisoned with the overwhelming presence of death lingering throughout. 

The second war memorial site is the S21 prison where victims were held before being taken to the fields. It was once a high school but Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, transformed the classrooms into torture chambers and cell blocks. These rooms became home to hundreds of victims who lay shackled to the floor day in and day out, waiting to die. 

Some of the rooms at S21 have been left untouched but others have been turned into small museums, filled with photographs and testimonies from during the war. One cell block contains the photographs of every prisoner who ever stayed there and our guide told us that when the prison first reopened many Cambodians came to visit to see if they could find their lost relatives on the walls there. Even today many families don't know what became of their loved ones during those years, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

Another room contains photographs of all the 'comrades' who worked at the prison, those who answered to Pol Pot. It's easy to condemn them for what they did but our guide, who had three family members die at the hands of these people, explained they had very little choice in the matter. The majority were young, uneducated teenagers who were tricked into joining the force with promises of a better life for them and their families. The reality was very different but once in, there was no way out. They either killed or were killed and if a former comrade was sentenced to death or imprisonment their whole families would join them. The Khmer Rouge believed that to kill a tree you must tear out the roots. 

Faced with the choice of the death of your family or the murder of strangers can you honestly say with any confidence that you'd act differently? Perhaps you would but it's impossible to know without being put in that position and I hope to the ends of the earth that none of us will ever live to find out. 

During the rule of the Khmer Rouge Cambodia was completely stripped of its identity. Music, religion and books were all banned, currency was abolished and even relationships were prohibited. It's incredible how much they've achieved in just thirty years, building Cambodia back up to the wonderful country that it once was. The people here will never forget the pain they suffered during the Civil War but they certainly won't let that hold them back either. It's truly inspiring. 

Falling in love with Cambodia

The moment we touched down in Cambodia I had a great feeling about the country. We'd been travelling for over twelve hours and were incredibly tired but one look at the tuk tuks waiting for us at arrivals was enough to cheer us both up. Our driver told us the journey to our hostel would cost seven dollars so we assumed it was just around the corner but forty minutes later we were still darting around the roads of Phnom Penh. We couldn't believe how cheap it was! 

Even more surprising though, was the fact we made it there at all. The roads in Cambodia are the epitome of chaos! Streams of traffic weave their way in and out of one another wherever they spot a gap whether that be on the wrong side of the road or even the pavement - anything goes! I can't help but wonder what they're taught in driving lessons; stop, start and hope for the best? It really is every tuk tuk, moped, car or lorry for himself.

Despite the near-crushed-to-death experiences at every crossroads we enjoyed the journey to our hostel. Riding by tuk tuk is the best way to see the city and to take it all in. Cambodia is the first country we've been to that feels as though it's not been built around tourism and it's refreshing to see how the people here really live, without even a hint of westernisation. 

As Cambodia isn't a holiday destination, there are very few tourists around. You may assume that this makes us stand out more but in fact we've found the opposite. Because tourism has had so little impact here, the locals don't associate us with making money and so we're left to slot into the hustle and bustle of the city largely unnoticed (blonde hair and all!) 

The majority of people are very poor (the average wage for a Cambodian is just two dollars a day!) but everyone we've met has been so kind and generous. We're carrying more around on our backs than they'll possibly ever own in a lifetime and yet they're not out to get you at all. They seem to be very happy and even happier to help wherever they can.

The icing on the cake for Cambodia is the food which again, is so, so cheap! You can either spend two dollars on a decent meal or pay fifty cents more and eat like a king. Regardless of whether you're at an up-market restaurant or on the floor of a street market, there's always a fantastic range of cuisines and it's all beautifully presented. I could stay here for a month and still not have tried everything I want to. 

We've so far only visited the capital, Phnom Penh, but we've been told that the rest of the country is equally as wonderful (although very different in parts.) We really can't wait to see more! 

Lazing in Langkawi

Our wish was granted in Langkawi. There really is very little to do on the island so we spent the majority of our four days there lying on the beach and topping up our tans.

We felt a little guilty at first but it was just what we needed. I know it must sound ridiculous (those of you at your desks, look away now)  but travelling can actually be rather hard work and we both thought that a short break from all the activity would do us some good. A holiday from our year-long holiday...

Anyway, although we spent most of our day horizontal we still exercised every evening, running along the beach once the sun had gone down. The sand usually makes jogging a little more difficult but the Langkawi coastline is completely flat and an absolute dream to run on. We found the stunning sunset backdrop helped a lot too - it certainly beat my regular route down Tooting High Street! 

The best advantage to running was that we felt it justified stuffing our faces each evening at dinner. We found a great restaurant called Tomato which served food even cheaper than most street markets and was absolutely delicious! There's a strong Tamil influence throughout Western Malaysia and the fusion between South East Asian and Southern Indian cuisine is amazing. Both Hana and I have fallen in love with Roti, a buttery, doughy, half bread/half pancake which is dipped in various sauces as a starter. They even do a chocolate version as a dessert which is essentially obesity on a plate but too good to miss.

Langkawi was our last stop in Malaysia and we're flying to Cambodia later tonight. I imagine it will feel strange to readjust to a whole new currency and cuisine again but after this short rest, we're really looking forward to our next adventure! 

Trekking & Treetops, Batu Ferringhi

Our next stop in Penang was Batu Ferringhi, a beach town resort on the other side of the island. The sand stretches for miles along the coast giving way to beautiful beaches broken up by small bays when the tide comes in.

We intended to spend some time relaxing on the sand but got distracted by all that Batu Ferringhi has to offer and instead did quite the opposite. In just four short days we ended up on two three hour treks in two different National Parks. The first was a three hour climb up Penang Hill where we found the best views of the island and the second was through the jungle to reach Turtle Beach (where we found absolutely no turtles.) 

Another day was spent at Escape Adventure Park which is like a Malaysian version of Go Ape but much bigger and with more variety. They had all sorts of attractions, the kind that back home would be exhilarating but not so much frightening because you can pretty much always rely on the scrutinising British safety checks. In Asia though, it's a rather different story. The whole way around the park we came across fraying ropes held together with masking tape and wires that were too thin for their pullies. On one particular ride called Atlan's Leap, the guide asked us if we wanted to free fall from the higher platform even though it was closed. Of course we wanted to but why the hell was it closed? In slightly broken English he tried to assure us that it was just the netting on the stairs that was deemed unsafe and as long as we were careful in the climb we'd be absolutely fine on the jump down. He presented the idea as a such a privilege that it was difficult to say no. He was risking his job by letting us up there but I couldn't help wondering whether we were risking more by taking him up on the offer. Our lives, for example. All I kept thinking was 'this would never happen in England' and 'someone please tell my mum I love her'. 

Fortunately we survived and did the typical child-like 'again, again' thing as soon as we landed. We hurtled ourselves down six more times before deciding we'd tried our luck enough for one day and moved onto other, slightly tamer attractions. Our favourites included the Flying Lemur, a series of zip wires through the jungle canopy, Tubby Racer, a giant dry ski slope that you skid down on a rubber ring, and the Coco Tree which you had to try and climb to win a free coconut! 

I wish we'd had more time in Batu Ferringhi to explore the rest of its attractions and make the most of the beautiful beaches. However, we've been promised that our next destination, Langkawi, is home to even nicer shores so we hope to fit some sunbathing in there! 

Banksy Paradise, Penang

There's a town on an island off the West coast of Malaysia that not only allows graffiti street art, it welcomes it! Georgetown in Penang has become famous for its quirky wall paintings scattered around town. The first only appeared three years ago but since then the trend has really taken off and it's hard to imagine the place without them. Far from considering it as destructive vandalism the government believe it gives their town character.    

In fact, to add to its arty status they even commissioned a 'Marking Georgetown' project whereby wrought iron figures were designed and put in place to represent historic facts in relevant areas. The caricatures all tell their story in a light hearted and humorous way whilst demonstrating the significance of every corner of town. 

On our first day in Penang we borrowed a map from our hostel which showed us where we could find each site. It was the best way to explore the streets and to understand the history behind such an interesting little town. Already the map is out of date though as more and more paintings continue to pop up. If Banksy is ever caught and banished from London there is certainly a place for him here!

The Labyrinths of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is confusing. I've never come across a city so in need of street signs but there don't appear to be any around. None that point in the right direction anyway. However, despite spending the majority of our four day stay trapped in a train station or a shopping mall that we couldn't find the exit to we still managed to cram quite a lot in. 

The city is very built up and full of grand skyscrapers. The most famous are the Petronas Towers, two identical buildings with a bridge connecting them midway up. The sheer size of them is impressive enough but once the sun goes down they transform from just really tall buildings into the most beautiful crystal-like statues in the KL skyline. You can pay to go up them but we opted to stand and admire the view from below.

Another rather awe-inspiring statue is that of the Hindu Deity, Murugan, which stands at 140ft outside the Batu Caves. The caves themselves are home to three different Hindu temples and a whole load of bats and monkeys. It takes 276 steps up a steep flight of stairs to reach them but they're well worth a look. 

Back in the city centre there's both a Chinatown and Little India, great for eating cheap street food and buying designer goods (fakes, obviously.) We ate there every evening except for the first when we got over-excited at the sight of all the Western restaurants and ended up in Nandos.  A minor slip up but in fairness they're difficult to avoid - there's everything from a Dominos to a Marks & Spencer! Percy Pigs were our second slip...

The shopping centres are similarly Westernised. We found huge malls filled with Topshops and Zara's but the clothes are the same prices as back home making them absolutely extortionate out here. 

The nightlife is fairly expensive too so we only went out one evening. We were lucky enough to find an amazing hostel called Reggae Mansion which has its own rooftop bar so we started out there and then headed to Bukit Bintang, a row of bars in the centre of town. 

KL to me was like a long weekend city break and although it's a great place to visit, I'm looking forward to getting 'back home' to the beach! 

A Second Look at Bali, Ubud

Whilst in Gili we got talking to other travellers and realised we hadn't really given Bali a chance. We'd formed an opinion on the entire country based on just one place, Kuta, which would be like someone writing off the whole of the UK after spending four days in Bracknell Town Centre. 

With that in mind we felt we owed it to the island to give it a second go so after a few Rinjani recovery days we jumped on a boat back to Bali, this time stopping in Ubud. And we're so glad we did! 

Ubud is a cultural haven, most famous for it's outstanding art, spas and yoga retreats. It's one of these wonderful places that attracts tourism because it's so beautiful but doesn't allow itself to be overcome by it. 

We had just four days in Ubud but managed to cross four activities off our to-do list. The first was visiting Monkey Forest, a national park in the centre of Ubud which is home to hundreds and hundreds of grey monkeys. They're free to roam wherever they wish but choose to stay within the sanctuary grounds, presumably because they're fed so well. We'd been warned about their thieving nature but it was still surprising to see how well they've mastered the art of pick pocketing. I have to admit it was pretty amusing to see so many tourists outsmarted by our supposedly lesser developed primate cousins. 

Our second morning started with a short trek through the paddy fields where rice is farmed. We found a particularly stunning terrace called Tegalalang and weaved our way in and out of the crops, getting a closer look at the way they're grown. On our way back we stopped at an organic farm where they grow all of their fruits, herbs and spices needed for cooking. The staff were particularly keen to show us how they make the Balinese special 'Luwak Coffee' from start to finish. The coffee beans are eaten by the Luwaks, ferment in their digestive system and then retrieved from the animal's faeces. They're then washed thoroughly (they promise), roasted and finally ground to make the coffee powder. The tour ended with a free coffee tasting session and although we passed on the Luwak we did try the Ginseng, Jasmine, Ginger, Vanilla and Cocoa, all of which went down surprisingly well considering neither of us are usually coffee-drinkers.

Our third snippet of culture was attending the traditional Balinese dance performance, Kecak and Fire. It began with a hundred or so men entering onto the stage and sitting around a centre piece candle. They were dressed in nothing but baggy trousers and with flowers in their hair. It soon became apparent that these men were the chorus, the only music to accompany the hour long dance. The noises they were making were quite extraordinary, a kind of remix of different sounds over a long steady beat. Before long two beautiful women dressed in intricate costumes broke into the circle and began to move in time to the men's beat. They dance only with their hands and their eyes, using subtle movements to tell the story. There's little variation in the choreography but it's fascinating nonetheless and the colourful costumes are more than enough to capture your attention.

Our fourth and final day involved a visit to Ubud palace. It was undeniably beautiful but we were a little underwhelmed simply because the entire area is so pretty that it didn't stand out as anything particularly special. Bali is known as the 'thousand temple island' because there are so many to be found and so the whole island is full of grand buildings and decorative statues. Any one of them could be described as a palace!

Ubud felt like the 'real Bali' and I'm so glad that we had the chance to visit. It had a wonderfully calming atmosphere about the place and we left feeling completely relaxed - quite the opposite to the madness of Kuta!