Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~final words~

First of all, I want to say, this trip is not what I have expected it to be, and definitely one of the best trip I have had.

2 days in Siem Reap (Cambodia) and 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) were short (too short!) but great and memorable. This is my first backpacking trip, and I think I prefer this more than traveling with tour group with travel guide. Temples in Siem Reap are great to visit, shopping in HCM City are fun to do, but I realize it's the people that make a great trip (people you traveling with, and people you met during the trip)

Without a travel guide, we actually get to know more about the place we traveled to. Although it's only temples (alot, alot, and ALOT!) we visited in Siem Reap, and we had Rithy to bring us around in his Tuktuk car, it's another kind of satisfaction when I realize I slowly recognize the different roads and streets, and how to go to several temples.

[Siem Reap] is a small town with lotsa temples including the famous Angkor Wat. Things that are worth mentioned include:
- although the are sand and dirt everywhere on the roads, I realize that their road condition actually better than that in KT XD, and it was not rare to see workers cleaning the sand/dirt by the road
- they fill the petrol inside normal mineral water bottle, and sell them by the road
- they even have a concert hall, nice one from the look from outside
- and there are certainly temples everywhere (most of ruins)

The thing that I think I enjoy doing most would be get to know and interact with the locals (which I didn't get to experience in previous trips). I shall dedicate another post for that topic I guess.

If Siem Reap is best described with 'temple', then [Ho Chi Minh City] would be associated with 'motorbikes'. Riding in HCM City is certainly one of the 'different' experience I have had. Riding with Cong in his motorbikes across the roundabout full with motorbikes coming from every direction was exciting. The 2 days in HCM City was more of like homestay in Cong's house. Something that was not what I have expected.

In short, this trip has definitely changed my impression about Cambodia and Vietnam. Really want to thank Yinfong who suggested this trip and also for her effort to make this trip happened.

~Journey started on 24 May 2009, and ended on 28 May 2009~

More to come in Alanpp blospot:

Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~the temples Day1~
Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~the temples Day2~
Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~the people~
Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~the sepia~
Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~the homestay~
Cambodia and Vietnam trip ~final words~