4000 Islands and Arrival in Cambodia

It was only a two hour bus ride to 4000 Islands, but it was plenty of time to finish 'The Beach'. I was quite stunned by how the ending had differed from the film. After spending recent days in secluded homestays and quiet towns, I decided that it was time to go somewhere with more tourists. My island of choice, therefore, was Don Det.

4000 islands are a series of islands encompassed within the Mekong river in the south of Laos. Locals and tourists alike spend most of their time swinging on a hammock whilst reading a book, or sleeping on their riverside porch. However, not only had I no book to read, but I was very low on cash on an island with no ATM machines. It is probably for these reasons that I struggled to relax on what is otherwise a very lazy island. It was so laid back, in fact, that restaurant owners often looked slightly unsettled when I asked if I could order some food, as if I was asking too much!

Much of my time on the island was spent playing cards with the Israelis from the room next door, or catching up with Johan who I bumped into once more. I also met Andy from the midlands on the island. After just five minutes on Don Det, Andy had invited me over to play some guitar. Making conversation, however, proved difficult. After he finished off whatever he was smoking, his drug fuelled brain would take an eternity to reply to anything I said.

My second day also involved a fun but exhausting day of cycling around neighbouring island Don Khon, but with funds running out I arranged to travel to Cambodia the following morning.

Tuesday was a very long day. After a boat ride, a bus ride, a visa purchase and a border crossing, I found myself on the long bus to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The bus was very hot, and the long journey was not helped by a shambolic delay at the border for seemingly no reason, an argument between the organisers and people heading towards Siem Riep, and the fact that the bus had to backtrack fifteen minutes because somebody who had changed buses had left her bag on our bus. From there I assumed it would be plain sailing.

Suddenly a loud bang erupted from the back corner of the bus. I knew immediately what it was - I had been on a coach before with a punctured tyre. I actually felt quite relieved for it would give me a chance to stretch my legs and take a toilet break. However, as the bus very gradually applied its brakes and a further eruption occurred, many of the others on the bus seemed less content. I saw sheer terror in the faces of many as I turned my head around. In the knowledge that we only had a burst tyre, I couldn't help but find it thoroughly amusing in the way that the grimacing girl behind me was hanging to the seat in front as if she was in a plane crash - and she wasn't the only one.

The bus was soon stationary by the roadside amid cries of relief. As I took the opportunity to nip behind a bush I was still finding the unnecessary terror amusing - but fate was soon to punish me for my glee. I suddenly recalled the advice that was emphasised and subsequently re-emphasised in the guidebook - never ever should you stray from the well trodden roads of Cambodia! Not even for a toilet stop! Cambodia is full of millions of unexploded mines. Despite efforts to clear them, the most common way that they are discovered is when people step on them. Well done Karma!

As I stood motionless behind the bush, I concluded that I had two options. If I headed to my right around the bush, I would be retracing the way I had come - about ten yards. Heading left, alternatively, would be a shorter journey, but I had yet to test that ground and it would also involve leaping over a roadside bush. I decided to go right. As I paced around the bush towards the roadside I braced myself with each step. Originally I tried to place my feet onto sections of land where the grass was thinner, but soon I found myself simply speeding up and taking as large a steps as I could manage, thus minimalising the chances of unearthing a mine! As I returned to the roadside I knew the chances of death had probably been little more than the chances of death had been on the bus, but it still came as a relief.

It was dark by the time the bus driver had successfully replaced the punctured tyre, and late by the time we arrived in Phnom Penh. I shared a room with Jon from the bus, had a curry, and went to bed. Today I took a leisurely stroll around the city, and finally found not one, but numerous copies of The Lord Of The Rings books. I'm now one chapter in of my Part One book. Tomorrow I'll probably do a museum or two, and the day after that I may find myself heading up to Angkor Wat.