Hi Mama,

WE heard that delat is not what it used to be, very touristy and a bit dirty, but we could have gone there. Edd and Nikki did, but we would have been cutting thiungs a bit fine toi go and meet julio then. The other places did sound nice, but there was no mention of how to get there, and getting around under your own steam is impossible here as everything is controled by the government and it is ver hard to do anything of the beaten track. We heard horror storied about peole who took local buses and were shoved out in the middle of nowhere unless they payed extortionate sums of money, and nothing you can do about it. WE are realising how lucky we were in india to be able to get around alone and on the local transport. It was a more interesting way of travelling. It has been a bit boring in vietnam as you feel like a sheep being hearded along the tourist trail!! nOt a lot we could do about it though.

What places would you recoment in thailand as we should be able to get around there pretty easily. we plan to head to ko samet island first, either with julio or before we meet him. WE are also thinking about goiing to laos from thailand, as the visa is cheaper that way, and then perhaps go around the north for a bit befor heading down to malasia.

WE are in phnom penh at the moment and have tried to get away from the tourist trap but it is not easy. all the travellers here are what geoff calls ‘fake’. all they want to do is drink and smoke and party at the one night club in town. I was kind of imagining a quiert little town with matkets and little streets to walk around, but it is huge and it takes ages to walk anywhere in the baking heat! WE did go to the market to buy fruit, and have found the people very easy going and friendly. We found a ni\ce little place to have ice cream run by a lady, lynda and her three chindren. They are very friendly and sit and talk to us as we eat. The mother is about 50 and went through the time of pol pot. She told us stories of having to go back to the forest and of the time she spent there. Very interesting. WEll, we are of tomorrow to ankor wat ont he $3 bus as the budget doesn’t run to the $21 boat!!! we ahve been on a boat already anway. Should be interesting as the roads are terrible here!!!

We went to the killing fields which was pretty horrid, and then our motorbike man took us to see all the main sights around the town as we could never walk them. The temple in the middle is very ni8ce.

Well, must go now. WE think maybe we started with the wrong coulntry. We began with the hardest one to get around, and now things seem a little too easy and planned. hopefully it will get better in thailand.

Lots of love
Tanya