Guess what happens when I don’t update every day? I end up with too many things to write about!

soooooo:

– While still on the mainland I was walking down the street and passed a guy who had his hands down his pants fondling his genitals. As I walked by, he reached out and rubbed his hand on my arm laughing. WHAT THE HECK. That seriously pissed me off and I was terribly close to punching him in the face.

– That night got better because I went to the carnival/talent show and I was the only white person out of about 4,000 people. It was hilarious. Kids were pushing me to go up on stage. I saw creepy preteen girls dancing in unison, bad pop singers, a martial arts demo and a comedy variety show. Vietnamese carnival food isn’t very good though.

– I was given a free sim card by a traveler I talked to for one minute.

– I rented a moto for three days. One day I rode it far out into the northern part of the island and got lost. I had lunch at a place on a beautiful deserted beach where they brought me in back and pointed at a chicken with it’s feathers still on and squid. I ate squid. Local people helped me get found again, but not without effort and some really cool side trips through dead end villages.

– I went on a snorkling boat trip which was good. Corral is dying all over the world and it’s hit Vietnam too.

– I slept in my tent on the grounds of a friendly hotel because everything is out of my price range or full due to tet.

– I hung out with various people for brief periods.

– I read a lot.

– While reading on a remote beach this afternoon I was invited to join a Vietnamese table that pulled up. I learned all about the traditional art of binge drinking and over eating. It was very fun. No one spoke any English. Whenever anyone wants to drink, everyone cheers’ and everyone drinks. I’m glad I eat meat now so I could partake in the squid and fish. Bbq’d at the table.

One thing that’s different about Vietnam is that people speak far less English than in Cambodia. In fact, most people that interact with tourists speak no english at all.

Tomorrow, I’m leaving the island and I may or may not make it to Saigon. It’ll probably take a night bus to do.

Ok, I’m in Vietnam. And I’m pretty worn out. I woke up this morning after two days on Rabbit Island, a tiny, relaxing beach in Cambodia. Got on a boat, then a moto, then a different moto, then a bus and then a moto again, all to miss the boat to Phu Qouc. So I’m sitting in my first city in the country on a night where most everything is closed (due to the new year) and little exists for tourists anyways. Should be awesome. I hope to go see some dragon dancing, if it is happening and I can find it.

The bus ride was one of the loudest experiences I’ve ever had. Everything rattled. The windows were shaking so badly I thought they might break. Then the bus had two horns. One very loud and one insanely loud. And since it was a local bus, the driver not only honked to announce his presence (get the fuck out of the way!) but also to announce that he wanted to pick people up. So he honked about eight times every ten seconds, for two and a half hours. Then add SCREAMING teenage girls.

I’ve been hanging out with a group of europeans that I met back in battambang. Dinners have been enjoyable, but now I’ve left them all behind.

I’m in a new country and I know nothing. No idea what things should cost, what the exchange rate is,…

For some reason I can’t log in to gmail, so no email. I’ll be on the island for two to four days. I bet I’ll be able to check email, but I’m not sure. Haven’t activated my cellphone yet in vietnam, but I’ll tell everyone my number when I do.

Travel continues to be good. I rented a moto today for the first time and have enjoyed riding around so far. We down two dead ends just to look at life and salt evaporation ponds. I’m having to deal with banking issues which is nearly impossible with how slow the internet is. I’m staying at a small lodge on the other side of the river. It’s very relaxing. So relaxing that there are multiple people there who have been guests for over a month. I can’t imagine doing that. It’s strange.

I’m back in the capital, waiting my Vietnam visa and hanging out with my excellent host. While in Battambang I met and hung out with a fellow San Franciscan. Tried to rent a moto (was denied because it was too dangerous). And rented a bike and had a most excellent countryside exploration. I went out of town and took as many turns down tiny dirt roads as a felt like until I was good and away from everything. I stopped at the only soda stand, and scared little kids by my pressence and I walked in on a tiny scale rice threshing operation.

Last night, hanging out at Anja’s house, I cooked an enjoyable dinner and we hung out and relaxed. Today I visited the killing fields (skulls, bones, holes in the ground) and the russian market. Then I had dim sum, walked around, and drank some bubble tea. All in all a very relaxing day. I also ran in to a group of people that I met on the boat to Battambang three different times. That was a little strange.

I’m gearing up for a few days in the south and then crossing in to Vietnam where I think I’ll go to Phu Quoc Island.

So today I sat on a boat. Took 8.5 hours. It was good. And it was a ride that in a normal “western” boat at higher water levels would take 3 hours or less.

I sat on top. The views were great. I can’t fathom living in one of the many floating villages along the way. Our boat’s wake sent multiple people falling off their little boats. I felt guilty about that. I was very glad for my sun umbrella today.

I went with the hordes off the boat on to vans heading to one of the hotels in Battambang. Man those touts did well today! Virtually the entire boat ended up in the same hotel. At least it’s good.