Christmas and New Year 2010/11
on Mary In Cambodia (Cambodia), 15/Jan/2011 14:17, 34 days ago
Christmas and New Year 2010/11(My second Christmas away from home.)Christmas in Asia is a very different experience to Christmas in Ireland. The population is mainly Buddhist or Muslim, so they don’t celebrate Christmas, though some commercialism introduces the odd Christmas tree, string of lights and tinsel around shopping centres.I spent Christmas in a very luxurious Villa in Phuket with Don and Co. We had a great holiday, private pool, lovely food, much of it carried all the way from London, great company, pressies, inventive tree, walks on the beach, brilliant sunshine………..                 My colleague/friend Pathma joined me after Christmas in Phuket. She took the overnight train from Bangkok to Surathani, and from there a coach to Phuket Island. Together we travelled by coach to Hat Yai, to catch a train to Penang, where we had a very enjoyable few days over the New Year weekend.       Our journey took us to Ipoh, and from there to the Cameron Highlands. Great views on the way. We stayed in the little village from which the legendary Silk King Jim Thompson vanished many years ago. Everyone there has his own version of what happened to him. Next it was on to Kuala Lumpur by coach, once again the views were spectacular. A couple of nights and a city tour and it was time to move on to Gemas to catch the‘Jungle Line’ back to the Thai Border. This town had nothing to offer, the only hotel (2 star) didn’t deserve its 2 stars, and was seriously overpriced at $30 for a room and breakfast which, even after a year in Cambodia we couldn’t eat.The train journey of 10 hours was a good experience, reasonably comfortable, dirt cheap, and some great scenery, waterfalls, rubber plantations, palms of all kinds, tea plantations, thick jungle, we saw monkeys swinging from tree to tree and crossed some scary bridges. At times the vegetation was so thick that we seemed to be cutting a path through it.We arrived in Kota Bahru after 7 pm, and took a taxi 55km to the Thai border at Sungai Kolok. This turned out to be quite an adventure. It was about 8pm, dark and the rain was bucketing down. We got through the Malaysian customs and walked a few hundred metres to the Thai crossing, thinking we would then get a taxi to a hotel.How wrong can one be!! By the time we discovered there were no taxis and the nearest hotel was a kilometre away, we were already drenched to the skin, the rain was coming down in sheets and we were walking up to our ankles in water.About half way along the road a couple offered us a lift, we were so wet we felt ashamed getting in to their car, but they said their children mess it all the time. ( Against all the advice I have so often given to my kids and grandchildren, we happily accepted the kind offer). They dropped us off at the hotel, we pointed out to them. Their only comment was that it was the biggest hotel in town. They didn’t inform us of the other activities on offer at the same hotel. Even if they had enlightened us, we were so wet and hungry it wouldn’t have made us change our minds. The truth began to register when we saw the pictures of scantily dressed females on the walls of the lift, and notices showing room rates for day, half day or night. There was a secure lock on the door, and we slept soundly till morning.I remembered a question during our‘preparing to volunteer‘ training about choices we would make if accommodation was unsuitable, my choice was to stay, provided there was a good lock on the door. I didn’t really think, at the time I would ever have to make that decision.If we had checked out the town on the internet, we would have been fore-warned. I quote‘ this town only has 2 attractions, a market every morning and ladies at night’ Ah well , we live and learn.We caught the over night train to Bangkok, a taxi to the Thai-Cambodian border and we were back in Sisophon in time for tea the following day.Already looking forward to our next trip.