Monday morning peak hour traffic was heavy and it was a slow trip to the airport. We were all sorry to be leaving Vietnam. We’d had a great time in the country and it’s fair to say that it had probably exceeded our expectations. Every day had brought us new experiences and put us in contact with really good people. We had been lucky enough to have had excellent drivers and tour guides everywhere we went and this made our trip so much more enjoyable. Much credit must go to our travel consultant with Indochina Voyages, Ms Tham Tran, for her outstanding planning and support. If you are thinking of travelling to Vietnam, I highly recommend that you get in touch with Tham.
It was about a 40-minute flight to Phnom Penh in neighbouring Cambodia. The sky was free of clouds for much of the journey, allowing clear views of rural Cambodia below. The confluence of the rivers in Phnom Penh was a sight I’ve been looking forward to since I was last here in mid-2012.
It was good to be able to return to Cambodia. Driving from the airport to the hotel, I noted that there was a good deal of new development since my previous visit. Unfortunately development in this country does not always benefit the people. Many big buildings and hotels that have gone up in Cambodia are built by foreign investors, and though they may create jobs, much of the profit leaves the country. Additionally, big new developments have been known to displace poor people in Phnom Penh, as authorities have bulldozed their ramshackle dwellings to make way for building projects, leaving many people without a home and without adequate compensation for what has been taken from them. Nevertheless, despite the sad stories, I am very glad to be back in Cambodia and I look forward to what the next few days may bring.
On The Road With Garry 