Well I have made it to Japan - survived Indochina. I flew into Tokyo about 4 hours before Bertha arrived from Brisbane. My Japanese friend Toshio whom I met 37 years ago here in Tokyo was there to meet us.
Laos: I found out why the guy was on the bus with a machine gun - apparently the Rebels ambush the buses on that mountainous road, so they are on the buses to protect the passengers. The reason the land border was closed from Myanmar to Thailand was because the Rebels were fighting the army on the border - a lot of Rebel activity around the Northern borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. This area is known as The Golden Triangle because of the poppies that are grown for the opium which is still a big trade in Laos and Myanmar.
At one of the bus stop/cafes in Cambodia we saw the local police go into the kitchen to see if they had any wild animals being prepared for human consumption - they pretty well eat anything over there. At another bus stop some young girls had a big spider they were trying to sell Paul for US$1- they eat them too. Saw a massive bowl of fried crickets this lady was selling also what looked like day old chickens or ducks complete with heads and feet on a skewer.
Phnom Penh: After getting back from the Killing Fields we went to a Casino near the hotel where they give us a couple of free beers to encourage gambling. We saw a 10 or 12 year old local boy playing the auto roulette machine, he must have been winning he had a fist full of US Dollars. There are no restrictions on age over there for gambling, riding motor bikes or drinking. Went down to the river to where there is a lot of foreign bars and clubs. Left next morning for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. Went to a traditional Cambodian dance show and buffet dinner at the Temple Bar. Next day we lined up a Tuk Tuk to take us around Angkor Wat visiting all the temples, been around for 1000 years, some foreign governments and the UN are paying to renovate and preserve the old temples around Angkor Wat. Left Siem Reap in a clapped out minibus for the Thai border - took 7 hours to go 120 kms - it was boggy and rough. We got through the border with hundreds of others during pouring rain.
Pattaya: Took a double decker aircon bus to Pattaya Beach where we spent a couple of days relaxing on the beach, shopping and looking around at night. Saw some kick boxing -had a few beers and an Aussie meal at the Roo Bar. We witnessed a shocking accident where a guy broke his ankle - he jumped off the stage at a club and snapped both bones just above the ankle and they were sticking out the side of his leg -he was a foreigner turned us off our drinks! Took a bus to Bangkok Airport to confirm our flights for the next day then went back to the same hotel we stayed at before we flew to Rangoon.
Left at 4.00am and went to Bangkok airport. Don't bother flying United - couldn't take any duty free liquor on board had to take everything out of the day pack and have a frisk search. American airlines have gone overboard on security. I had a fairly rough trip to Tokyo looked like the oldest 747 Jumbo in the fleet. Better go now on our way out to Yokohama. Wellsy.
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