The ¼ Mark!

Its the 9th January and on the 6th I reached the quarter mark of my round the world trip. I have been travelling for 3 months and gone a quarter of the way around the world. I am in Phnom Penh, the Capital of Cambodia. I have visited 6 countries; India, Nepal, China, Thailand, Laos & Cambodia. What are my thoughts so far?

My favourite countries have been Nepal & Laos, followed by Thailand and a long away India. No opinion yet on Hong Kong - I am returning - and I am still in Cambodia but it certainly will be above India. It is a close thing between Nepal & Laos. Nepal did not disappoint. The wedding of Rosi & Rajesh, travelling with Kia, the people... So many things to list. Laos, was probably the country

I had no pre conception. I vaguely knew about the country sandwiched between Thaland & Vietnam. It was just another country to visit in SE Asia. However, as the day went pass, the country drew me in. The people, the landscape, the coffee & off course the sticky rie. How I miss the sticky ice. Originally I planned a flying visit, a week max, I stayed 3 weeks. i would have stayed the full 4 weeks if I would have better planned the trip through the country. I opened the guide to Laos in Laos and I did not own one until Luang Prabang. Thailand was not far behind, Did not really finish the country. I stayed in Laos instead. I will return. India I least enjoyed. India is a place which split travellers down the middle. You either like it or dislike it - i spoke with Monica who loves India for the same reason as I don't. To be fair, I only stayed 8 days in total. Not enough time to give a serious judgement on a country so vast and varied. However, with so many other countries in the world to visit - or even re-visit - I see no reason to return.

The best times have been when you get off the back packers/tourist trail. Meet local people. Travel on local buses and not on tourist buses. Find guest houses outside of the major tourist zones.

Some highlights - The Wedding, Bardia National Park, The Banana Garden Lodge, Chiang Mai, meeting people other travellers from around the world, the slow boat down the Mekong, Thai Cooking class & Thai Red Curry, Sticky Rice, the coffee plantation, Momos, my first scooter trip and of course the many varieties of Bananas.

Some things best forgotten - the Bambassa to Delhi Bus ride & Banana stealing Monkeys. I still shed a occasional tear from time to time when I remember those lost Bananas.

In the 3 months I have travelled, I have yet not mentioned how may baseball caps or anything else I have misplaced - Ok lost. I left Europe with 4 baseball caps. These 4 are no longer . I did not loose any caps in India/Nepal. I did throw 2 away by choice.

However my luck ran out around week 8. As of today, I have misplaced 3 hats, the last of these 3 days ago. I bought another hat in Savannakhet. I decided it was best to buy sunglasses, I can begin to loose those instead. Its not my fault, blame the monkeys! Anything else? Well 1 shirt. And before anybody makes a smart comment, Yes, the camera(s) is still in my possession.

Where I am at the moment? I am in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. I have been here 4 days. Around the New Year, I felt like I did not have my full strength. Luckily I was never ill. Some people said that i have caught the 3 month travel blues. Maybe.However, I was not in a good place for me to take a break - Si Pha Don was too laid back - so I headed off to Cambodia and the temples, then here. I will spend another 3-4 days - slowly - visiting the sites & sounds of the city. It is the busiest city I have visited since Bangkok. I am loving it. It helps that I found a nice guest house - by accident off course. Some time it worth letting the Tuk Tuk drivers take you to where they want to - With good food and a lively atmosphere. As a bonus, it has a large collection of DVDs I can borrow. I am now back to full strength, ready to face Vietnam - There is a practical reason why I choose Phnom Penh for a longer stay. I am applying for my Vietnamese Visa. its takes a few days to be processed;

I may not be ill, however this cannot be the said for Baby Dell, my Laptop. Baby Dell has caught a Virus from a USB key. At some point I knew this was going to happen. It a irritating virus. it corrupts the system by attacking Windows Explorer and hides folders. Luckily the only things of importance on the lap top are the photos, and those are backed up. The anti-virus does not even detect that there is a virus. The best option is to wipe the Hard Drive and reinstall XP.

After I boasted in the A Word from Our Sponsor post that I have caught up with myself, I then immediately fell behind. So what is to come?

Wat Phu - A Wat to far?
Si Pha Don - New Year among Islands of the Mekong
Si Pha Don to Siem Reap - Another Bardia to Delhi?
Siem Reap & Angkor Wat - The Wat to End all Wats (Great Photos).

However, before all those, I want to start with 7th January & Phnom Penh...