THAILAND, CAMBODIA & VIETNAM SUMMARY

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Day 17 - Today we focused on the smaller sites. We began with Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som East Mebon, Pre Rup and Banteay Kdei. After lunch, we visited the Roluos Group of temples... Lolei, Preah Ko and Bakong, In another section, we saw Ta Prohm Kel, Baksei Chamkrong, Prasat Bei and ending with sunset views from Phnom Bakheng.

Day 18 - We visited a few new sites as well as revisited some of our most favorite ones. We started with the remote temple of Bantaey Srei. We then returned to Ta Prohm and Bayon. In the afternoon, we caught a bus to Phnom Penh.

Day 19 - We hired a driver for the day to see the local sites. We started with Tuol Sleng, a high school turned into a prison and torture facility. Next was Choeung Ek, a killing field with a memorial building filled with skulls. We then explored a couple of markets before bringing Ron to the airport for his flight home.

Day 20 - Gerald and I took a bus to Sihanoukville, a popular beach town.

Day 21 - We took a day tour to Ream National Park. A boat carried us down the Prek Teuk Sap River, past palms and mangroves, to Thma Thom Beach. We enjoyed the emerald water then took an easy walk through the jungle.

Day 22 - We took another day tour up a mountain to Preah Monivong Bokor National Park, where we took a long walk through the jungle to a dry waterfall. We then got to wander among the creepy ruins of Bokor Hill Station, built by the French in 1921. We stopped by Wat Sampov Pram on our way back.

Days 23 & 24 - It was a long trip back to Bangkok,involving motodops (motorbike taxis), ferry, border crossing, minvan and a night bus. We had a short night then made our way to Pattaya.

Day 25 - We spent the morning at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden. There was tons to see and do... plants, birds and animals but also a spectacular cultural show filled with traditional music, dancing and fighting plus a battle with armor-clad elephants! Outdoors was another elephant performance and an elephant even picked me up! In the afternoon, we visited the Sanctuary of Truth, an impressive, large wooden temple still under construction. There was also a dolphin show and I got to feed a porpoise.

Days 26 & 27 - We took a flight to Hanoi (Vietnam). The next morning, we strolled a bit around town and watched a water pupped show.

Day 28 - We set out on a boat for a 3-day/2-night tour around Halong Bay. We set out from Halong city and out into the maze of limestone islands. We got off to explore Sung Sot Cave which was colorfully illuminated. We spent the night on the boat anchored nearby.

Day 29 - We continued on through the mist. Eventually we arrived at Cat Ba island where we we led on a short hike to a small farming village in a lush valley. The boat brought us back to the main town where we were checked into a hotel.

Day 30 - We began the boat ride back... past misty islands and busy fishing villages. A bus brought us back to Hanoi.

Day 31 - We took a tour out to the Perfume Pagoda, a collection of Buddhist temples It started with a rowboat down the Yen River. It was a very long walk up the mountain. The path was crowded with all sorts of vendors and temples. Eventually we arrived at a large cave temple, filled to the brim with people. On our way back down, we visited the gorgeous Thien Tru pagoda. A boat then rowed us back along the river.

Day 32 - We started with a visit to the Ho Chi Mihn mausoleum. We then headed out to the Temple of Literature and then Hoa Loa Prison (or the Hanoi Hilton). We wandered around town and Hoan Kiem Lake (and temple).

Days 33 - 35 - These days involved shopping, errands, avoiding getting wet during Songkran (Thai new year), flights and long layovers all in the quest to return home.