From: amy_m_sanders@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 1999
Subject: Gooooooood Morning Vietnam!
Hello Hello Hello!
Email.crap is... crap. My new email address is amy_m_sanders@hotmail.com. Please update your address books. I'm trying to do away with this address as I haven't been able to access it for virtually a month. If you haven't heard from me, be patient. I'll get to individual emails in due time.
I even surprised myself with being weepy as I parted ways from Liz in Bangkok. But before I had time to get pathetic, I was swept away on a bus to Cambodia and from there, had a whirlwind week. Cambodia was amazing, perhaps the highlight of my travels thus far. It was rich meets poor at the Thai-Cam border. The drive to Siem Reap from the border was 150 km and took us 8-9 hrs in a standard pick up truck with 18 people, a chicken, and all of our luggage. Never ever ever ever seen roads like that. TERRIFYING! One more hour and I would've been in an asylum. I convinced myself I was driving through a post-war film circa 1890 - no telling the difference, really. Fared well although I couldn't sit down for about 3 days.
Angkor Wat was magical. You'll have to see it for yourself to understand. Take my word.
After speaking to dozens of locals whose family members were killed by Pol Pot and the 1970's Khmer Rouge genocide, I thought I was at the very least, emotionally prepared for the killing fields. Can't remember exactly, but something like 100,000 people were buried there. Only some of the graves have been exhumed. On the ground, there were bits of clothing and bone chards everywhere. I picked up a human tooth. It's strange even writing about it. My intention is not to sensationalize the experience. But it was, an "experience".
Perhaps the reason I enjoyed Cambodia so much is because it's the road less travelled. I met the most fascinating people - diplomats, photographers, photojournalists, NGO's, environmental researchers, economists, academics, the FBI, int'l reps from US Senate and US Congress. This made for some very exciting nights out. And all in a weeks time.
Crossed the border into Vietnam and headed for Saigon. Had an incredible few days on the Mekong Delta with a very lively and interesting crew of characters that I've been travelling with now for 2 wks. You wouldn't believe the number of lives that are wholly reliant on that river. Floating houses. Floating markets. It's a place to bathe, shower, swim, wash dishes, and go to the loo.
Nothing would have prepared for the local markets - absolutely nothing! And I thought I'd seen it all. Dead dogs for sale, cats, rats, snakes, eels, you name it. I watched frogs being skinned alive, ducks having their throats cut while the locals drained their blood, waited for it to congeal, and then sold it in large blocks. It would have taken any animal rights activist straight to their grave.
Then up the coast for some beaches in Nga Trang and a day on Mama Hahn's boat party. Ask me about that when I'm home :-).
Now I'm in Hue and heading up to Hanoi this evening. To even my surprise, I've decided to pack it up in SE Asia and head to London via Bangkok. The heat is getting to me, I think. I'll admit to just recently getting exhausted with the day to day hello madame, where you come from?, where you stay?, you want cyclo?, you buy flute, no?, you buy 2 flutes, have a look at my shop, good price for you, hello hello hello madame... the list is endless. I'm tired. And I'm tired of looking like a walking ATM machine. I never thought I'd want to... blend in with the crowd, she says with an ounce of hesitation in her voice :-). I'm ready to move on. I'm guessing that I'll be on my way west at the end of this month. Ruby, Kathryn, Tim, Richard - get ready! From there... I'm not sure.
So, there it is and here I am. I've scanned in some more photos (with Sean's assistance of course) for my website - www.gonewalkabout.com/amy. Have a look.
So... who's coming to meet me in Europe?
Hugs and Kisses,
Amy