Texas meetings are usually held at the New Braunfels library, which was recently flooded.  Almost all the TV news coverage in New Braunfels took place at the bridge on Common St and the library could be seen, high and dry at the top of the hill.  July 13^th's meeting saw Mary Ann Hollmig, local coordinator for Elderhostel, as our guest speaker.  

The July meeting marked our one-year anniversary here in Texas!  (Yippee!) Our group has grown from 6 folks to almost 100!!  We are putting together a questionnaire for our members in order to develop a travel information directory that will enhance networking among us “Texas Globies”. 

Next meeting: August 10^th, A reminder that Texas meetings will start one hour earlier, at 2pm and not 3pm.

Meetings are held at 2pm at the New Braunfels Public Library, 700 E. Common Street in New Braunfels, Texas. The meeting ends at 5 p.m. If you would like to continue travel talk on a more informal basis, we plan to adjourn to the Hoity-Toit, a local New Braunfels establishment. If anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

Since the arrival of the West Indian population in London, in the 1950s and 1960s, Brixton Market has been the place for Afro-Caribbean foodstuffs especially along Electric Avenue, while the African and Asian fabrics are also worth a look.  Check out the biggest Ghana Yams in London – they're the size of a small child.  They say it's Europe's biggest Caribbean foods market and they could be right.  

Brixton Market is mainly for ethnic foods, fruits and vegetables.  You can find odd merchandise, from wigs, rare records, homeopathic root cures, to plantains and hair extensions.  Fish is fresh and well priced, as are flowers and fruits. You can find the latest R&B CDs for a tenner each and fill up your toiletries cabinet for £1 per item. 

The market covers several areas of Brixton: Reliance Avenue – a short and narrow covered market running between Brixton Rd and Electric Avenue. Stalls include children's clothes, camera/watch shop and a vacuum cleaner spare parts store! Brixton Station Rd – big outdoor market mainly selling second hand clothes and bric-a-brac with some electric goods of uncertain origin. Electric Avenue – the original market that was once protected by extended awnings running the length of the street.  Mainly fruit and veg and clothes stores. Granville Arcade – large covered market with an eclectic mix of shops including a tattoo studio, cafes, Caribbean bakery, several fishmongers and all kinds of unsavoury trays of animal produce.  Not for sensitive veggies! Station Arcade – small selection of stores leading up the druggies favourite haunt, Brixton railway station. Market Row – Another big covered market with a large selection of stores including the superb Eco Pizzas and Cafe Pushkar. Tunstall Rd – New art market opposite Brixton tube.

Just a word of warning, Brixton is a great and lively place during the day, but late at night, it can be a little scary.  Be careful with your possessions at all times whilst in any market. 

Open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm, except Wednesday when it's open 9am to 3pm.

Next month: Covent Garden market

Greetings from Antigua, again!

When last I wrote I was in San Cristóbal las Casas and just started on my trip through Mexico, and here I am ready to launch in to the second section of this trip as we leave for Honduras tomorrow, and the last of the Mayan ruins in our itinerary. Strangely I am not all 'ruined' out yet and am quite looking forward to seeing the temples and stones of Copan on Monday.

The last three weeks have been excellent fun. My lads have been good value and we are still getting on well so that has helped to make the time positive. And the Ruta Maya took us through some of the loveliest parts of southern Mexico. We detoured down to the Guatemalan border, in Chiapas, to explore a new road and visit the lesser known sites of Yaxilan and Bomampac and they remain two of my favourites due to the smaller size and the exquisite carvings and paint work there. Camping for about half the time, we cooked some excellent meals and stayed in lovely places. Palenque was made more accessible by our excellent guide, Ernesto, and Uxmal was made worthwhile due to the fact that we missed most of the tourist hordes by being there as the site opened. Chichén Itzá wa huge and very touristy but very interesting. We then retired to the beaches of the Caribbean, south of Cancun, for a couple of days. Swimming in the turquoise waters there was lovely. Throughout this time the food remained good and people friendly. Our last ruins in Mexico were those at Tulum, a small site built on the edge of the Caribbean and for the worship of the dawn. I also went for a cavern snorkel nearby – fun and blessedly cool after the heat and humidity of the area.

We crossed into Belize with the minimum of fuss and headed straight to Caye Caulker for two days of sun, sea and relaxation. Although I managed to get sunburnt and not to see a manatee (dugong family of sea-cow), we had a fun time snorkelling, watching dolphins and wandering around the small town. Back to the mainland and straight out of Belize city. A short stop at the small but lovely zoo, getting drenched in a tropical downpour, and then to San Ignacio for two nights. During that time I did another cavern tour – beautiful colours and formations – in a canoe, and we all worried about a sudden closing of the Guatemalan/Belize border due to a demand for back pay by the ex-paramilitary forces who had blocked the roads in and around the Petén area (i.e.: where we were headed). Thankfully it was all settled quickly and we lost no time but the prospect or retracing out steps through the north of Belize and most of the parts of Mexico that we had already traversed was not a welcome one.

Into Guatemala and the Petén area we had mid-summer in Tikal, perhaps the most important and largest Mayan site in Central America. Unfortunately the sun did not cooperate and show us how all the buildings were built according to the seasons and light directions but it was a brilliant mornings ramble. I think I have climbed more stairs in the last three weeks than I have climbed in the last three years! We saw lots of wildlife and had another excellent guide. Part of the film 'Return of the Jedi' was filmed there and it was amazing to be high over the canopy top looking into the greenness and seeing structure over a thousands years old poking up through the trees. Wonderful! From there we went to a place called Finca Ixobal, for lovely food and a chance to rest and relax before Antigua.

From there it was a straight drive to Antigua and more great views of the volcanoes that surround this town. I introduced my friends to a cafe that served eggs benedict and we all indulged in good coffee and other delights to be found here. Our travels also allowed me to revisit Chichicastenango and Panjachal and from there revisit my friends in San Pedro. I have revelled in the chance to feel at home here as I know where things are and how the system works – but from here on in it will be new territory.

The next four weeks promise to be full of adventure and new experiences as we traverse the lesser known and less touristy countries of Central America. Costa Rica is perhaps the exception to that but to me it will be all new. The other change will be the addition of a new member to our group, a British lass who is due to arrive today. She will be my roommate for the rest of the trip so …fingers crossed we get on. There will be no more camping or cooking off the truck though, as there are few places that suitable between here and Panama City so it is hotels and restaurants all the way. Should any of you get the inclination, a real letter would find me in Panama City at the hotel address on my list and I would love to hear from you.

Thanks Jacqui and keep us posted!  If anyone would like to contact Jacqui, her e-mail is: jacquitrotter@yahoo.com

What have you seen on your travels? Drop a line to the Beetle! Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

This is a tale of how Trade Aid's Tanzanian Manager perceived the UK on his recent and first trip over to England.  Trade Aid is a UK charity whose aim is to create sustainable employment in a particularly lovely part of southern Tanzania, Mikindani, near Mtwara.

On the 14^th June, after a long wait, our beloved Mikindani leader, Mr Dennis Willy Massoi, arrived in England.  After Mtwara International Airport, he looked totally shell-shocked at Heathrow, particularly when it was pointed out that he was only in Terminal 4, the smallest!  A quick excursion onto the M25 was enough for him to decide that he didn't want to drive in England (know the feeling?).  Two hours later, after an M3 experience, he was dropped off in the New Forest at my home.  He did notice that there seemed to be more animals (horses, cows, pigs and deer) running around than in Mtwara area.

That night he was taken to the Salisbury Bandari Club, (also known as The Chicago Rock Café) which was full of drunken ladies dancing on tables and celebrating Hen Nights.  Dennis said it would never happen in Mikindani.  On Saturday, suitably attired in an England football shirt, Dennis watched the England-Denmark game in a pub in Salisbury and seemed to enjoy the 3-0 win as much as the locals.  After a few days with Jacob Amuli in Taunton, Dennis returned to work at Trade Aid.  Several exciting things had been lined up for him, but probably the most interesting was the visit to Tony Herbert's apiary in the Chalk Valley.  Clad in spacesuits, we were still very nervous of the thousands of bees who seemed oddly irritated at us opening the hive and removing their honey.  It is hoped in the future to have a beekeeping trial project in Mikindani under the supervision of Tony.

Very, very early on Friday morning, we collected Dennis from Salisbury, along with some former Trade Aid volunteers, and headed for Stonehenge, to watch the sunrise over the stones on the Summer Solstice. Dennis had probably never seen 22,000 people all in one place before, and especially not the eclectic group that gathers there each year, with music, dancing, drums and fire eaters, children, dogs, colourful costumes and some rather dubious practices, all benignly watched over by the Wiltshire Constabulary.  English weather was true to form and the sun didn't so much rise as ooze into the lowering clouds.  When we felt that Dennis had seen enough of the spectacle, we walked the mile or so back to the car through the teeming rain, and headed for Salisbury, and the England – Brazil match.

After another Friday night out boogying, it was all building up to the big Saturday night event at Burgate.  We had around 100 guests who enjoyed a marvellous African Buffet by Pompi Parry, after listening to talks by Tony Herbert and Len Coleman.  Ian and Nicola, recently returned from Tanzania, were there, together with many ex-volunteers and visitors to Mikindani.  The highlight was Dennis explaining what he thought of England!  Apparently he had been worried at Mrs Brian's absence.  “Who will do the cooking?” 

The answer was Mr Tesco, convenience food department.  These totally unhealthy items, pizza, steak pies, fish and chips, Indian takeaways, combined with those marvellous machines ' the Microwave and the Dishwasher had him wondering “why on earth does anyone in England get married?”  Good point Dennis, I'm sure there is an answer to this tricky question, but we'll have to think about it.  An excellent evening raised about £850, which will be spent entirely in environmental projects in Mikindani.

On the Sunday Dennis went up to London and saw all the main sights from the London Eye.  On Monday he did a bus tour to have a closer look, Buck House, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben etc etc, all caught his eye.  By around 4pm though he'd had enough of the culture and was to be found in a pub near Trafalgar square.  Before he returned to Tanzania on the Tuesday, we asked what had made the biggest impression on him, was it the Stonehenge Solstice, Heathrow, Houses of Parliament etc?  None of these impressed him as much as the Salisbury B & Q!  So many tools and building materials under one roof, he couldn't believe it. 

For more information about Trade Aid, volunteers and their work, please visit their website www.mikindani.com

Sarah, an Aussie from Canberra has sent an update on her European adventures.  She says: I have spent a few weeks travelling by myself in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hungary. In Italy I went to Venice, Florence, Siena, Lucca and Sam Gimignano (which I still cannot spell) and Trieste. Loved Venice, as you know, and other highlight was the Tuscan hills outside of San Gim. I could have sat there watching the seasons change, the hills are so enchanting. Went ambling through grape vines and olive trees for that authentic experience. Will be looking for a job squashing grapes in a small Tuscan village after I have finished working on a ferry in Venice.

If you are ever in the region it is extremely worthwhile to do a little circuit around the Balkans, where the hordes of tourists that populate Italy have not yet penetrated.  Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia is a quaint old town with a wonderful range of cafes and beautiful old buildings among the willow trees on the river bank. A day trip away is Bled, home of my favourite castle for this trip.  Perched on a cliff overlooking a deep green lake with an ancient monastery on an island, sheltered by the surrounding Alps.

Then I caught the ferry from Rijeka in Croatia down the coast to Dubrovnik.  Slept on the deck with the smell of salt air and the warm breeze to lull me to sleep.  The coastline is stark, with weather bleached rocks and sparse vegetation, the darker green of coastal conifers. And the water is so clear azure at the shore and a deep blue as though someone spilt ink where it's deep.  Wandered the old town of Dubrovnik, enclosed by fully in tact city walls and escaped the heat to an island 10 minutes away, with rocky beaches and a deserted fort to clamber in and imagine where the old cannons would have been fired from the crumbling walls. 

The hot sun on the ground creating that smell of dried leaves and warm earth that is so intoxicating and evocative of summer. A chance encounter with some English lasses – the Beetle! – (and a few bottles of wine) and I was off to Sarajevo. A contender for my favourite city in Europe.  Certainly the most interesting if not the most beautiful.  Minarets and church spires share the skyline and the architecture tells the stories of all those different periods of history from Turks to Austrians right up until the recent war.  Shrapnel marks still scar the pavement and buildings are pockmarked with bullet wounds, and yet the cafe lifestyle is thriving and thelocals delights in strolling up and down the pedestrian walks each balmy summers night. 

The tunnel museum tells the story of the tunnel, the only link between Sarajevo and free territory during the siege, and locals will tell you their stories of how they lived during the war.  A place with a long and interesting history currently transforming and adapting itself once more. Next stop was Zagreb for my birthday.  A stately city with many fine buildings and yet more cafe lifestyle.  Friends joined me and we celebrated my 103rd birthday by watching some crazy French street performers doing a comical version of the magic flute, complete with soprano and brass ensemble and full audience participation. 

The other highlight of Zagreb was the annual animated film festival, for something a bit different.Another long un-air-conditioned train trip later and I was in Budapest to meet another friend, wondering how many times I would have to revise which is my favourite city in Europe.  Rightly compared with Prague, the most beautiful feature is the palace, castle and parliament buildings along the river, that along with the bridges are beautifully lit at night. We went to a small town on the Danube bend and climbed to a castle before catching the boat back down the river to Budapest.  Spent a lovely day at the hot baths, and then enjoying a long meal on the river front as the sun set on another beautiful summers day. And now I am in London. 

The last four weeks of this trip will see me dashing around the UK, catching up with friends and family. I will also go to Scotland, having been unsuccessful in obtaining a visa for Russia as well as to Ireland for a few days for a South American truck reunion and to see some more family. 

If you'd like to contact Sarah, her details are: sarahguise@hotmail.com

In last month's e-newsletter, we talked about Spain demanding Gibraltar back from the British, and how odd this was when they themselves had two territories in Morocco, (Ceuta and Melilla) that the Moroccans would like back. 

You may have noticed in the news that a couple of weeks ago, on July 11^th, a small band of Moroccan soldiers landed on the unoccupied Spanish owned, but jointly claimed Island of Perejil (Spanish) or Leila (Arabic) or Parsley (English) – unoccupied but for goats, that is, and just 25 metres from the Moroccan shoreline. 

They set up tents and put a Moroccan flag.  The arrival was said to be to celebrate the King of Morocco's wedding.  About a week after that, Spanish troops arrived on the island, escorted by full naval battleships and gained control from the Moroccan army.  Now the Spanish troops have withdrawn from the island and all is well again: foreign ministers of Morocco and Spain have finalised a US-brokered (the EU was snubbed in helping here) resolution to their dispute over the Mediterranean island of Perejil.  Although both countries claim the island, Spain says it had an understanding that neither side would erect a permanent camp there.  The return to the status quo does not mean that Morocco has given up its claim to sovereignty of Pereji.

Morocco was also hoping to take the opportunity to talk about all the issues of contention between the two countries.  These include the Western Sahara, clandestine immigration and fishing, as well as the future of the Spanish sovereign enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.  Spain said it was willing to talk about anything except the enclaves.

Under a bridge in a vast city dominated by a powerful empire, lives a giant troll. A short walk from the beast's dark hiding spot stands a statue of a faraway leader where the locals drink a potent brew for stamina. This is not a hobbit town in Middle Earth. This is Fremont, a suburb of Seattle, the self-declared Centre of the Universe.

Since the Centre of the Universe was 'discovered' in 1991, Fremont has become known for a growing collection of public art that all manages to live up to the official motto, De Libertas Quirkas, or Freedom to be Peculiar.

On a cold, grey day in April, a six block walking tour is a great way to exercise the body and mind.  I walked east from the colourful signpost that points to the major attractions, 'LENIN 2 BLKS' in ochre and 'ATLANTIS 663 FATHOMS' in aquamarine.  A block from the sign is a cold-war missile that once adorned the side of a surplus store in nearby Belltown. Now painted with the crest of the Fremont republic, the 'Rocket' is lucky to be there at all. The first attempt to erect the rocket in 1993 failed, allowing the locals to make a joke about the committee not 'being able to get it up'. The rocket was finally installed in time for the 1994 summer solstice and the liberation of Fremont.  

A short walk north from the Rocket, amongst the pink blossoms, next to the 'Taco Del Mar' sign, is a 16 foot bronze sculpture of Vladimir Lenin. Weighing 7 tons, the statue is the only known representation of the Russian leader that shows him surrounded by guns and flames instead of holding a book or waving his hat. Lewis Carpenter, an American working in Slovakia, found the statue lying face down after it was toppled in the revolution of 1989 and mortgaged his house to pay for the shipping back to the US. Carpenter planned to sell the sculpture as the world's most unique garden gnome. The statue is still for sale for $US 150,000.

I was not wearing a long thick coat designed for Russian winter, so I moved on to boost my energy the way the locals do. In 'Still Life', a bohemian coffee shop, artists, writers and students buzzed. The drug of choice for these urban rebels was the same as the Microsoft campus dwellers, caffeine. I was still getting used to the super-brew and even with an asparagus and red pepper omelette on thick brown toast I could feel my eyes jolt open and my pulse speed up.

With the java beans aid I walked up the hill and under the north end of the Aurora Bridge I found the Fremont Troll.  Sculptured in 1990 by four local artists – Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead – who won a Fremont Arts Council competition, the 18ft concrete beast munches on a full size Volkswagen Beetle and leers at visitors with a shiny metal eye. As with much of the community's installations, the Troll is a living exhibit that reflects local feeling. In 1998, when a man shot a bus driver causing the bus to crash off the bridge into the apartment building next to the Troll, a glistening tear appeared under his eye. The creature is also the guest of honour at “Trollaween” every October.

The wind rushed up under the concrete pillars of the bridge and bit deeper and colder than the cement Troll's teeth ever could. The weather also drained the colour of the faces of the five passengers 'Waiting for the Interurban'. The cold aluminium statues looked resigned to their fate, wrapped in the sporting colours of a local winning team. I paid special attention to the face of the dog with a man's face, brought about by a dispute between sculptor Richard Beyer and aluminium recycler Armen Stepanian, the one-time honorary mayor of Fremont.

Trying to rid my bloodstream of caffeine, I walked away from the centre, along the cycle path lining the edge of Lake Union, past the houseboats made famous in Sleepless in Seattle to the decaying metal structures of Gasworks Park. In the shadow of the rusted boilers covered in bright swirls of graffiti I looked back at the Seattle skyline as the Fremont drawbridge tooted, cutting the republic off completely from the city, just the way the locals liked it.

David is trying to combine careers in internet, marketing and travel. Travel Writing and Photography is one of several projects he is currently working on.  Information about other projects can be found at www.dmfreedom.com.  David can be contacted by email at dave@dmfreedom.com

Kompong Chhnang isn't a provincial town that has obvious attractions for the tourist hordes visiting Cambodia these days. For most, they catch a glimpse of it as they whiz by on the speedboat between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap or for a handful, it's a brief stop on Highway 5 as they take the bumpy route between the capital and Battambang. For me, it was an opportunity to while away some time in a sleepy riverside town and to seek out some ancient temples I'd heard about in the area.

It was standing room only for late arrivals as the Ho Wah Genting air-con bus left the southwest side of Phnom Penh's central market on the dot at 8am. Earlier, I'd eaten breakfast at the Dara Reang Sey hotel and got a moto to the bus stop, paid 4,500 riel for my ticket and luckily grabbed the last empty seat. Highway 5, running alongside the Tonle Sap river, was badly rutted and in poor condition and it took ninety minutes to reach the Prek Kdam ferry where a long line of trucks waited their turn to cross.

Once we'd passed the border marker into Kompong Chhnang province the flooded lowlands disappeared and were replaced by bright green rice fields. An hour away from our destination and we came to a grinding halt. The Khmer woman next to me, on holiday from her home in New York, translated the driver's instruction for everyone to get off the bus as the bridge ahead was broken. A short walk through the throng milling around the scene and across the rickety bridge and we were soon on our way aboard the replacement bus, reaching the centre of Kompong Chhnang, half an hour before mid-day.

I'd been warned that accommodation in town was fairly limited, so I established my bearings and headed for the Victory Monument where I knew that Sokha's guesthouse was close by. Located in a quiet, leafy lane, Sokha was on hand to welcome me, his first tourist for a week and in broken English recalled that he'd heard of some old 'prasats' over the river. My second floor room was a comfortable double with fan, TV and bathroom for $8. I headed back out for a look around and was immediately swamped by children from two nearby schools, who enthusiastically shouted their hello's, a feature which became commonplace throughout my short stay in town.

The heat was already unbearable and dust clouds had left a thick coat of brownish-red on everything in sight. Near the central market I collared a group of card-playing moto drivers but none spoke English, although undeterred, I hired the friendliest to drive me around town. Very quickly I realised Kompong Chhnang was well spread out from one end to the other. A two kilometre causeway joins the larger part of town that straddles the Highway with the bustling waterfront area. In between is shanty stilt housing, a distinctive water-tower and a colourful wat, while the boat dock area was a mess, smelly and busy with food traders and rows upon rows of those clay pots that you see everywhere in town. A few run-down French colonial buildings, including a tired-looking hotel, face out onto the Tonle Sap river.

Exploring both halves of town, we stopped at a couple of wats, one by the river and another, Wat Talmiat, both of which had the usual indoor paintings lining the walls, although a couple of friendly monks at the latter pagoda were determined not to let me go until I'd answered every conceivable question they could make up. I saw the gates of the dormant runway, the largest in the country, which has been earmarked for development but the heat was overwhelming so I took a drinks break at the Mekong restaurant, with its English menu, and watched a kick-boxing match on tv with a small posse of policeman. They told me that a bar run by an expat called the Halfway Pub had closed a few months earlier, but only after I returned to the cafe after a fruitless search!

As I walked back to Sokha's through the tree-lined side streets and past numerous colonial buildings in the administrative quarter of town, I got into a conversation with an off-duty policeman outside the local prison. Chhoun Chom-Roune spoke a smattering of English and jumped at the chance to help me find the Angkorean-era temples over the river the next day, as they were located in his home district and it would enable him to visit his family at the same time. After my initial concerns that finding the temples may prove tricky, a plan was forming and we agreed to meet at 6am the following morning.

After a shower and a snooze, I walked into the pitch-black streets to find a place to eat but the lively Samaki restaurant was housing a private party and everywhere else appeared closed. Traffic was light, shadowy figures passed close by and I struck up a conversation with a male student after he opened up with the popular icebreaker, 'hello, what is your name'. He explained that nothing much happened on Friday nights or any night for that matter and I resigned myself to returning to the Mekong restaurant for supper. The tv was switched on as I arrived and the service was lightning quick for their only customer. Unfortunately, the fried chicken and fries were awful.

I searched for a tikalok stand but without success, although a full moon brightened up the walk back to Sokha's and I was back in my room by 8.30pm. In the morning, Chhoun was half an hour late but it didn't matter as we took a moto to the dock and negotiated with the young boatwomen for one of their craft to ferry us across to the other side of the wide river. At $4 it was an expensive ride but turned out to be a pleasant and enjoyable twenty-five minute voyage across a placid and windless Tonle Sap river and past a handful of floating houses and the regular passenger ferry. Waiting for us at the small dock at Kompong Leaeng was one of Chhoun's brothers, Ne, and before we began our exploration, we stopped for a beef and noodle breakfast at a market stall. Around the corner we paused at Chhoun's family home to meet his parents and get another moto, with Nat, another brother, as driver.

Ne, my driver and the youngest of seven brothers, held up three fingers when I asked him how many ancient temples he knew of in the vicinity. His moto was well-padded with good suspension and despite the sandy track, waterlogged in places, was the most comfortable moto I'd ever ridden. We stopped at the hamlet of Phnom Dar where most of the villagers gathered round to see the foreigner playing football with the youngsters and ninety minutes after arriving on the far bank, we saw our first temple, an eighth century structure.

Prasat Srei is a substantial single brick tower with flying palaces (or representations of the temple in miniature) on the sides, three false doors and damaged lintels. It was located in the grounds of a small school and we shared tea with two young monks and two older laymen before moving on. An hour later, we left our moto in Chunok village and walked along the tops of a series of dykes and open fields, past bemused workers, to another brick temple, in the shade of a large tree. This was Prasat Koh Kralor and whilst less imposing than the first temple, it too had flying palaces, denoting the same period of construction, a broken linga inside and part of a lintel on the ground.

The walk back to the village took about ten minutes, so we rested in the shade of one of the houses where girls were pounding and cooking the poorly graded rice. It tasted pretty foul as did their rice wine but they seemed to find my attempt at pounding the rice amusing enough. A few kilometres along the track, Chhoun acknowledged a shout from a police hut at the entrance to a small village and we pulled over to say hello to one of his police colleagues. Word quickly spread and more of his chums arrived, so we took seats inside the hut and enjoyed a half-hour break from the sun, while Chhoun, his brothers and friends enjoyed more rice wine and a plate of dried fish. If this is an example of the life of a village policeman then where do I apply!

An hour later we searched for our final temple after turning back towards our starting point. We were still fifteen kilometres away from Chhoun's family home when we were directed to a temple a little way across the dry fields. It turned out to be a ten minute walk, along a single sandy path, where we saw some local women and children washing in a muddy pool. They showed us how they dug a hole and waited for it to fill with clear water despite the ground being bone dry on the surface. The two brick towers themselves were in a ruined state and devoid of decoration, with the bricks of a middle third tower scattered at our feet. Two young girls who'd followed us across the fields called the temple Prasat Leaq Pdey. Back on the road, we dissected a wedding party which was taking place under an awning stretched across the sandy track before reaching Chhoun's family home just before 1pm.

Our temple-hunting adventures had lasted more than five hours so I was more than happy to accept Chhoun's invitation to eat lunch with his family and to rest before returning across the river. Their large home on stilts had a wide open veranda where all of us sat in shade, Chhoun and myself, his father Sarun and his mother, seven brothers, two sisters and their children, as well as two friends of his father who were a little disappointed that I spoke no French. A tasty meal of chicken and fish, washed down with rice wine and bottled water and followed by a siesta was just what I needed after the morning's exertions. I was keen to return to Phnom Penh for a birthday party later that evening, so at 3pm Chhoun and I said our goodbyes, I paid his two brothers for their services and we chartered a larger boat to return us to the opposite boat dock, across the river which was as still as a millpond.

As we passed the bus stop near the Victory Monument, I asked the bus driver to wait for five minutes while I collected my bag from Sokha's, which he did. I thanked Chhoun for his help and friendship and gave him a small gift before ending my brief stay in Kompong Chhnang. With the bridge still down, we changed buses again and finally rolled into Phnom Penh's central market at 7pm. The ride was terribly bumpy and that induced one youngster near me to suffer acute travel sickness for the whole trip.

After a quick shower at my hotel, I joined the party at the Wang Dome restaurant in 240 Street celebrating the birthday of a friend, Kulikar, the partner of Nick, Lonely Planet's Cambodia author. The buffet was delicious and far removed from my meal at the Mekong restaurant in Kompong Chhnang the night before and amongst the guests I met a VSO worker from my hometown – a small world indeed. Srun and Reangsey picked me up and delivered me back to my hotel a little before midnight to round off a contrasting but thoroughly enjoyable two days.

For more information on Andy's travels, visit his website which has lots of travelogue stories with pictures. http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.brouwer/index.htm

I wanted to spend a week away with my younger daughter – age 18 at the time (June 2001) having had to leave her behind on a previous trip with my other daughter. Instead of me making all the arrangements as I always had done in the past, I ended up leaving a lot to her – a valuable exercise in itself for both of us!

Liz chose Venice and I intervened here to suggest we explore some other places nearby too. Liz impressed me with her competence in booking a flight through the internet on Ryan Air at one of those ridiculously low prices – a month before due to fly. Although I then immediately started making enquiries re accommodation, everything appeared to be booked up – or we could not book as it was on a first arrival first served basis – although used to travel, I was intimidated by this and going to such a touristy place as Venice, and therefore glad we decided to go directly from the airport to Verona.

With 24 hours to go I discovered the policy of booking hostels was to ring about 7am on the morning due to arrive. In the event it worked out – but I think that area of Italy would be best visited before the tourist rush – which seems to be from end May through to September.

I found Ryan Air comforting – the pilot chatted to us and everything was very efficient. The planes do not land at the main airport Venice but at small Treviso airport – 20 – 30 miles away. Told we could not get a bus or train directly to Verona we bought return tickets for the airport bus. Got off at the train station at Metre – the area of Venice on the mainland. Train to Verona – I didn't realise I had to validate my ticket in a little box on the platform but the inspector looked at our luggage, then at us – we looked a bit jaded by then – shrugged and punched our tickets without complaint. 

Caught a local bus that took us halfway to the hostel Casa Giovanni – a catholic, women's only hostel – cool and pleasant (so hot out). Then we had a bit of a problem finding food – 9pm and only expensive looking restaurants – eventually found a snack bar. By the time we arrived back at the hostel the other beds had now been occupied and we turned the lights out at 11pm. A street market nearby – not cheap by English standards but we used this for our breakfast. Spent the day exploring on foot – a beautiful city. 

Cheapest and best value meal we found was a Chinese take-away – not the usual stuff – things like battered frogs legs. Sat by the river watching the sun set – tired and content – and finally feeling relaxed. Earlier we'd walked to the YH (further out of the centre than where we were staying) hoping the warden would make the booking for us for our next night's accommodation.

They couldn't but did give us the correct number – in the book it was the fax number! The warden of Montagagna YH didn't speak a word of English – somehow I mustered enough Italian and we understood each other (it is French I speak, not Italian – despite my Italian name!) Next morning it was lucky we got to the station early – queues to buy tickets and then another to obtain information so we could find the right train! Discovered we had to change trains at Nagara – and the leaving time for Montagnana was the same as the arrival of our train. However, everyone very relaxed – it seems the trains wait for each other. Montagnana – a sleepy town – and a good place to relax. The YH (in a watch tower in the ancient town walls) had only 4 of us staying there. Friendly warden, despite the language barrier.

Next day to Venice – up very early to go to the unmanned little station. At Mestre I bought a 3 day pass to use on the canal boats and local buses – well worth it, but not quite the deal I thought – it did not cover the boat from the camping site at Fusima, where we were staying, to Venice. So we mostly used the bus via Mestre each time – only 1 an hour. Fusima is not somewhere I would recommend – it is a campsite for 18-30 type clubs – very noisy for much of the night and the cabin we were in was not any more sound-proofed than a tent… apart from the difficulty in transport.

Venice was crowded in the tourist areas – such as St Marks Square – but not so bad a bit more off the beaten track. I did find the locals unfriendly and not many appeared to speak English – they must be fed up with being besieged by foreigners, even though that is how they make their money – and everything is expensive. We found a supermarket at long last and I stopped feeling so anxious about how we were going to afford to eat.

Some highlights for me were Santa Maria della Salute and the orchestra (including piano!) outside, Peggy Guggenheim exhibition, street music in the Jewish quarter, and the island of Burano (brightly painted little houses, 'granny' underwear on the washing line in a little park, wine and fresh fish in a little restaurant), and discovering an Italian 'fast food' restaurant in Mestre – Bis (does not resemble an English fast food establishment!).