Any trip really starts once you leave home, even though it is coloured with the stress of actually getting out the front door, but you really don’t feel it has until you touch down in a foreign land, and then when you land at your first destination.
We arrived the day before the tour started, and had time for a private walkabout.
The tour starts with visits to the typical Phnom Penh highlights – the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum.
After these, we head to the more recent history of the Killing Fields,
After this sombre interlude, and a night’s sleep, it is off on the road to Kep.
Along the way we encounter our first real temple, and after an introductory climb, a 4th Century shrine.
Once we reach Kep and have a good sleep, things take a more relaxed step on Rabbit Island. From there we head to Kampot and the markets, and finally the beach side Sihanoukville.
After Sihanoukville we start to head north via the Kirirom National Park.
First day of the northern journey ends in Battambang