Beer, garlic peanuts and the bus from Hell!

Nov. 1 - Day on the water
We booked a day on the water through our hotel.  $17 each gets us picked up at our resort, taken to the south of Phu Quoc where we board a boat to take us to view 3 islands out of an archipelago of  15 islands.

Obtaining part of our lunch!

We snorkel and the water is warm.  The coral and fish have a lot to be desired.
I guess I have been spoiled by the waters of Hawaii.  We have lunch on the boat and then after returning to the harbour are taken to one of the most beautiful beaches on Phu Quoc.  This beach is on the south east part of the island and the sand is white and like powder.  The water is crystal clear.  It's really beautiful but a bit remote if you were to stay there.  You get the feeling that in 10 years there are going to be mega resorts but for now it's almost primitive.

We didn't get back until dark after a stop at the pearl factory.  Wouldn't any outing be incomplete without the obligatory trip to the pearl factory?  However, saying that, I did give in and purchase a pair of pearl earrings as I have lost one of mine on tis trip.
Went for dinner at our favourite restaurant 'The Spice House'.  Sat right on the beach and had a great meal.  Had to pack to be ready for pick up at 7:30 as we are off to the airport for our flight to Saigon and then bus to Phnom Penh.

Nov. 2 - We are met at the airport and taken to the bus station.  This was our idea to take bus for the "experience".  I wish we were flying!  Marlene and I stalked up on nibbles to eat on the 6 hr. bus trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Didn't know you could get peanuts in the shell that are garlic!  After two hours we arrive at the Cambodian border and a fellow on the bus processes all our visas.  Makes it so much easier and costs the same ($25).

We make a rest stop after this and Marlene and I get a cold beer.  With this hot weather nothing tastes better than a cold beer!  A couple of hours later we cross on a short ferry ride.  There are children begging on the ferry and I feel awful.  We've been told not to give to them as most are under the control of some adult who is taking the money.  It's a terrible situation.
Our bus driver is nuts!  Most of the time he is on the wrong side of the road and likes to play chicken with the oncoming traffic.  Had a few close calls.  Arrive in Phnom Penh in major traffic jam and  luckily our driver and guide are there to meet us.  Dropped at our hotel and settle in for the evening.