BEIJING TO LONDON CRUISE- 78 DAYS : SIHANOUKVILLE, CAMBODIA

Tuesday, April 2nd

We arrived at port for Sihanoukville, Cambodia, just before 10am today. This is our first visit to Cambodia and after today I understand why. Not much here! Cambodia is bordered on north by Thailand & Laos, east by South Vietnam, and west by the Gulf of Thailand. It has a population of over 15 million of which 200,000 live in Sihanoukville. Our guide said 85% of the people farm and raise rice for themselves. They also have other jobs. Uneducated people up to age 30 work in clothing factories making $81 per month. Those over 30 work at construction making $4 a day. He said they can feed their family for $3 per day. Education here is free. Only if you have real good grades can they attend a university, also free. The best paid here work in the tourist industry, hotels and tour companies. First stop on my tour today was at a HUGE and I mean HUGE market. Thousands of shops under roof probably covering a couple acres. This is a way they supplement their incomes. There was two cruise ships in port today (Oceania and us) which is unusual. The market was mainly a market for local people not tourists. They sold EVERYTHING here. TV sets are still old picture tube ones. This market had a "very special" aroma that came with it also????? I have seen a lot of markets like this in other parts of the world but I found this one most interesting. The Cambodian people are very nice and only a few were begging. Most of them, especially the children, seemed happy with their lot in life but then they did not know anything else. Some of the countries in west Africa had a poorer standard of living than here. Foreign investment is far behind the other countries we have recently visited in Asia. Some condos were built but are sitting empty as there are not investors. A condo goes for $13,000 outside of the city. In the city they are $30,000 for 2 BR and bath. The Russians are developing one of 34 Cambodian islands and have built a bridge to it. The bridge is finished but not open as the hotels on island are not completed yet.
Disappointing dinner tonight. After dinner show was good until the banjo player showed up. Not a good night! Headliner entertainers so far have been very disappointing. Bobby Arvon, (Mr Happy Days) where are you??????