It’s my birthday! Started the day with breakfast in bed with a card from my mum. Robin introduced the days plans and we took a tuk tuk into central Kampot. Although Robin had planned a wonderful day she had failed to consider that it was a Sunday and most Kampot attractions were shut.

We managed some shopping and a walk around the lotus pond which wasn’t in bloom this time of year. Peckish, we stopped for some lunch at a burger bar before grabbing a tuk tuk to Green Cathedral.

Unlike the name suggests, Green Cathedral is actually just the name for an area of resorts, pepper plantations, and bars surrounded by a river. The river boarders the land like a moat and provides an amazing kayaking route. We hired kayaks and paddled around the circular route in around 2 hours.

At the end, we grabbed a beer which I won a free can again and passed it to Robin. When you open a beer can in Cambodia the tab sometimes has writing on it. You can win beer, money, motorbikes, trucks. The best we have done is a free can and 10,000 riel ($2.50).

After paddling around we were hot and sweaty so went back to the hotel for a swim and a cocktail to celebrate my birthday. On opening the door to the room I realized that Robin has planned a surprise. The room was filled with balloons and petals with a birthday message written on the bed in bamboo leaves. Very thoughtful.

We showered and had dinner at the hotel. The food was great and my mum even planned a surprise birthday cake for dessert!

Off to bed before a long day of sight seeing tomorrow.

-M