Hi All, Nicole and I will be heading to Cambodia and Vietnam for our HONEYMOON. We are both very excited (not only to get married), but to have the opportunity to experience an entirely different culture. We have included specific items directly from our itinerary that you can provide as a gift or you can provide a gift here to our overall trip. We are grateful for any and all contributions to our exotic honeymoon experience! We promise we will document our experience and share pictures with you all! Sincerely, The Future Mr. and Mrs. Prusak

We will depart for boat trip to visit floating village at Kampong Phluk is a cluster of three villages of stilted houses built within the floodplain of the Tonle Sap about 16 km southeast of Siem Reap. The villages are primarily Khmer and have about 3000 inhabitants between them. Flooded forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques. During the dry season when the lake is low, the buildings in the villages seem to soar atop their 6-meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. At this time of year many of the villagers move out onto the lake and build temporary stilted houses. In the wet season when water level rises again, the villagers move back to their permanent houses on the floodplain, the stilts now hidden under the water. Kampong Phluk's economy is, as one might expect, based in fishing, primary in shrimp harvesting.

Nicole and I will visit the Cu Chi Tunnels - synonymous with the Vietnam War and a testament to the determined spirit of the Vietnamese, the underground network of passages at Cu Chi is a fascinating day trip out of the city.Work on the tunnels began during the war against the French in the 1940s and over the next 25 years as the conflict with America escalated, they were improved and expanded to create an underground city of meeting areas, storerooms, living quarters and much more. The tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to control a vital area of South Vietnam and at their height, extended for more than 200KM in length and stretched from what was then Saigon to the Cambodian border.

Nicole and I will visit the Reunification Palace, formerly named the Presidential Palace, this important city landmark was assured its place in history on 30th April 1975, when the first North Vietnamese tanks rumbled past, signalling the Fall of Saigon and ultimately the end of the Vietnam War. Now a museum complete with period meeting areas, war rooms and a basement communication center, after our visit, we will walk to Notre Dame Cathedral. At the center of HCMC’s government district, this romantic church dates back to the late 19th century and is a popular backdrop for wedding photographs. Across the street from the cathedral is the city’s striking French colonial-era post office, whilst Hotel de Ville de Saigon, officially Ho Chi Minh City Hall, is another of the city’s more prominent buildings. The Museum of Vietnamese History is housed in yet another fine example of Sino-French architecture. Dating back to the 1920s, it contains an excellent series of exhibits dating from the Bronze Age to the Nguyen dynasty, the last ruling family of Vietnam.

In the evening Nicole and I will discover the Saigon night life by antique vespa and experience the allures of downtown Ho Chi Minh City, still commonly known as Saigon, from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. Part night excursion, part street food adventure, our after-dark tour of Saigon’s hectic downtown will begin at the Vespa-themed Café Zoom. The ideal vantage point from which to observe the hustle and the bustle of the city, after a few drinks continue darting through the buzzing streets and alleyways of Districts 1, 3 and 4 on the back of the scooter. Throughout the evening, there will be several occasions for us to sample the city’s authentic street food meanwhile a visit to a Vietnamese-style coffee shop provides the opportunity for us to listen to some contemporary live music. We will finish the evening at a local bar, where the new generation of Saigonese unwind after their busy day in the city, before riding pillion back to the hotel.

This one is a doozy folks. Nicole and I will be embarking on a full day boat tour of the Mekong Delta. Nicole will even have the chance to ride a bike during this full day tour!The Mekong Delta is a rich fertile region of farmland interlaced with countless waterways crisscrossed by low-lying rice paddies and on this excursion you will explore one of the country’s most enchanting landscapes by bicycle. Travelling from Ho Chi Minh by car to the Delta town of Cai Lay, city skyscrapers give way to lush rice paddies and fruit farms. Our exploration starts with a boat ride through a labyrinth of narrow canals before making land and hopping onto a bicycle. The 7KM ride (yes, Nicole will be riding a bike) is over level terrain (pheww) and follows narrow village lanes, past fruit orchards and local cottage industries. Locals will often greet you with a hello or xin chao as we pedal by. We will arrive at the home of a tropical fruit farmer, take a walk around the orchard and sample some of the seasonal fresh fruits grown here. We will disembark and continue our ride through another Mekong village to a local home where you will be greeted with a delicious lunch of local specialities. After lunch, a short walk takes us back to the vehicle for the return trip to Ho Chi Minh City.

Nicole and I will be taking a tour at Angkor Wat temple, the largest temple in the world, with a volume of stone equaling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west and is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build. It is generally believed to have been a funeral temple for the king. It has been occupied continuously by Buddhist monks and is well preserved. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides. Each tells a story. The most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Ocean of Milk, which is located on the east wing. In it the Naga serpent, is twisted by demons and gods to spurt out the elixir of life.

Nicole and I will be visiting Chandara which is a villa and landscaped gardens located on the edge of Kouk Tnout village approximately an hour’s adventure to the northwest of Siem Reap. Our half day countryside experience by road, via a pagoda, by boat across an ancient reservoir and then on foot is varied and provides a perfect introduction to the best of rural Cambodia away from the influence of tourism. Our tour will tour culminate at the villa with cocktails and fine Khmer celebratory dining in elegant surroundings overlooking the rice paddies.

Drinks in Vinh Hy...the final stop of our trip in Vietnam before heading to Cambodia.

After this class, we will all call her 'Chef Nikki'....I hope