Cambodia

Rise and shine it's early x-mass today. Bundled in to the mini van, we were headed down the bone shaking dirt road. A quick nibble and a walse down to the long tail rocket boat sitting on the rivers edge. Oh I was in heaven! We put our bags at the front of the boat and climbed in at the rear not a meter from the car engine. It was nuts! Our driver climbed putting on a motorbike helmet and fired that puppy up. Man alive was it loud and did that boat fly along the water when the taps were opened.

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Up at sparrows fart again we are bundled into a mini van heading to Bang Lang. It would be a further 5 hours before we arrived in town. Diver Dan we met down in the South of Cambodia was maybe still in town. Arriving at the guest house he was staying at we discovered he had already left. So we back peddled to a better one we had seen.

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The last day in Siem Riep a bunch of Kaileys friends from Korea arrived in town. So it was party party time, staying away from the red bull the night was a bucket of fun. The Asian red bull has so much crap in it, it's rocket fule and the bars love chucking it in the drinks. So it not that easy avoiding that stuff.

Early start the next day put us on a bus heading for Bang Lang. It all started off a little bad. In Asia it's never one bus you always are switching buses. So jumping off the first bus onto the second one in town. There I was in the new bus eating my baguette and cheese I'd bought off the street vendors. When I realize my camera bag is not with me. Oh balls I had left it on the other bus... Stop drop and roll! I flew off that bus spotting one of the locals who helped shuffle the bags from one bus to the other. Grabbing him and trying to figure where the other bus has gone and get someone to call the driver and send it back.... Well kick me in the pants the bus was parked down at the end of the bus station.

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First day I got in Kailey was staying in town so I got her to book me a bunk. How super $1 for a spot in the out side dorm. All one has is a raised bamboo platform with a roof, a mosquito net and mattress. Glad I got a cheap spot in a town that's sole purpose for exsistance is to service the tourists visiting the temples.

I wondered about town unable to spot Kailey about, turned out she was loafing about up stairs the one place I failed to venture. That night we hit the bars in town ready to party a little. It was buy two buckets get one t-shirt free at Ankor What. We got the first t-shirt and one bucket short of the next one we bought it... Not to matter that I'd later lose it.

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Kampot to Phenom Penh was your standard bus trip in Cambodia kariochi music on the on board TV. Hundreds of stops with people getting on and off the bus. Note these buses are sold and advertised as direct buses. The road side stop for eats and drinks are always pretty miff.. So I stick to the fruit most of the time.

Once in Phenom Penh with the water festival over it seemed rather sparse. But I could now get into the palace and have a look about. So dumped my gear at 'okay guest house' it's name. It was strange being allowed to get so close to a king. Anywhere else in the world and there would be problems. The palace complex was worth visiting, seeing a different side of Cambodia. The amount of these large black American vans running about the area is kinda weird. Makes one feel rather out of place.

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Next day was a chill day and nothing was accomplished. I did how ever book a hike trip up to the ranger station and ghost town in Bokor National Park.

Wake up was rather early 6:30 I was foggy eyed and stumbling about. I slung my camera over my shoulder and headed for break fast. The minivan was supposed to come around at 7:30 but nope, it was a little late. I was the last to get picked up before setting off to the park. Suppose was lucky. After getting out the minivan, we all got water and a packet with lunch in it. Oh yay here I thought I was not carrying anything.

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The night before heading off Alice and I were contemplating doing the island or the jungle. The island had Kim on it and would be loads of fun. The jungle was a change in scenery. So we flipped a coin, setting us off to the jungle. Actually awoke in time for the bus, whoop whoop! Clambering into the mini van that collected us at the guest house. My previous forgetful self returned, thank goodness I was looking back and spotted my headphones and Alice's goggles. It was super grand mini van only had 5 people in it so there was loads of space. A lot better than the bus I've done before. Read more

The food was pretty darn good and party party was in the air. We stayed in a hut not 10 meters from the sea.

The first day we spent in the sea and riding around on the motorbikes we had rented. That night the circle of dead appeared and before you knew it. We were taking the little invisible man off our glass onto the table, not drinking with our left hand, speaking in pirate, grabbing a pair of breasts and not forgetting to put the little man back on. Every time one had to drink. This game raged for the next three days!

We were a reckloose bunch my self with the least travel time under my belt. Every one else had been away for more than a year. Most evenings we'd off road via some dunes always fun on a Japanese street bike. Off to sessions or end up at the ghastly named place utopia. Day two was a real bender and we had Kim and Alice faces painted with zink lip cream to look like mimes.

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Finally got the bus to Sihanoukville, and it's karaoke music all the way there. A rather shite way to travel. Arriving at the bus station in Sihanoukville I expected to be swamped by moto drivers.. It was a lot more relaxed than I previously thought. The place I wanted to get a room at was full so shakes up down the road. Not to shabby for $4 a night.

Wondered my new surroundings a bit the beach was okay. The bit closest to where all the guest houses are, had the sand washed away in a storm a few weeks back. The beach is lined with maybe a hundred beach shakes serving up food and drinks. Took the new found relative peace like, a duck to water.

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All of Cambodia has come to town it's water festival time. There is no space to walk on a pavement or patch of grass the street vendors occupy it all. The police have blocked most of the roads so there is some re-leaf from the motorbikes for a day. The streets are jam packed with people looking to have a good time. The king is out in public view on his chair watching the boat racing down the river. Street vendors are blaring their megaphones all trying to scream loader than the other. I don't get the point no one can hear them as it's just one big noise. The smells drift from sweet popcorn to sewage. This is Cambodia in party mode. It's said over 1 million people have made the trip into the city for the event.

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