Bus to Phnom Penh

Well there is not a lot to say about a bus trip.
I was on the $5USD express service to Phnom Penh booked from my Hotel and fortunately the bus station was directly across the road. Fortunate because I may have been running late due to the late arrival of breakfast and the fact that the waiter kept forgetting things, such as hot water for tea, fruit, the jams for the table, butter and milk. I was considering a sarcastic suggestion that I should return in an hour after he got the table set but knew that would have been lost on him.
The bus took off on time and wended it's way through Battambang to a secondary bus station where more people were picked up. We then proceeded to enter the countryside with more stops along the way. I guess that my concept of express really means non stop or maybe limited stops. For a period of time we seemed to play a game with 2 huge trucks laden with sacks of rice. We would tailgate them, struggle to overtake, then stop for a pickup and let them get in front again. I got to know those trucks quite well.
I have travelled on similar busses in many places and these were a pleasant surprise, no loud blaring music, which seems to be characteristic of many other bus rides. In fact the we were entertained at first by a series of video clips of, I assume Cambodian, performers. The clips all told a story, which were variations of boy meets girly, boy splits up with girl and one that followed the fall of grace of one girly into poverty and prostitution when in her darkest hour a prince charming type rescued her and they lived happily ever after. All of this was accompanied with both male and females giving overly dramatic love lorn looks at each other. Later we had some slap stick comedy shows that had the children and adults in fits of laughter followed by a movie that seemed to be about a fat kid who was incredibly strong having a series of slapstick adventures.
I read a book instead.
We travelled through basically an agricultural countryside. Lots of rice paddies, some other fields of green stuff. It was pretty countryside and even had hills as we approached Phnom Penh. It was also much drier around PP.
What I understood to be a 5 hour trip actually took over 7.5 hours. My procedure on such trips is to minimise food and water consumption, to minimise the need to use toilet facilities. There is nothing worse than getting caught short with no idea when the next stop may happen and what the facilities will be like when you do stop. I have a veryy painful memory of a bus ride from hell in Belgium once when my companion and I had a belly full of beer.After thirty minutes we were in need of a toilet, when we did stop over 2 hours later I was in dire straights and could only hobble to the toilet, which was a good 200 metres from the bus.
In fact on this trip we had 2 stops on the way. The first had pretty clean squat style toilets. I am quite comfortable using these. At the second I went native and joined the locals polluting the nearby stream that is probably used for drinking and washing and cooking and whatever. At this second stop the bus was also washed.

Arrival into Phnom Penh was straight forward, I collected my bags and negotiated a price with a tuk tuk driver to take me to my hotel. He assured me that he knew where it was so consequently we spent an extra 20 minutes trying to find it.
I am staying at the very ritzy La Pavilion, very nice.
The Bludger is cooling off with a swim and a Martini being stirred behind me.
Nick Smith
Nick@nicksmith.info
Sent from my Acer Iconia A500 Tab

Siem Reap to Battambang, Cambodia, 9 August 2011

Today the plan was to travel by boat to Battambang. This involved navigating the flooded waterways at the edge of lake Tonle Sap, crossing the Northern most tip of the lake and then wending our way through a river system to Battambang proper.
I was up early, packed and had a hurried breakfast. My boat ticket included a pickup by a shuttle bus. It was late. After it became a half hour late, I began to get concerned. At this stage one of the hotel staff came over and let me know that the operator had rung up, I was not forgotten, but it would be a bit longer. I do not wait patiently, conscious of things that I could be doing, but at least on this occasion I was confident that I would not be left behind.
The minivan eventually turned up and I was loaded on board. Counting the driver, it looked like it had seating for about 9 people. We made several stops and slowly filled the van. We kept on stopping and putting more people in, plus their luggage. By now half the bus were collapsing in a combination of heat and hysterical laughter, we were packed in like sardines. They stopped at 16, by this time people were sitting in each others laps and luggage was held to the roof by ropes. No luggage racks.

A boat similar to ours leaving the terminal

We made our way out to a boat dock, for want of a better word. I had time for a quick leak, but they were urging us on board as by now we were at least an hour late.

The boat engine was loud and noisy and we took off down a narrow channel, following a road raised to ensure that it stayed dry in the wet season. At a seemingly random point we turned and dived into the vegetation surrounding us. Surprisingly the boat kept going. As I looked I realised that we now passed down a small channel, cleared of the larger debris and now kept relatively free of weeds by the regular passage of boats. I also noticed that markers, mainly old plastic bags tied to branches, also kept the driver in the channel.

Like this on both sides

The vegetation began to catch on the rudder and framework holding the propeller in place. One of the crew took life into his own hands and crept over the back of the boat. Periodically he would try to clear debris from around the rudder and propeller, on occasion raising the propeller to assist. At another time we had to stop and the driver put the motor in reverse to try to reduce the weed caught around the fittings.

Ready to clean the debris from the rudder and propeller

We came at last to lake Tonle Sap proper. An amazing feeling. This is part of one of the great ecosystems of the world. A freshwater lake that floods in the wet season, at the same time as the Mekong and Mekong Delta floods. It forms a unique habitat that cover millions of square kilometers and brings life to the parched interior of the country. Undamaged by humans. Unfortunately not, as the locals used it as a dumping ground for all their rubbish and cigarette butts during the journey. Unfortunately so did some of the other foreign travelers, people who should have known better.
We crossed the lake, guided by a large float in the middle and I later recognised a distinctive radio mast, near the entrance to the river system at the other side. What looked like magic to find our way over the lake was reduced to observation and experience.

Fisher folk at the edge of Tonle Sap

From there the trip became like an adventure into the unknown. The channels varied in size from narrow to nice open stretches of water. Tight turns made it interesting and on several the crew had to use oars to help the boat turn and on one occasion we did not make it around and hit the bank with a solid thud.
There was plenty of wildlife with small birds visible in the trees and bushes. At one stage a dead crocodile floating upside down. Even the locals were impressed by that.
We began to pass other boats, larger craft like ours making the return journey, floating homes and small fishing craft that bobbed and tossed in our wake. The driver would slow down a little to reduce the wake but I saw at least one raised fist as we passed and I am convinced that on several occasions the driver sped up deliberately early to cause discomfort to the fisher folk.

Passengers about to embark

We also began to  pass small isolated communities and on one occasion I saw a floating house being relocated with the aid of a small powerboat. Children would wave to us as we passed them on the banks or in their boats and we could see inside the houses as the locals went about their daily routines, or worked along the edges of the channel.
At some places we were stopped and people would get on board. This boat and others like it are their only form of transport and also I could tell a way of socializing for the locals as many obviously knew each other.

Well dressed, even in the middle of a river

At about the stage that my bladder could take the trip no longer we stopped at a floating dock. There was a toilet on board, but one look at the stinking fetid room was enough for me to decide to avoid it. The dock led back to the shore and some houses. At this end where we pulled up it held a small shop that also doubled as a restaurant. I was able to buy a container of rice with some fish and a vegetable sauce and a couple of cool beers.
Prior to that though nature called and after observing the etiquette of the locals I made my way around a narrow ledge next to the shop and relieved myself into the river. Males on one side of the shop females on the other. Hessian sacks dangling from the veranda roof were an attempt to preserve modesty.
I ate my meal on the boat to ensure that it would not go without me. By this time my bum was sore from the unpadded seat, but there was nothing that I could do, I had nothing with me to pad the seat which was hard and wooden. By the end of the trip I had blisters on my cheeks that stayed with me for several weeks.
After about 20 minutes we took off again. The waterways had opened up into a wider river and small communities had grown into slightly larger villages. Civilisation also intruded, with Mobile Phone Towers, the occasional power line and some solidly built brick and tile buildings interspersed amongst the wooden huts.

Houseboat

I was given plenty of opportunity to observe my fellow passengers. There was about a 50:50 mix of tourists like myself and locals. The locals were all invariably well dressed, better than the travelers. Their clothes were clean, whites were dazzlingly white, neatly pressed, and my fears of body odour proved groundless when seated in close company. For people who live beside or on a brown muddy river and do hard manual labour, there was no evidence of lack of personal hygiene. Almost all carried mobile phones, and they were not shy to use them. A backward country in many respects but right up with the times in many others.

Antenna dwarf the buildings underneath

The boat trip ended at a mooring beneath a bridge. There was no jetty, a big jump down to the sloping bank. It was just starting to rain with the daylight fading towards dusk. I had no idea where I was in relation to my accommodation. The crowd of passengers made their way up to the top of the river bank and slowly dispersed onto their prearranged transport. I was about the last when a man approached me and made it known that he could give me a lift. He seemed to know my hotel and mentioned a price. I readily agreed and hopped on the back of his motorbike. He carried me no more than 300 meters to my hotel. I could have walked if I had known where it was. I was happy however, the rain was about to dump down and I was dry.

Ready for the afternoon wash

The hotel was old but magnificently furnished with heavy hand carved wooden furniture, dating back to a time when the French ruled this country and brought courtesan style and European standards to the country. Maybe furniture like this was still made, but I suspect the woodworking skills were probably lost during the countries internal war. Furniture and wall panels consisted of dark wood with thick layers of varnish polished to a high shine. Worth a fortune in any western country.
After settling in and waiting for the rain to ease, I took a walk to stretch my legs. I was tired and I had a brief orientation of the city, found somewhere to eat, had a quick meal and returned home to sleep.
The Bludger was quickly asleep.

Siem Reap beyond the temples.

My hotel is a short walk to the party side of Siem Reap. I chose well. The centre of any action is based around Pub Street. It lives up to it's name. A street of bars, restaurants and.......well actually nothing else. Most places have an almost permanent happy hour of draught beer for 50 cents and Cocktails for $1.50. Free wifi while you eat and drink, outdoor eating or cooler shaded insides. There is an abundant supply of food choices from genuine Khmer food to Euro/Amer centric staples. And it is cheap. You can be well fed and on the way to inebriation for $10. Surrounding this area is the tourist markets selling the normal t-shirts, happy pants, carvings and useless souvenirs. There is also a night market which sells the same and as the night gets later there are other purchasing options. I was surprised how open things were. Example I was accosted (I use that word after due deliberation) "you want massage? I give you bang bang" and I wasn't even looking. On a side note an hours, non sex, massage costs between $3 & 7. I have had 2 so far the quality varies, but hey at that price there is no such thing as a bad massage.
Where was I? Oh yes. My first evening meal was a simple one of Spring rolls and chicken curry with rice. Very nice.
Day 2: Breakfast, served at the hotel was fresh tropical fruits, a really nice chicken rice porridge, we would consider it a savoury soup, and a lovely omellete.
Lunch I had on the go out near the Temples. There are plenty of eating, drinking and souveniring esrablishments situated at the end of the temple tours, in fact the tour paths are designed to lead you straight into these places, where you are accosted by heaps of really cute kids who will lead you to their parents places. If you even walk close to one there are calls for "cold drink", "T-shirt", "hello mister I give you good price". Anyway ignoring the cutest kids on earth I ploughed my way in to the restaurants and selected a place that looked hygenic and prosperous. An old lady was eating there, I assumed the owner or cook, I was later proved right on this point. On the basis that she was eating something local and good, I pointed at her plate and said that was what I wanted. The lady got up and cooked it. What she had turned out to be a very nice Chicken Noodle soup. I asked for chilli which came on a side plate, and were damn hot. The noodles looked suspiciously lie 2 minute noodles. But it was very nice.
Being a quiet time at the restaurant I had an opportunity to talk with the restaurant owner and staff, the old lady actually turned out to be 50. It was actually her daughter doing the translating, she worked in one of the souvenir shops on commission. By the end of lunch I had been talked into visiting her shop and consequently bought non needed stuff. Anyone want a silk scarf? I give you special price.
In the evening I ventured into town and had my first Khmer massage. $5, similar to a Thai massage but not as rough. Following that I went into an upmarket BBQ restaurant. I avoided the BBQ and had a Khmer tasting menu for $9! How cheap is that? I have to confess that I have already forgotten what the entrees were, I was presented 4 plates of sample size food. As my memory goes, mainly salads, very healthy, a string bean sald was a bit bland and a thick chicken broth with legumes in the bottom. Main courses were Eel, Fish, Shrimp presented in a variety of ways and a rather powerful tasting chicken soup, still not sure if I liked it. Deserts included several tastes of sweet cocunut based desert. The type of things that you see in Asian groceries in Australia and are never sure about tasting.
Overall a very nice meal and taste of local food. Washed down with a couple of Mojito's which were 2 for 1 happy hour all day.
After that I visited the night markets, these held no interest for me. I was talked into another massage for $1. By the time I had added extras to that it became a $6 massage. (Not the extras your dirty minds may have been thinking!)
later I cruised back through Pub Street looking for one more cocktail before bed. The place was actually quiet and the main interest in the establishment I chose was a re-run of "The life of Brian" on video screens. It is low season, not many tourists here.
The Bludger has just spent the last 4 hours in a pub, drinking 50 cent beers to write this up. Life is tough.

Nick Smith
Nick@nicksmith.info
Sent from my Acer Iconia A500 Tab

Angkor Wat temple complex.

The flight to Siem Reap from Singapore took about 2 hours. As we crossed the coastline I could see rivers and a patchwork quilt of fields, which I assumed were predominantly rice paddies. From this height there was no obvious signs of life. The countryside looked flat and gradually changed to become more forested and hilly. As the plane began it's descent the ground below looked a brilliant verdant green the patchwork of fields dissapeared and then took on a muddy coloured appearance. Lower still and below was a brown expanse. It suddenly dawned on me that we were coming in over lake Tonle Sap and what I was observing was the flooded plains of the surrounding countryside and the brown waters of the lake. Far from being devoid of life this is one of the most abundant places on earth. What concerned me was the fact that we seemed to be landing in all this water. In fact while being 100's of kilometres inland, Siem Reap is only 15metres above sea level.
Arrival procedures, picked up by the hotel shuttle, check in, luxury hotel etcetera......fast forward.
I hired a car and driver for the afternoon. While Angkor Wat is a temple in it's own right, it also refers to a complex of temples. Driving into the complex you begin to realise the incredible size of this area. The approaxh is via tree lined avenues, which give it an English park like feel. Some people choose to ride bicycles around here. I would not, it is too big and to damned hot.
I commenced my tour at Angkor Thom (Google it for details). The temple lies in ruins and has only been partially restored. Consisting of 3 levels, it took several hours just to walk around. Without a guide I know that I missed heaps, however I was just struggling to comprehend the enormity of it. I took a break at one stage and visited a Buddhist shrine and then on a couple of occasions had to just sit and try to take it all in. At the very top a Hindu shrine is tucked away and it was welcome relief to spend a few minutes there away from the heat and sun and the mental overload. This temple alone probably warrants several visits to try to comprehend it.
I have little to compare this temple to. Borobodur in Java is probably larger in size and has the same awe inspiring effect. Winchester Cathedral is more modern and technically a greater achievement, I have not seen the great pyramids, but I suspect given the age these temples rival them in every way.
You may take it from the preceding that I was mightily impressed.
Moving on from there I visited the Bayon. A pyramidal structure, notable for it's steep climb to the top. I took the climb with some trepidation, the first part of the climb was a steep set of steps built into the structure, I might possibly, in a testosterone laden moment, have ignored the wooden steps and handrail purpose built for tourists. The final climb there was no option, the suicidal steps or stay down. Finishing with a walk around the platform of the Leper King and the Elephant concourse.
By this stage, despite the heat and dehydration, I had consumed lots of water, my bladder was about to burst and I was in serious need of rehydration therapy. I rushed the last bits.
The Bludger was hot, thirsty and overwhelmed.

Nick Smith
Nick@nicksmith.info
Sent from my Acer Iconia A500 Tab

On the way

Well an auspicious start to the trip. When I checked in at Darwin Airport, I was checked in by quit an attractive lady. I may have been flirting a bit, which probably explains what happened later.
I wandered the terminal and then decided to go through immigration. I was just about to have my turn when I heard my name paged through the loudspeakers. I was to return to the customer service desk. It turned out that the lovely lady had checked me in under the wrong name. I had not noticed the wrong name on my ticket. That would have been awkward at immigration.
The rest went straight forward. Buying cheap Jetstar tickets really sucks. You have to buy everything, and service is poor. Waited over an hour for first opportunity to get a drink, had to chase hard for further drinks.
Arrived in Singapore for the night. Found my hotel and a very nice microbrewery across the road, which did a nice IPA. The brewery is called AdstraGold worth a second visit.
Up early and I am waiting to board the flight to Siem Reap.
TheBludger is ready to go.
Nick Smith
Nick@nicksmith.info
Sent from my Acer Iconia A500 Tab

Only 3 Sleeps till departure

The Bludger is finally getting excited.

E-visa. It's a breeze

The government of Cambodia offers an electronic application and delivery of Visa's for tourists. Their on line application is easily found via the governments web site. I also have a link on this blog site. The benefits of an e-visa is prepayment and reduced processing time when you arrive in the country. Other benefits include secure payment to authorised agencies, no need to send off your passport for processing and a quick turnaround time.
You can not use e-visa at all entry ports so it won't necessarily suit everyone. Check on line which ports you can use it at. Also at some entry points you can get a visa on arrival. However the convenience factor is enormous.
Compare what I have to do to get a visa for Vietnam. Download a pdf application form. Print it. Fill it out. Attach passport size photos. Send it with passport and money to my local Embassy or Consulate. Include a prepaid registered envelope for return postage and wait. Not that I am criticising Vietnam, there are many countries that use the same procedure, I just want to highlight the benefits of modern methods.
For Cambodia I took an electronic passport photo, filled out an on line form, added the photo, made an on line payment and had the visa less than 24 hours later delivered by email. I need to print two copies and keep them with my passport.
How easy is that? How modern is that? How internet generation is that?
The Bludger is happy with convenience.