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Cambodia
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Anyway, after kissing the tarmac and changing the brown trousers we found ourselves staying in a quaint guest house situated at the side of a lake in the north of the capital Phnom Penh. It had a huge pier built on the lake serving as a restaurant and lounge. That very evening a huge thunder storm broke out which made our arrival all the more exciting. Don't know what our Laos Aviation pilot would have made of that had it happened a few hours earlier?
Don't even go there!
Over the next 6 or so days we explored the city. We encountered many children selling postcards or guide books as they could not afford to attend school. Got to know quite a few of them over time and it cost us loads of fruit too. We learnt it was better to give food as giving money does not always mean they get to spend it. Despite being poor they had a good sense of humour and we had a lot of fun joking about with them.
One morning we spent at the shooting range. Sorry to anyone we offend with the current Iraq situation but this was a chance too good to miss. With 30 rounds each on an AK 47 and an M 16 we managed to hit the target no more than 9 times in single shot mode but when switched to rapid fire, well lets just say the bullets sprayed everywhere!!! But nowhere near the target. The power of those machines is quite incredible. Also on offer were anti tank guns, rocket launchers and numerous hand guns. All at a price mind. We were instructed on the hand grenade. This involved pulling the pin out, place said item next to ear, if you hear it hissing you have a good one, throw it quick!!! Sounds exciting but sadly our brown trousers were still in the wash!!
We felt we couldn't leave Phnom Penh without paying our respects at the S 21 genocide prison that is now a museum. This was once an ordinary school before the Khmer Rouge took it over and subjected so many hundreds of people to an awful death. Those of you who have seen the film The Killing Fields will have a idea of what went on. Thank goodness its all over now but it still begs the question why? A visit to the Killing Fields could be made but to be honest the museum was really enough.
Our journey to Siem Reap was by way of a 5 hour high speed boat. We sat on the roof as the air conditioning was too cold. Never thought we would hear ourselves moaning about that. The views of Cambodian life on this huge lake where much more interesting than watching a Bollywood film down below.
We arrived at the north end of the lake and were greeted by approx 20 smaller boats. Each one with its own representative or tout holding up boards advertising their guest house. Retrieving the back packs from the hull was a task in itself, then stepping from one huge boat to a much lower smaller boat with said back pack was even more fun. Whilst all the boats were jostling for position. We were having such a laugh we thought our trousers would never dry!!
That was not the end of our journey. We were then herded into a mini-bus (great fun for Martin) with no glass in the windows and certainly no air con. Off we went down the dusty pot-holed Cambodian track some 15kms away. Lovely!! Does the room have a shower, we'll take it!!
The next few days were spent having a truly incredible time at Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples. Just scale alone is mind blowing then add the intricate carvings in the stone work and it makes for, well words can not describe it.
We hired a 250cc trails bike and zoomed round taking in the amazing sights. Again we made friends with the hordes of children selling postcards, bangles and guide books etc. They would look after our bike if we bought their water. They were a lot of fun.
By lunchtime the temp would reach 40 degrees so a long lunch was had in the shade before finding the best spot for the sunset. We bought a 3 day pass and on the last day we made it for the best sunrise we have ever had the chance to witness. The sky was a beautiful red and orange and with Angkor Wat in the background the photos came out amazing!
If anyone has nothing to do and finds the current copy of the Lonely Planet Cambodia then on the front cover is a picture of a very old man standing in front of one of the door ways to the Ta Phrom Temple. Well we got to meet him. He is 82 years old and his name is Neem. What a great character and all he does is sweep leaves and sell little bamboo cow bells and little brass elephants. Look him up next time you're in W H Smith! On leaving the temple a Cambodian policeman quietly approached us and asked if we wanted to buy his metal police badge. "Only $5" he said. On enquiring further he was prepared to sell everything he was wearing. Tempting but we just could'nt do it!! Even if "salary very low" we could'nt stoop to that level could we?
Our last day in Siem Reap was spent at the Cambodian Landmine Museum. There we learnt both very sad and happy endings to some poor unfortunate children who have been adopted by its founder. These kids being victims of landmines themselves and are still unable to sleep in doors at night. They will only sleep outside in hammocks as they fear other people will still come and attack. We saw much evidence of landmine victims throughout Cambodia but the work this guy is doing to rid the country of them is inspiring.
On a more happier note our last afternoon was spent in an air balloon ride by Angkor Wat. Words again cannot describe this totally different picture we were experiencing. Then to top it all, as the sun set over Angkor Wat, we played Frisbee with up to 27 begging, postcard,guide book selling children. It has to be one of the highlights of our Cambodian adventure and so nice for them that they could just 'play' for an hour or so. Magic.
Next we took the bus back to Poipet, the Border with Thailand and Cambodia. This meant a 5 hour ride along another orange dusty pot holed track with open windows as 'air con'. On arriving at the Thailand border you could safely say everyone on our bus had been well and truly "tango'd" Hot showers anyone?
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