Mozzeenet

This very well may be the last entry before I depart Cambodia and return to Australia - my time as an AYA is almost over and I wing my way out of PP on Tuesday morning, arriving bck in Australia on Wednesday via Bangkok.

The last month has been full of excitement as well as a few moments of sadness, saying good-bye to various people.

Managed to fit in quite a lot of travelling. The first trip was a 3 day motorbike excursion to Kompong Thom to see some more temples. We based ourselves in Kompong Thom town at a guesthouse and went out each day. Hean drove me and another moto driver, Leang, took Sonia. The first day, we went to Sambor Preah Kuk, a group of reddish-brick temples in a really nice leafy setting. There were some really ornate carvings and we enjoyed wandering around. Not many tourists The way to get there was on a red dirt road, not too bad but extremely dusty and dirty. The leaves on the trees were covered in red dust.

On the second day, we tried to go to a temple in the province of Preah Vihear further North. We set off early and were going quite well. We were driving through thick jungle and the road was very quiet. We knew we were quite isolated. Suddenly, Hean and I went over a big bump and something cracked. The front frame of the bike had snapped! It hd obviously been welded together before.

We had to find a mechanic - he was able to ride it by sitting right at the front and I tripled on the other bike with Sonia.

We were going along like this quite nicely when the other bike also came to a halt. The chain had fallen off! We couldn’t believe our bad luck. Hean had gone ahead already and we looked around at the deserted road. All the vehicles seemed to be going south instead of north.

Eventually one came along going north - it was a big truck and we stopped it. We agreed we would need to transport the bike in the truck to the nearest town. Another pick-up and a policeman also stopped for a while.

The men made a temporary ramp to lift the bike onto the truck. It had been a long time since Hean left but we finally saw him coming back towards us. He was surprised at what had happened.

So the two bikes and the 4 of us were loaded into the back of the big truck. We wrapped kromahs around our heads for protection from the dust, tied up the bikes and chocked the wheels with wood. Even then the bikes moved around when we drove and I was worried they were going to fall over. It was a really bumpy road. We held onto the bikes and the side of the truck and involuntarily bounced around like rabbits as the truck drove along.

It was a long journey through remote areas. People looked at us without smiling and there were signs by the road noting where the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) had cleared mines. It really helped me understand how isolated some people are and what little access they have to education and other resources.

Finally, we reached the next town at a fork in the road. It was dusty and quiet. Animals ran around. Most people were inside, taking shelter from the midday heat or eating lunch.

We paid the truck drivers what they had asked for, around $5 US and then consulted the mechanic. We realised we would be there a while. It didn’t take long to fix the chain but it took a couple of hours to weld our bike back together.

During this time, we ate lunch at a local restaurant, a dirt-floor wooden hut. On the walls, were deer antlers and other hunter’s trophies. A beautiful green parrot wandered around the floor and Khmer song videos played at the back.

We then wandered around a bit, trying to establish where we were and how to get to Preah Khan temple. Although we consulted various people, we only got very vague directions and estimates of how far it was, all different. In the end, we decided that we wouldn’t risk getting stuck in the middle of the jungle for the night. It was already getting quite late and we estimated that we would probably have to stay overnight if we went to the temple that day. We didn’t have any gear with us and there were no guesthouses in the town so we decided against it.

Finally our bike was fixed which was a relief - thankfully it was fixable. So we turned around and headed back towards Kompong Thom town. The trip back was smooth and we got back safely.

* * *

Christmas was fantastic - I didn’t think a Christmas away from home would be as good as it was. Its success was all thanks to the efforts of different people in organising the day’s events.

On Xmas eve, some of us headed down to Sihanoukville to the beach. We were on the beach in the afternoon which was just beautiful and stayed there until late that night, eating delicious BBQ seafood on the small wooden tables on the beach, a plate piled high with big prawns, fish and squid and candles in the sand. There was lights and music.

Christmas morning we all gathered at tables and chairs at the front of our guesthouse on the beach. It was a fantastic morning. Ti and Georgia had bought everyone little presents, we had rum balls, caramello santas, champagne and lots of other goodies. Everyone laughed and talked. The feeling was really relaxed but excited.

A few hours later, the remaining members of the group arrived and we piled into a mini-van to catch a wooden boat out to an island nearby. The island is uninhabited and we set up camp there with hammocks and our very own cook and food all supplied with the deal.

We sat on the beach, swam, snorkelled, ate dinner, marvelled at the sunset and totally relaxed with some drinks and nibbles. It was superb. We stayed up talking and then one by one snuck off to our hammocks which we had tied up between the trees next to the sand.

I can’t say I slept very well. The continuous noise of the waves kept me awake - I thought it would have been a soothing sound.

It didn’t matter though and it was beautiful to wake up as the sun rose in the morning.

A few of us left early the next morning, going off to different places. Sonia and I were headed for Laos the next day and Georgia and Margie to Siem Reap.

* * *

Laos was the next destination. We visited Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane (only for 1 night). It was interesting seeing the different scenery with mountains, rivers and hill-top villages. The north where we visited looks very different to Cambodia.

It was also very cold so we were wrapped up a lot of the time.

We first made our way by pick-up truck to Vang Vieng, 3 hours from the capital, Vientiane which we flew to from PP. It was a squashy ride, the truck was full with people and goods. The worst was the cold as we got into the mountains in the early evening.

Eventually we arrived and found a good guesthouse then looked around the town a bit and had dinner. It was a town very much catering to the tourist. Every cafe and menu was the same with western breakfasts etc and we soon found that the Laos food was probably not authentic, very bland and westernised. This was the case also in Luang Prabang which was disappointing.

In Vang Vieng, we visited caves in the rocky mountains surrounding the town. We cycled around though it was hard going on the very rocky roads. We saw the picturesque river running between the mountains.

Next we went to Luang Prabang, gorgeous but again a bit touristy which took away from the exprience. I never felt I really got beyond the tourist “face” of the Laos people. It was difficult to interact properly - they didn’t seem to expect that we would want to speak to them.

We stayed a few days there and in a few different guesthouses. Dodgy bathrooms were the norm, wet floors, no toilet paper, temperamental water temp and pressure and no automatic flush on the toilet (a dipper and bucket of water are provided).

We went to visit a beautiful waterfall for the day, cycled around the town and saw all the wats there. They are lovely - there are heaps of them. The town has world heritage status. It also is surrounded by mountains. The bus trip to get there wound through the mountains where we saw villages and people dressed in traditional costume.

There was lovely embroidery handiwork at the markets in Luang Prabang, bright colours and intricate designs. I bought a nice lamp made from Sa paper - this type of paper is traditionally made there.

After a relaxing week there, we headed back by bus, a long 10 hour journey, to Vientiane. We were exhausted and found a cheap guesthouse, went out to get a bit to eat and went to bed.

The following morning, very early we headed back to PP.

* * *

This last week I have been packing and saying good-byes. I have a farewell and a visit to Silk Island planned for my last weekend and then it will all be over!

Ruth e xx
Miss Phnomer in Cambodia