23rd & 24th June 2010:

We slept very uneasily, the music from the karaoke bar went until 3am and then there was the moving of the vehicles in the car park followed by the rooster crowing. Thankfully it was finally morning.

Phnom Penh is a town of contrast, splendour and sorrow. We walked the suggested route from the Lonely Planet book finishing up at lunch time in the markets.

In typical Asian style it had everything; vegetables, meat, fish, shell fish and every conceivable variety of each. With some lunch things purchased we elected to visit the more air-conditioned upmarket mall where the temptation of ice cream banana sunday was too great to resist.

What is John doing with his sling shot?

Lunching at our quality ‘camp’ surrounded by vendor machines that were also stored on this site we became aware of a large rat that had taken up residence under John’s truck.

Not being practiced at rat shooting it took some shots to persuade it to move on.

The Royal Palace was impressive particularly the Silver Pagoda with its 5,000 silver floor tiles AND the 90kg solid gold budda set sparkling with multiple diamonds the largest I estimate to be around 8 carats. Returning to ‘camp’ via the promenade we sat and people watched for some time.

The vendors sold small birds, like finches, in cages that wealthy Kramer people purchased to let free in an offering to the Gods. The down side of this was that the birds were obviously miss-handled and had difficulty in flying far. After the birds release, young boys with long sticks of which the ends were tipped in a sticky substance would quickly pass this under the birds whence they came attached to the substance. The birds were ‘ripped’ off the stick stuffed into a pocket to be resold to the trader for the process to be repeated.

In the mean time that wealthy couple gathered all the beggars and street children around them and started to hand out R500 notes to each person. (R500 is about US$0.25)

With about 30 people receiving that gratitude the couple returned to their chauffeur driven Lexus and drove off.

Driving Cambodia we have grown to hate Lexus Drivers not only for what they stand for as mentioned earlier, but their road attitude is appalling. Driving constantly with the left hand indicator flashing (the passing side is the left) almost to the extent that one would think that it could be a wiring problem with all Lexus imported into Cambodia! Hand on the horn for all other road uses to exit the thin line of bitumen, passing by driving directly into oncoming traffic , not paying for barge tickets yet getting first position on the barge, and for refusing to move half over into the dirt ...even with an oncoming motorhome bearing down on them!

We collectively have, and without consultation, decided to hog the road when approached by a Lexus from the rear...so there!

We were approached by Peter

(real name Oembotumpi)   [email protected] and from his little book of recommendations he proved also to be a good Tuk Tuk guide for us for the day and to tell the story of the Pol Pot time.

1975 to 79 was a sad time for Cambodia, during which Pol Pot turned the clock back to year Zero. The cities were forcibly emptied, collective farming was implemented, and everything modern was scrapped and destroyed. There were no schools, no hospitals, no money.

Anybody who had worked in a city, was a doctor, builder, lawyer, teacher, politician etc were murdered in the first round of genocide. A school in Phnom Penh that became known as S21 was the prison of torture and interrogation.

From this and hundreds of other such institutions around the country he collectively murdered around 3.5 Million of his own people.

Peter lost his Doctor father and many other members of his family. He showed us the scars on his tongue where he was forced to eat boiling porridge because he eat a small scrap of food from the floor. It was a political rule that everybody only eat together and twice a day only.

A visit to the ‘Killing Fields’ where many thousands of victims from S21 met their fate in the most inhumane ways, is moving and solemn to say the least.

As all Cambodia agreed, better to show the deeds of the past so that they may never be repeated in Cambodia or anywhere else in the world again.

The memorial pagoda contains 8,985 sculls and this is only part of the dug up field!

Camp 23 &24:  Phnom Penh.

N11* 34.060 E104* 55.678

Distance Today: 0Kms

Total Distance: 4180Kms

Friday 25th June 2010

Bill left camp very early today to meet Gay at the airport, we would meet up later outside of Phnom Penh as we leave town.

The traffic is crazy.

Carrying stuff!

 

 

Heading east towards Viet Nam on highway 1, we cross the Mekong River by ferry between Neak and Loeang. 

Vendors run and approach from all sides as we slow to a stop to buy the R12,600 ticket (US$4.25 – a pink ticket for this size truck).

The vendors are selling bread, sunglasses, frogs, deep fried grass hoppers, fruit and the list goes on.

Up front are the Lexus vehicles.

We are in Cattle Class!

Now travelling north and generally following the Mekong River, we are surrounded by the vast flood plains and rice fields.

With all those paddy fields it is difficult to find a solid surface to camp for the night. Finally spying an old brick works we drove behind it.

The family was just returning from work in the rice fields and acknowledged that we could sleep here.  The ground was flat, dry and green with grass...perfect.

Taking their photographs we presented a copy to them, of which he was obviously proud.

After we were obviously given the all clear from the elders the children came to explore these strange visitors.

Camp 25:  Old Brick Works. 

N11* 33.798 E105* 24.765

Distance Today: 100Kms

Total Distance: 4295 Kms

Saturday 26th June 2010

A cool breeze blew all night, thus we were all up early this morning following a great night’s sleep.

Following the smaller roads closer to the river rather than the new road north, we drive slowly 45-50KPH to enable us to take in all the activities that surround us.

Old Teak houses on long concrete or pole stilts that reach above the monsoon flood waters. Motor bike riders buying fuel in litre drink bottles from road side vendors who pump it from 44 gallon drums.

The altitude is rising now (45m) as the Mekong winds its way north towards Laos. The crops also change from rice to corn, rubber, mango and other fruit trees.

Today is Michael’s birthday.

At Kompong Cham we walk across the bamboo bridge that is rebuilt after each wet season flood. The locals compete to be in the team to rebuild the bridge each year as it is such an honour.

As the horses bring the tobacco to market the strong aroma fills the air as they trod past.

Old Studebaker trucks driven out of the Viet Nam war to be bought back to life as a workhorse.

Our destination of Kratie we reach at 3pm where a late Chinese lunch was the order of the day followed by our usual market wander. Buying bananas from the locals.

Intestines anyone?

Ice delivery

It was a drive of 15kms north along the river bank road before we found a small space just big enough for the 4 trucks.

Again we made the effort to ask the locals if it was OK, and they enthusiastically all agreed.

First the young males gathered, followed by the male elders, and then given the clearance the children started to appear in great numbers – 17 in all. 

By dusk, the mums were bringing in their babies to show them off.

Some of the young children had a smattering of English, and eventually their teacher who could speak both English and French arrived.

The problem was that most of his sentences contained a splattering of both languages plus some Kramer. The next couple of hours was question time from the children practicing their English.

Camped above the Mekong banks the sunset view was special.

Camp 26:  Samboc Community on the Mekong River with the Children.

N12 12.020 E106* 01.415  

Distance Today: 207Kms

Total Distance: 4517 Kms

Sunday 27th June 2010

A good night’s sleep, light rain and some breeze.

Yesterday evening we were invited by the local school teacher to visit the Pagoda Samboc where 70 monks live and train.

The Pagoda was like many others but what captivated us all immediately was the monk’s construction of the 23 metre long boat they are building for the festival in February.

The base of the long boat is made from one piece of Teak wood, and the two side planks were from two long pieces each 27metres long. All the work is done by hand.

It will be manned by 70 rowers and at the front ‘a pretty girl will dance to keep the men active’. When finished the entire community will drag the craft to the river for the races.

Finally the teacher drags us away from the construction scene and with our shoes removed we enter the Pagoda. WOW! The gold gilded Buddas were contrasted by the brilliant peacock blue and multi coloured walls and columns.  We spoke in soft reverent tones, yet the deep drone echo reverberated around the room. Imagine the tone and uplifting that would be felt with the monks in full voice.

With sticks of incense we each gave reverence and a group donation to the community.

Approximately 2 kilometres up the road is a viewing place for the Irrawaddy Dolphin, however at US$7 per person to look from the shore or go into a small long boat and maybe see one we all thought was a little high on the ‘rip off the foreigner scale’ and thus declined.

The river town of Stung Treng seems to be dyeing now that the main road bi-passed it with the construction of a new bridge.

I love the reincarnation of the old vehicles, and have to stop occasionally to take photographs. Built up from discarded chassis, odd wheels and axles are added, plus a very rudimentary driver’s seat. The passenger normally sits on the tool box, if they are lucky.  Powering these self made vehicles is a Chinese single stroke diesel engine with a big fly wheel. One can hear them coming along the road with the slow revving chug, chug, chug.

Remarkable is the load they can carry.

Only 10Kms before the border a left turn leads to O Svay Community. After zigzagging through the houses on tight tracks towards the river, our camp was again right on the Mekong at the end of the road, and above the boat pontoon. 

This is a very different group from last night’s friendly folks, very stand offish. Although a little uncomfortable we felt OK. One local did offer his yard in which to park out trucks however we declined.

Once again we were without dinner. With no local dinners, late lunches, a long happy hour, and the oppressive heat we really were not hungry. A watermelon divided 7 ways was sufficient.

Camp 27: O Svay Community by the Mekong.

N13* 52.815 E106* 00.005

Distance Today: 208 Kms

Total Distance: 4725 Kms

Monday 28th June 2010

Apparently our friend who offered us his yard had organised some guards to look over us, we thought nothing of the couple of guys chatting about 50 metres away...however in the light of day John saw them uncock and pack away the AK47 as daylight approached!

Our second surprise is that we had miscalculated our border crossing rendezvous with our Laos vehicle representative – it will be tomorrow – we have a day spare. Our visitor from last night arrived and offered us a boat trip to the water falls, a mountain to climb, and to see the dolphins for most of the day US$30 for the group in two boats. With nothing else planned it sounded good.

The boats were small long boats without seats, we all took that as part of the experience, however when we reached to dolphins observation area about 10 kilometres up river, the land owners wanted another US$1 per person which we insisted the ‘tour guide’ pay as he took us as a package to see them. In addition to that, the small boats he ‘rented’ were too small to go further to see the rapids, and the mountain walk he seemed to conveniently continue to ignore. We reluctantly payed him a little extra, but we did feel a ‘sting’.

We did see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. Only 10 remain here and 30 or so further downstream

Returning to our camp site, he had previously suggested we move the vehicles onto his yard, only about 20 metres from where they were parked so it would not hinder the passing trade. Deciding to stay here until tomorrow, he then indicates that we must pay him R10,000 initially then R5,000 per vehicle for parking on his land.  I realise that this is only US$1.10 but that is not the point. We graciously thanked him for his time this morning but within 10 minutes or less we were driving out of O Svay. I wish them all the luck with their trying to start a tourist trade – because luck they will need.

We were at the border before we noticed it. On the left side, only a small sign parallel to the road and partly hidden by trees. That necessitated a ‘U’ turn and camp was in a quarry only 300 metres back. This was about 2 pm. Hot and with no air movement. Time passed with chatting, dinner cooked, wash up done and all settled in for a night coffee before retiring.

Someone is approaching on a motorbike! Two people, it is dark we can only see the headlight and flash light of the men. Mmmmm

“I am the police officer from the border post. Some of the locals telephoned me to say four trucks stay here.”

He went on “I would like you to come and sleep at the border control post – there are snakes here, you more safe there”

Thus:

Camp 28: Outside Police & Customs houses exactly on the Border.

N13* 55.059 E106* 03.796   

Distance Today: 19 Kms

Total Distance: 4744 Kms