Treve & Katrina Travel The World

Hello from a sticky Bangkok!

We have just survived a 15 hour road trip from hell, travelling along the most pot-holed road in the world (according to our fellow travellers).

Chaotic border crossing into Cambodia

Last week we ventured across the Thai-Cambodian border and eastwards across to Siem Reap, home to the world-famous Angkor Wat temple complex.

Angkor Wat

As soon as we crossed the border and took a motor tuk-tuk through the hords of hand-pulled carts and hawkers the poverty was apparent.

Tuk-tuk transport

Whereas Thailand is well ordered and somewhat resembles Western society, Cambodia felt like a journey back into feudal times - perhaps like a cross between Africa and India in terms of poverty and chaos. It was definitely a time to keep a watchful eye on luggage (we only later learned that the border was a hang-out for the Mafia).

We were lucky enough to sit right at the back of the bus and were regularly hurled off our seats as we lurched over pot-holes that seemed to have no bottom. Apparently the Cambodian government have been given money by foreign agencies (such as the Japanese government) to resurface the dirt road, but nothing ever happens due to pressure from the Thai airlines. Good roads are bad for the aviation business!

Rice paddy fields at sunset

It was very atmospheric as dusk fell and the smell of burning charcoal drifted through the open windows, bringing back vivid memories of Africa. We caught glimpses of farmers searching for bull-frogs by torchlight in the paddy fields and were amazed to see the zapping lights of fireflys "dancing in the moonlight" (all together now!)

As we pulled up at a well needed loo stop and lots of shreaking village children ran towards the open windows, we knew we'd arrived in Cambodia. Their grasp of English was excellent, as they rattled off an impressive list of statistics: population 65 million, Queen is called Elizabeth, blah, blah (all with the goal of selling the bracelet that they cunningly slipped onto your wrist when you weren't looking! They'd put a car salesman to shame!!)

Baca Villa, our friendly guest house was run by a Dutchman who employed young Cambodians who literally had nothing. In return for their work he gave them free lodging, food and education (unfortunately something far out of the reach of the majority of Cambodian children). The lads were all so friendly & polite and always keen to help and practice their English.

Siem Reap in the monsoons

Our first trip into town was a real experience as we were swamped by 10 street children - all under the age of 8 years old and definitely didn't take no for an answer. We ended up buying 30 postcards of Angkor Wat!!

Hanging around in the rice market

In the market

The town itself was a heady mix of ordered French colonial style and SE Asian chaos, with interesting markets selling everything from deep-fried spiders, to tourist tat, to chillied-snails.

Deep-fried spiders for sale

Street vendor selling chillied-snails

We have never seen so many mopeds carrying up to 4 people at once. The whole family would whizz by, deftly dodging the pot-holes, puddles and other obstacles (particularly the flooded roads left in the wake of yet another monsoon soaking).

The only way to travel

It was also a bonus to glimpse flashes of orange of the monks' habits whizzing around on the backs of mopeds - they certainly like to practise their English as we found out one evening as we nosed around the temple gates like real tourists!

Washing day at the temple

Our first view of Angkor Wat was in the pouring rain and we got completely soaked, so we ditched our inhibitions and purchased $1 raincoats from the ever opportunistic street kids.

Standing to attention at Angkor Wat

Monks at Angkor Wat

The rain failed to dampen our spirits as we were stranded at the top of the temple with a couple of young American Jehovahs Witnesses - talk about bad timing!!

An ancient regard

We had heard so much about the temples constructed over a period of 500 years by successive Hindu and Buddhist monarchs up to the 13th Century - and they certainly didn't disappoint.

Deep in contemplation

At the temple

A 3 day pass around the temples provided us ample time to wander around the organic ruins - some of the temples resembled a melting candle, while others literally had tree roots growing around the stone door frames (the film Tomb Raider was shot within this temple complex).

Boys will be boys

The temples were littered with shrines to Buddha, often shrouded by orange cloth and surrounded by offerings from the Buddhist faithful (don't worry, we haven't been converted - although the orange cloak feels very comfortable in this hot weather!)

A shrine to Buddha

The stone relief on the temple walls told stories of the teachings of Buddha and despite the passing of time were still in incredible condition - anyone for a rubbing?!

Stone relief at Angkor Wat

After 3 long days cruising the complex, we were certainly templed-out!

Strange loo sign at temple - No bombing!

A couple of miles south out of Siem Reap, an interesting boat trip gave us an insight into the daily life of a floating village.

Flood prevention at floating village

The village is a seasonal home to Cambodians, Vietnamese and Koreans, all of whom regularly have to untether their floating homes to drift down-river to a nearby lake (more like a sea) as the monsoon rains subside.

Fishing in the floating village

Vietnamese floating market

More fun than washing up

Break time at floating village primary school

A side to Cambodia which was very upsetting were the constant encounters with maimed land mine victims. A visit to the Land Mine Museum, which was literally a tin-roofed hut in the countryside, brought the reality of life in Cambodia back home. The countryside is still littered with hundred of thousands of landmines, left in the wake of years of civil conflict.

Recovered land mines

The musuem was set up by a twenty-something ex-child soldier who single-handedly tours the countryside searching for unexploded mines to defuse. He does this by prodding the ground carefully with either his foot or a stick - when he finds a mine, he digs it out and diffuses it. Very scarey stuff, particularly as we were warned never to stray from the footpaths. It was very sobering to watch local children drawing with only 1 arm - this was usually as a result of having played with their friends in the paddy fields.

We felt really sad to leave Baca Villa and the cheerful town of Siem Reap. The people have very little, yet survive on good humour and resourcefulness.

The journey back to Bangkok wasn't without adventure as our bus had a puncture just 1 hour into the 15 hour trip - great!

Puncture on probably the worst road in the world

Punture repaired, we then got caught up in a log-jam of trucks stuck in the mud left by the heavy rains.

Stuck in the mud

We were so pleased to arrive back into "normality" of Bangkok after the long, long, crazy journey.

So now back on the Khao San Road, we are about to take the overnight sleeper north to Chiang Mai for a spot of trekking and elephant riding in the mountains - can't wait!

Lots of love,
Treve & Katrina xxx