For the non-Brits: [In conversation with a few of our cousins from across the pond it became apparent that the title of my blog may warrant some explanation] – I am not travelling SE Asia sampling all local foods called waffles (they vary far less around the world than things that somehow get called pancakes, I assure you!).
Waffle – Verb: to talk or write using a lot of words but without saying anything interesting or important.
Oh dear, this blog seems to be very long now it’s finally written.... oh well you don’t have to read it in one sitting (or at all actually)....
Cambodia
I'll split the photos into temples and non-temples or something I think.... to try and give those who want to skim the temples the chance to see other things without wading through stuff that bores them silly!
As I was crossing the border (by passing more Thai folks trying to scare us into paying for visas that are cheaper when issued at the border, and not getting the VAT back [that I was told I could by other customs officers] on my netbook - don't they know 20 quid is about 2 days worth of money to me in Cambodia??) it started to rain, stopped for about 45 mins as we stopped for refreshments and then it continued for the rest of the afternoon and night.... maybe I found Thailand’s missing wet season??!!*?
More shenanigans on arrival in Siem Reap (the Cambodian town that exists to service people visiting the temples of Angkor – well at least that’s what it does now anyway) followed by my tuk-tuk driver loosing the one in front which he was meant to be following and heading in completely the wrong direction, fortunately i was following progress on a map.... ended up with a free ride to where I would have chosen to go anyway!! :-)
On the way into town it was clear that there are large numbers {with more arriving all the time} of “air-con bubble” hotels – you know the type: large, plastic, characterless establishments that land in, or on the outskirts of the locality, overnight; residents wouldn’t dream of venturing out of these palaces [save the walk to the air-con tour bus that will take them on the prescribed route around the temples selected by someone else as the ones required for a “tick” in the notional box marked “Angkor”] – none of this cosseted ‘luxury’ for me!! Though I did turn down $1/night ‘dorm’ [I use the term dorm loosely – more a barn with no doors and a platform at about 2’6” (70cm) for a row of foam mattresses that were separated by about half a mattress worth of space] I was tempted, mainly just to put a tick in the box {yes backpackers have the notional boxes too} marked $1/night, it’s one not many people fill. Next up the ladder I went for the $3/night gets a foam mattress on a floor in what is best described as a terrace of bamboo rooms with a tin roof - I know I said I wouldn't be doing bedroom photos but this one deserved it. The only “furniture” being a mattress, a mosquito net and a ceiling fan [and if you’re under the mosi-net then you can’t feel even the whiff of a breeze though the fan is on max!].
I eventually hired a bike of the type that your mum/gran would be proud after finding one sensible chap willing to drop from $1/day to $5 for 7days. Late afternoon on a hot day after my first long(ish) bus journey, I’ve got a bike and a map of sorts: north – to the temples!!! Hmm “Isn’t there meant to be a ticket office before I get to the temples?” {Concerning as I’m told there’s a $100 fine for being in a temple without a pass} Oh, that ride through the wooded road was ‘the back way’, a few km south down a larger, parallel road gets me to where I need to be and if I wait just 20 mins then today won’t count on my ticket either..... tum tee tum... 25 mins later I have my pass....north – to the temples!!!
Though I’d decided to try and see places in some sort of chronological order, I figured that as I have this bit of "free" [cost-wise] time today then way not just go and see how far away places are.... glad I did - it’s kind of fun to be at the gates of a place this famous and able to take pictures with nobody in them!! J It turns out that the everyone rushes to one temple for sunset – a pointless exercise in the wet season! And that temple is deserted most of the day as everyone leaves it for sunset – I know when I’ll be going there then! It started to look like rain was on the way and get a little dark so I started to head for home, I was cycling along at a fair little lick [considering the bike i was on anyway] initially, but then a moto rider appeared beside me and wanted to take me to some places a little farther afield the following day - this fitted with my plans so i wanted to chat with him.... even if he was going slower than I was!! [I thought he was just trying not to go faster than i wanted to cycle - but he didn't speed up any when I grabbed onto his shoulder and stopped peddling :-( ]. Having agreed the route, cost and pick up time the following morning we went our separate was as we entered town. It was really looking like the rain would hit now so I started to push-on for the last couple of kilometres, it was a fruitless effort. There was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder followed immediately about 300m away i saw the rain coming down the road toward me. As I reached it I knew there was little point in hoping I’d get through it quick enough to still be somewhat dry by journey's end, the rain drops seemed to be the size of marbles, and there were plenty of them! I was utterly drenched in about 20 seconds. As I cycled passed, people either laughed at me or motioned me toward the shelter they were standing under - but I was already a "drowned rat" so carried on with a smile and a laugh, it was still warm :-)
The Temples – not everyones cup of tea - but having worked with old buildings in the UK from 15th century forward and having a general interest in architecture and buildings then I thought I would enjoy them and I was pretty much right.... having an "any 7 days in month" pass meant that I could relax through it and cycle slowly (and visit slowly too) in the heat that was pretty consistently dry and around 35degrees [centigrade] every day. I saw pretty much everything on the map, including most of the little ones that apparently aren't the best ones.... I really liked some small ones and thought some of the 'main' ones were over-rated really.... I'm not gonna bore you all with everything i thought (specifics can be had if you are going or you really want them and ask).... but i will say this: GO NOW!!!! We [tourists] are having a massive impact on a number of the temples - to name but one thing..... Angkor Wat itself now has shallower wood stairs protecting us from [/and] the steep stone stairs up to the centre and they are laying paths to guide you round the place instead of you ambling wherever you fancy!!! And I won't start on about some of the preservation/restoration that is happening to some of the temples..... I took over 1500 photos over my 7 days - I liked it... only a sample few on picasa... if you want more find me when I get back and I'll put you into a coma with the rest! :-p
The one temple tale that I will relate was my finding of a temple that wasn’t on the map!! This is the map I had: http://www.canbypublications.com/maps/TempleMapaap2.htm. I cycled up to Ankor Wat for sunrise at 5:30ish (I think) and wandered around it for hours until I felt knackered and decided I would see a few other close-by small things before heading back for a rest, and my camera was just starting to complain of low battery anyway. I headed north toward the south gate of Ankor Thom by-passing Phnom Bakheng (the sunset temple), keeping an eye left I had a little climb of small temple Baksei Chamkrong - on this one I decided to see how far up the steps i could race before my camera timer took a picture (hence I’m not showing my best side in that one!). North a little further you see what's left [basically 1 doorway] of Thma Bay Kaek, next cycled the 100m or so west to Prasat Bei [not too exciting, 3 towers]. I needed to 'take a leak' so cycled a little further west as I could see a sort of recess in the tree-line that seemed sufficiently discrete.......
The recess in the trees wasn’t just a recess it was a full-on gap, with a lion statue each side of a wide grass path that showed clear horizontal lines that were obviously the remains of steps. I checked the map. My thoughts raced, “I’m west of Prasat Bei, so then there’s nothing south of me....” “wow....” why isn’t this on the map?” “What is it?” “J”. Naturally at this point I stashed the bike and started climbing! Half way up there was a path that crossed my slope with a few ropes across and a sign saying the way i was going was dangerous... they weren’t gonna stop me though! When I reached the top of the steps/hill I found I was at a temple!!! It seemed to be undergoing significant repairs that were stopped for some reason. It was completely deserted – not a single other person! There were many ropes and signs saying places shouldn’t be accessed “Maybe this place is moth-balled, and they just don’t want people here until it’s ready so they’ve left it off the maps?” I thought. I wandered for about 10 mins before I heard local voices round the corner.... I turned around – I wasn’t going to be told I couldn’t explore this place! Eventually I found a set of steps to the top that wasn’t roped off (great – I didn’t want to actually bypass signs telling me I shouldn’t be somewhere, but anything else was fair game). Once on top I had a good view of the temple below me.... “why isn’t this awesome place on the map?” “how long can they hide it?” “How many more hidden place are there?” “Is that a Japanese tour group coming this way?” sure enough the tour group came and used the steps I’d used to get to the top.... “Hmm, this tour guide has brought his group here so I can get away being here too...” as the group were taking lots of pictures I asked the tour guide “What’s the name of this place?”, “Phnom Bakheng” he replied..... I got my map out again. The miss-placement of Phnom Bakheng on the map had given me what turned out to be my most exciting temple, and it was all in my head J. Rather than taking the path that winds around the hill starting at the east gate I’d entered via the north gate (crossing the path on my way up the slope). As I made my way back down the way I’d come up I decided to try and find the west and south approaches... the west was completely overgrown, but still recognisable, and I could find no trace at the base of the south side of the hill. Awesome temple....
I ended up spending 16 days in Siem Reap.... Good folks kept turning up at the place i was staying which, in itself was very conducive to wasting a few days with friends.... or even spending a few days wasted with friends ;-) {hey - I lived in Holland for a year....something had to rub off!}. Notable mention to Rik and Gary - thanks for the smiles guys. I have to mention the bars food delivery system.... something Wallace and Grommet would be proud of!! I forget to take pictures, but i stole one from Gary's FB :-) so you might get a flavour.... in essence there was an electric motor, the switch for witch was a 20a fuse that you'll find under your stairs, with a gear box of some sort connected to shaft with a car wheel on that wound up a fishing line to pull a tray up the 40 deg sloping cables from the kitchen to the first floor bar/cafe. how on earth did i forget to take a video??
I decided the boat to Battambang was the way to go when I left Siem Reap.... a hot day on a small boat with not quite enough space.... and some excellent scenery in places! Battambang is a bit quiet for my tastes but gave me the opportunity to see a few more temples. And a "killing cave" as used by the Khmer Rouge..... there was a hole at the top.... the victim stood there and was hit on the back of the head with something blunt and heavy... if that didn't kill them then the 50 ft (ish) fall would.....probably..... I almost took a photo, but I couldn't - it just doesn’t seem right that this turns into a "tourist attraction".... i don't know.
I was being "guided" by a 14 year old kid who had obviously been there a number of times and seemed to be able to take it all in his stride... but I found it hard to be there... I remember reports of the Khmer Rouge on the news when I was a kid..... even writing later makes me feel sad - deeply sad....... by what man can do to man..... they wiped out 1/3 of their population!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back in Battambang I bumped into Sarah - someone from the other end of the boat ride down from Siem Reap - it seemed like we'd both booked on the same bus to Phnom Penh in the morning.....nope! Multiple busses leaving at near as damn it the same time apparently...
An uneventful journey to Phnom Penh and I found a tuk tuk driver that would take me a) the guest house that I wanted to go to then, if that didn't work out b) where he wanted me to go then c) anywhere else..... all for one price!- great!
a) only one room right off the bar left..... no....but there was a Swede who'd let her tuk-tuk go...so i invited her to mine....
b) the Swede took the only room left at the tuk-tuk drivers' chosen establishment.... but who should be there having just refused a room but Sarah (of boat and Battambang fame), so i swapped one lady in my tuk-tuk for another..... maybe i should always have a tuk-tuk with me if it's this easy to get ladies to come with you when you have one!! J
c) somewhere else and we had a twin room in a nicer establishment than I would have paid for alone... and I had my first "travel buddy", though neither of us new it yet as we planned different things after PP at the time.
Next day we went to the Khmer Rouge, killing fields just outside Phnom Penh followed by S21 [a Khmer Rouge "security prison" / torture / execution establishment]. The killing fields felt rather sanitised and did not have the same impact on me that the cave had a few days earlier. S21 on the other hand was harder.... I was glad to be there with Sarah. When we came out we were both somewhat drained and told our tuk-tuk man to "take us to the lake": we just needed to be somewhere else.... I think we both just had a bottle of water as we sat for a while....
Got up the next morning and split up (me to sort my Vietnam Visa and Sarah to organise a flight to Oz).... My visa was easier to organise than expected and I’d be able to collect it in a few hours and still get on a bus south... I met Sarah back at reception to find that she was not so fortunate, being told she could go to Singapore but would then be on standby to Oz.... or wait a week for confirmed flights....whilst discussing Sarah's options she succumbed to food poisoning (from the same food that I had eaten only 24hrs before - Sarah had food-envy the previous night so we dinner in the same place two nights running) and just about avoided fainting.... suffice to say I didn't get my bus and Sarah decided against a standby flight!
We left PP to go to Cambodia's premier party beach town - Sihanoukville. It rained pretty much for the 3 days we were there. Between the rain we just about managed to go to a beach that wasn't rammed with hustlers and I ran the scooter out of petrol - about 20 yards from a "petrol station" (I have no idea how Cambodia would sell fuel if not for 1l Johnny Walker bottles!). We left there for a sleepy little place called Kep... the rain managed to hold off for one morning that gave us the time to manage a walk in the Kep national park (basically once round a mountain/hill behind our guest house). As I'm a gentleman I shan’t mention anything about Sarah's map reading later and deciding to visit the "local" supermarket..... [let’s just say it was a little further than expected ;-)]
Sarah decided enough rain was enough rain and standby in Singapore was the best option now - so she head back to PP [bye bye travel buddy!] and I headed to Kampot where Gary, of Seim Reap fame, had now started work at "The Magic Sponge" - a guest house complete with crazy golf course!! I only had one day/night before my visa ran out, but I managed to get some admin type things done and meet more folks for plenty of beers to celebrate a birthday, before heading to bed in a dorm that I had all to myself when I left a few hours earlier.
I arrived "home" well into the wee hours to find i was sharing the dorm with a late arrival -Sokha [the owner], who was still wide awake, and pretty much greeted me with "I guess you'd like to turn the light out and go to sleep?"... nah.....we chatted for hours about everything and nothing.... I think I need more time putting the world to rights with the folks of the Sponge!!
Alas - my visa pushes me on.... Vietnam here I come.... Cambodia I'll be back!
(yes, yes - I know this is late and so i already left VN...but that wasmy sentiment at the time! :-p)
