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Cambodia/Kâmpóng Saôm Round the world trip 2007
12-14
We so enjoyed Chin, Judi and Marny at the Mai Rood Resort that we dawdled over a graciously served breakfast. It was hot and humid as we approached the border. Stamped out of Thailand easily and then pay too much for a 30 day Cambodia Visa. We speak to other foreign visitors: at least they are charging all of us about $40 to enter! Chin told us to check into the Asea Hotel to wait for tomorrow’s boat to Sihanoukville. Many touts are trying to help us! One even seats himself at our lunch table. Cambodia already is different from Thailand as they scrape the litter from the previous diners onto the floor to clear the table for us! There is loads of trash and many aggressive touts. Money is confusing. Our poor Lonely Planet Guide book said no ATM’s – only Thai Baht. So we loaded up before we left Thailand. We are here; they don’t want Baht and there are ATM’s.
The roads from Thailand are smooth black top with a good berm. As we entered Cambodia the roads change to poorly surfaced concrete, very rough and in places broken up and we now seem to be driving on the right side of the road. In towns it is a free-for-all. No traffic signs or signals. Traffic is going every which way. It is unnerving. At night I notice that there are few if any street lights, so riding at night is a No No.
There is little depression left in the mattress by my knee and my elbow. It is foam rather than the innerspring covered by wood (?) used in Thailand. The people are used to sleeping on a mat on the floor so the beds replicate that situation. At least we don’t sink into the middle as we did in the beds of Latin America.
12-15
The ferry boat to Sihanoukville from a distance looks like a low slung, narrow French river boat: fiber glass, old and beat up. It carries no cars, just people; supplies loaded all over. Rather than sit in the enclosed hull, we chose to squat/lie down on the roof for the four hour trip which baked us. We burned a good deep red while we listen to the Ipod and talked to other travelers. We happened to sit next to a young Belgian gal, Leen, also traveling by bicycle. She had traveled through China, Nepal and Tibet and had good recent information on travel conditions. She loved Lasha; also was able to buy used camping equipment and cold weather gear; sounds good for us.
The hotel we headed for was full, so we chose a guest house next door. Rooms are running $15 US with A/C and cable TV, clean and neat. Breakfast is not included.
December 16 Cambodia/Kâmpóng Saôm Weltreise >
We so enjoyed Chin, Judi and Marny at the Mai Rood Resort that we dawdled over a graciously served breakfast. It was hot and humid as we approached the border. Stamped out of Thailand easily and then pay too much for a 30 day Cambodia Visa. We speak to other foreign visitors: at least they are charging all of us about $40 to enter! Chin told us to check into the Asea Hotel to wait for tomorrow’s boat to Sihanoukville. Many touts are trying to help us! One even seats himself at our lunch table. Cambodia already is different from Thailand as they scrape the litter from the previous diners onto the floor to clear the table for us! There is loads of trash and many aggressive touts. Money is confusing. Our poor Lonely Planet Guide book said no ATM’s – only Thai Baht. So we loaded up before we left Thailand. We are here; they don’t want Baht and there are ATM’s.
The roads from Thailand are smooth black top with a good berm. As we entered Cambodia the roads change to poorly surfaced concrete, very rough and in places broken up and we now seem to be driving on the right side of the road. In towns it is a free-for-all. No traffic signs or signals. Traffic is going every which way. It is unnerving. At night I notice that there are few if any street lights, so riding at night is a No No.
There is little depression left in the mattress by my knee and my elbow. It is foam rather than the innerspring covered by wood (?) used in Thailand. The people are used to sleeping on a mat on the floor so the beds replicate that situation. At least we don’t sink into the middle as we did in the beds of Latin America.
12-15
The ferry boat to Sihanoukville from a distance looks like a low slung, narrow French river boat: fiber glass, old and beat up. It carries no cars, just people; supplies loaded all over. Rather than sit in the enclosed hull, we chose to squat/lie down on the roof for the four hour trip which baked us. We burned a good deep red while we listen to the Ipod and talked to other travelers. We happened to sit next to a young Belgian gal, Leen, also traveling by bicycle. She had traveled through China, Nepal and Tibet and had good recent information on travel conditions. She loved Lasha; also was able to buy used camping equipment and cold weather gear; sounds good for us.
The hotel we headed for was full, so we chose a guest house next door. Rooms are running $15 US with A/C and cable TV, clean and neat. Breakfast is not included.
