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BangCamNamKong

February - March 2019
A 55-day adventure by Julia & Paul Read more
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  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 11

    Au revour Phnom Penh - a train journey!

    February 15, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Leisurely breakfast & swim in the roof top pool - refreshing & great view. Checked out of hotel and took a tuk tuk to the train station. Collected our ticket but a little early so had a coffee in a local bakery (nice cakes). Bought some snacks for the journey too. Found a cache near the train station on an old steam train. Watched our train being loaded with a car, truck and motorbikes. Thought the train would be a good way to see the countryside and less stressful than on a minibus. It certainly goes at a sedate pace! Plenty of time to watch the countryside go by. One downside was the slight smell of diesel and the other was that we kept needing to stop to top up the water in the engine - it was leaking. Then we broke down completely! 45 minutes later they thought it was fixed - went OK for for a while but stopped again. Eventually we limped along to meet with a replacement engine which was linked up and we made it to the train station at about 2am (should have arrived at 7.40pm). Thankfully tuk tuk drivers were waiting and we set off but we realised he was taking us in the wrong direction and despite trying to explain he continued to take us to the wrong hotel. We set off again but the last part was down very bumpy dirt tracks. Paul was holding onto the bags to make sure they didn't fall off! Arrived at guesthouse at 2.20am. Shattered!Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 12

    Kampot

    February 16, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Staying in a nice 'bungalow' - hut on stilts. First time we have stayed in non-air conditioned accommodation with a mosquito net but we managed to sort it out at 2.20am. The local cockerels thought it was dawn already - they did not stop all night but interesting to hear all the other nightlife! Slept ok despite all the noise - being very tired helped. The hut only has a cold water supply so braved a very refreshing shower before going for breakfast. Limited menu but food cooked to order & was good. Hired one of the kayaks and paddled around a oxbow lake off the main Prek Tuek Chou river. Very gentle flow (just one very short section on the main river) so easy to get around and we really enjoyed the tranquillity. Back to the bungalow & our host recommended a garden party at one of the other properties so we walked there - a bit dusty and hot but we made it. Nice setting next to the river with a stage (girl singing and playing the guitar while we were there). Stayed for a drink and then caught tuk tuk into town & walked along by the river. Town seemed very quiet - almost deserted. Sat and had a few drinks in a bar & then went for dinner early at a restaurant recommended by our host. Bought some beers and water & went back to our bungalow.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 13

    Kampot to Sihanoukville - deja vu

    February 17, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Woke early to a cacophony of sound - dogs barking, cockerels crowing, lizards chirping (duck like sound), the local temple call for prayers & many other strange noises! Paul had not slept well as so much noise through the night. Packed, had breakfast & got a tuk tuk to the train station. Very dusty trip in - lots of lorries on the road - we had a good dust shower! After the bad train journey here we were hoping the train would be on time. Not to be - after a 5 hour wait the train eventually arrived. The train station is a distance from the town so not much to do other than sit & wait. Bought some plantain from one of the stall holders, read & walked around the station area. The train journey was slow but uneventful. We arrived in Sihanoukville about 7.30pm. We went to the first tuk tuk driver who delayed telling us a price but eventually said $25 for 8k. We argued & found another who would do it for $10 so transferred our bags & set off. Arrived at the Don Bosco School Hotel - a school with the opportunity for disadvantaged children to be taught the skills of hospitality by running a hotel. Students run the hotel under the supervision. It was lovely to see. We had dinner in the restaurant. Egg fried noodles with veg - all good and cheap. Room was fine and nice to have hot water.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 14

    Koh Rong Sanloem

    February 18, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Had a nice breakfast at the hotel & caught the free minibus into town - the driver kindly took us to the ferry port. Collected our tickets and only had a short wait before the catamaran arrived to take us. Sea was calm and crossing was not too bad. The island is beautiful! The sea is clear- perfect. We have a lovely view of the sea/bay from our bungalow. Walked out into the sea - very shallow for a long way - had a swim and had a nice walk along the beach looking at all the fish, crabs, star fish and other sea creatures in the pools and on the beach. Sat outside the bungalow until sunset. Went to the restaurant for a drink in the evening.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 15

    Tides in

    February 19, 2019 in Cambodia

    Woke to find the tide had come in and now the see was only 20ft from our door. Was not expecting it to come in so far. Paul walked out to show how far it remains shallow. Went for a swim and then to breakfast. Walked part way along the beach - goes on for miles - and back. Felt that was far enough in the heat so found two loungers and sat by the sea reading and watching the ferries come and go - nice to relax. Had an afternoon coffee and cake and made a new friend - found a spider on my arm and he did make me jump! Another short walk to a different bar for a drink and a quick sunset swim (although the tide was out by this time so you have to walk for a long way before you get water to your knees). Meal in the restaurant & played bananas.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 16

    Lazy Bay

    February 20, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Decided to walk to the other side of the Island for breakfast so set off down the beach to find the trail. Found the start of the trail had been replaced with a wide rough road to a construction site. Not to be put off we carried on until we came to a T junction with a path and was not sure which way to go. Met a girl walking who directed us and after a short section we got onto the right path. Lovely bay and realised we should have taken swimming stuff. Nice breakfast in the bar there. Short walk along the beach & then walked back across the island to our bungalow. I had a nice swim while Paul read his book. We ate at the restaurant in the evening - nice food.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 17

    Another lazy day

    February 21, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Just a short walk along the beach and out to the end of the pier, bit of reading, a short swim and a lovely massage for me today. So many fish in the sea here - small ones all along the shoreline and larger fish visible from the end of the pier. Paul & I did our bit for the environment by picking up 3 plastic bags and 2 ring pulls from cans whilst walking along and put them in the bin (this is all we found). When returning to the room before dinner we found a new friend - a gecko at least 30cm long - perhaps what has been keeping us awake at night calling. Paul coaxed it outside eventually. Lovely to see though.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 18

    Back to Sihanoukville

    February 22, 2019 in Cambodia

    Today we had to leave the lovely island of Koh Rong Sanloem. Caught the 10am ferry which took us to Koh Rong first to drop off and collect passengers there and then to Sihanoukville. The sea was calm and so the crossing smooth. In comparison to the island, Sihanoukville is dirty and dusty. After getting some money out of the ATM we negotiated with the tuk tuk drivers & got a small van converted one which gave a nice smooth ride up to our hotel - Port Hedonia. It was 4k out of the town, mainly uphill, but a lovely setting. After checking in we walked up to a nearby viewpoint and around a temple. In the temple grounds they had taken in children orphaned by parents who died from HIV. Back to the hotel for a swim and lounge by the pool.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 20

    Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh

    February 24, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    We had booked the train for the journey back to Phnom Penh but after our last 2 experiences on the train we booked the bus! Either our host had forgotten to book the tuk tuk or he had not turned up so we were taken to the bus station in the hotel car. Bus was good again - sleeper type seats and water and snack provided. One comfort stop and one lunch stop and we arrived about 6 hours later. Tuk tuk to hotel - room is fine -quite large with air conditioning. Walked to the riverside and sat and watched the world go by for a while. Lots of people taking gifts into the Buddhist shrine on the riverside. A mini- market had been set up selling flowers, joss-sticks, fruit, other gifts for the Buddha and lots of birds in cages - mainly sparrows but one cage of swallows. Also lots of fortune tellers - reading the cards. Back to the hotel to change and out to the nearest sports bar for food and to watch the 6 nations rugby. France v Scotland first - good game and then at 11.45pm local time Wales v England. Disappointed by the result - Wales won but it was a good atmosphere in the pub. Walked back to the hotel about 1.30am - they left the door open for us with a sleeping employee on the couch.Read more

  • BangCamNamKong
    Day 20

    Amuseum day

    February 24, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Intended to visit the Royal Palace today but having walked there we found it was closed from 11am to 2pm so visited the National Museum instead. Interesting but a lot of artefacts and after a while it is just too much information. There were lots of sculptures of Hindu deities - Ganasha (elephant headed God), Vishnu, Brahma, Lakshmi, Shiva, Harihara and Garuda (Hindu sun bird) from the Khmer era. There was also a casket in which the bodies of kings have been kept before cremation. Nice garden in the centre of the museum and nice and cooler inside on a very hot day. Walked back to hotel to cool down in the air conditioning before going out again to the main market and then walked to Wat Phnom - a temple on top of an artificial hill that was built to house some sculptures of Buddha and then used to house the ashes is Daun Penh who was the founder of the city of Pnhom Penh.Read more

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