6.00am alarm, breakfast and checkout and then picked up by our driver at 6.45am. Got a few more people and went through the morning traffic and school kids on their scooters. I still can’t get used to the traffic rules in this country, there’s be so much road rage in the UK if anyone drive remotely like this!!
Bit of a drive through the countryside and then boarded the boat that would take us to Battambang, any concerns about the baggage weight we’re immediately dispelled as they didn’t batter en eyelid when I passed the bags up to store on the roof of the boat.
We were sat on two sides within the hill and there are about 20 passengers, most appear to be French which was interesting. In fact, I think they all were with us as the obvious exception!
We set off down the river and a couple of people climbed up and sat on the roof, we were too late to do so and it would have been too uncomfortable so stayed inside and out out headphones on. We went down the river for a couple of miles and then it fed into the lake and open water.
We passed a small water village, complete with floating church and then into the open water. A bit rough if I am honest, people at the back were getting splashed and it did cross my mind to get hold of a life jacket and I did make a mental note of what I’d do it we capsized. Sure it will be fine but it doesn’t inspire confidence on these little boats out here in the rough waters. So if this is my last post on here then I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my updates…
Well, we made it over the part of the lake that was necessary and back into a river and very soon we were passing through a floating village, a bit one too.
We stopped very briefly a couple of times to pick up good for transport or even a couple of locals. Kids were waving all the time from their wooden houses being supported by metal and plastic oil drums.
The river was also busy with numerous mini boats that have the long pole with small propellers on them. Some of them were really bombing along. Didn’t take too long to get through the village, we’ve only been travelling for an hour and 20mins and it feels longer.
I’ve been writing the diary and listening to the music Spotify allows, something is wrong with the downloads and most of my songs won’t play, it’s really pissing me off.
We stopped for a break and then continued on our way passed so many individual villages and kids waving at us. We then slowed to walking pace, the river narrowed and was very slow, our weight and depth causing really problems and often the oarsmen had to push us out of mud. I genuinely expected them to tune back or kick some people off!!
But we got through it and the river widened after about 90 minutes of it. Both Tash and I sat on the roof of the boat and then it got too hot so Tash went down but I persevered and stayed up there until we landed at dock. Well, I say dock but it was just the riverbank with a few men offering tuk tuk services which was useful as we were 6 miles away and the time was 2.30pm.
We’d been travelling since 7.45am and our minibus to Phnom Penh was due at 3.15pm so we had a frantic journey in a knackered tuk tuk but we made it.
It was a small and tight 12 seater and it was full, so it was lucky that we were on time and that we’d booked. So we settled in for a 6 hour journey. Stopped once at petrol station for half an hour and then carried on and we listened to music or watched the programmes we have downloaded. Mines just finished which is why I am updating this post now. It’s dark now and 6.30pm, I think we have another 2-3 hours, so there might well be another stop! I just want to get there now though.
We stopped again on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and then dropped people off at various points along the way into the city.
The last stop was ours and we were some way from our hotel, we managed to get a tuk tuk driver to understand where to take us and he did so. A chap was in reception leaving early because he had a cockroach in his room so that didn’t bode well but we thought we’ve lived in the jungle and rainforest so we can do this. Spoiler alert - we had no problems at all and didn’t see any.
Had a look at the rooftop pool and the vista of Phnom Penh and surprised how large it was. We went down to street level and out for a walk, not the nicest district as bars with girls outside offering their wares which we walked through. Found a nice enough restaurant and ate there and wandered round a bit further before making our way home. We were tired, it had been a long day traveling.
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