Battambang Tuk Tuk Trouble

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Hey,

As I mentioned in my previous blog we left Siem Reap by boat to Battambang in the north of Cambodia. We were told that most boats weren't running because the water level was so low and it would take you ages to get there and also cost 3 times the price of the bus. However, the comments about the scenery totally reversed all the negative comments so we went for it and found a boat that would take use there.

It wasn't quite the boat I was expecting, we sat on hard wooden benchs on a very small boat and was slightly crammed in when all the loacals joined us when we went past the floating villages. I don't know how the driver knew which one to stop at but he got it right everytime.

It took us about 5 minutes until we got stuck on the river bed the propeller on a stick was spinning its heart out and spweing up sediment everywhere. I though that was it a 5 minute ride and we were finished. But the guys determination got us on the way again. They got into the water and pushed the boat along the river. Back in deeper water we followed the meandering shallow river wizzing past the floating villages. Some of the villages had crocodile traps with crocodiles in!!

We seemed to be going ok only a few other bottoming out occasions and then we stopped and not intentionally! We had broke down, and I again was doubting that we would make it to Battambang today. Another boat came rushing to the rescue 30 mins later luckily mobile phones work everywhere in Cambodia! and we were soon on our way again. No real problems followed after that and we arrived in Baatembang after about 9-10hrs journey. Agian the tuk tuk drivers greeted us and we headed to a place we read in the book. Our Tuk Tuk driver had a bit of a clapped out bike but we accepted his offer to take us on a tour of Battemabng tomorrow.

The next day we met up with our Tuk Tuk driver and it turned out that his bike had broken down and we rearranged to meet him again at 10:30pm when it would be fixed. We whiled away the time and he was back just on his brothers motorbike he offered to take us to the bamboo train on the bike and then he'll go and collect the tuk tuk after. We didn't really fancy 3 people on a bike and a guy next t us offered to take us there aswell so we accepted and off we went. We soon found out that the other guy wanted to take us on the whole tour not just to the bamboo train. I was fuming after the discussion with our tuk tuk driver he promsed a really good tour with his experience and knowledge of the area, and he turns round and says that his brother will come out while he goes to attend to his tuk tuk. We argued for a while and only agreed on the situation if they would take us for $10 for the day. They finally caved in and we did the tour. My anger soon left me as we were wizzing around the countryside and to the temples which were good but does't compare to Angkor Wat.

We left the next day to Bangkok i'll update again soon,

All the best,
Mark

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