BATTAMBANG

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Didn't reall rate Siem Reap so soon found myself on a bus to Battamband. The journey took 4 hours but worth it. A soon as we arrived I immediately liked the look of the place



As the bus pulled into the terminal we were met by a swarm of tultuk drivers. I picked one I liked the look of and asked him to take me to a guesthouse. Well we soon pulled up at this place right in the centre of Battambang and a receptionist was showing me the most luxurious room Ive seen during my travels- I thought that no way I could afford such opulence but on asking it worked out under £8 a night





o after a peaceful evening and a Khmer meal followed by a couple of bottles of Bruntys I went and had a very comfortable nights sleep.



Next more I got up and had breakfast before my tuktuk driver Nith came to collect me at 9am. Firsdtly we went off to the Bamboo train whixh was great fun and nice to get a bit of breeze in the hair- blow away some of that Cambodian dust that is everywhere. At the end of the outward journey I shared a Coke and table with a couple from Reading and a Dutch girl. On the return journey we stopped to collect an old man who had cut sacks of twigs- which also came on the train with us



After this was the crocodile farm- well I was most unimpressed by this. Far too many crocs in a confined concrete pen which a murky pool area in the middle. They shouldn't have been like they- just didn't look right- having seen crocs living in the river in Sri Lanka this was a marked contrast and I had no wish to stay there. And certainly no wish to buy he bags and belts made out of theirs skins sold at the place. Ugh



After returning to guesthouse to freshen up- really is dusty in Cambodia and have some lunch was ready for par 2 of the day, My driver Nith drove us through many local villages and eventually we neared the Killing Caves. These were used by the Khmer Rouge to dump up to 400 bodies in there. The entrance was up a steep mountain so a moto service was provided, jumped on the back of a small motorbike and the driver took us up the mountain road. A small boy about the same age as Nathan showed me around the caves- horrible aura in there you cant describe as well as a reclining Buddha and a display case of various bones and skulls of some of the victims. I cannot comprehend how human beings can treat others in this way.



After the caves were visited it was time to jump back on the bike and up and down more mountain roads we went until we came to some of the temples. These were much nicer to visit and was a good spot to see the view across rural Battambang province and watch the sunset .



Before it got too dusky we went back down the mountain and I rejoined my tuktuk driver and we stood to wait for the bats to come out of cave. Ironically standing right next to me were the people from Reading that I met earlier.



Then the bats started flying out of the mountain, hundreds and hundreds and thousands poured out in a steady stream. I have never seen anything like it in my life and wished I had a better camera to capture it properly. I have never seen anything like it in my life before and doubt I will again. After about 20 mins Id seen quite enough bats and it was getting dark so then went back to the guesthouse . Went out for dinner and guess who was in the restaurant- yes the people from reading so we all joined up for dinner and drinks



Fantasticallly interesting day with fun parts also

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Comments

[jane]

wow
nice time then .