Bouncing Back

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The distance between Siem Reap in Cambodia and the Thailand border is 150 km, give or take. On a standard freeway, this should take about 1.5 hours, allowing for some traffic. On a standard highway, going 80 km/hour, this should take no more than 2 hours. This particular journey takes 7 - 8 hours - on a good day. I happened to catch the bus on a not-so-good day. Although the concept of time and corresponding schedules and timetables appear to be a flexible matter in south-east Asia, the “air-conditioned minivan” - which turned out to be a small bus from the hipp 70’s or possibly the glorious 80’s - departed more or less on time. The first part of the trip was relatively smooth, with something that could resemble a paved road. No lanes or road signs or fancy stuff like that, but still with a fairly smooth surface making the ride relatively comfortable. After about an hour on the road though, this luxury ceases, in favor of the king of dirt roads. Overhearing a fellow traveler provides me with probably the best description - it’s like driving on the moon. Granted, my experience from driving on the moon is limited to clips from television and movies. However, the so called road resembles nothing like would be allowed on a western world map to be announced as a road.

To paint a little more vivid picture of this Cambodian “point A to point B” stretch - a 10 meter wide path of packed red dirt. Maybe once smoothed out to be travelable, but nowadays equipped with more pot holes than actual horizontal road. The pot holes are like small craters caused by meteors, and extremely plentiful. The landscape is flat, but here and there are bridges built for vehicles to pass over streams providing the rice fields with water. The bridges are by no means engineering state-of-the-art, but rather a few planks lined up over a couple of iron balks.

On this particular day we appear to be making good time. Until we reach one of many bridges. Approaching the bridge lots of people are saying things to the driver of our little bus, and pointing down the road. Although literally not understanding one word of Cambodian, it is quite obvious that something is not right. On the little bridge a large truck is stuck, having failed to cross. The truck is going nowhere, as part of the bridge is gone. Although it seems like this kind of truck is far too large to cross this little bridge, this does not seem to prevent many from trying, resulting in this incident. It’s obvious that this is not the first time this happens though. Calling authorities or engineering troops are for sissies. Improvisation is king for these people. Temporary fixes rule. So, in order for this truck to be able to leave the bridge, and if possible for other vehicles to be able to cross until it breaks down again, a little guy is sent down into the brown water to fish for planks. Apparently he finds a few, heaving them up to the guys on the bridge who in turn lay them out so that it at least looks like a solid path. After about two hours our bus can cross the bridge, not without a few sighs of relief once passed.

The rest of the journey is rather uneventful, reaching the Thai border after 12 or so hours of bouncing. The seats may not be the most comfortable, but fortunately they are padded, possibly reducing the pain for the body slightly. If you’re ever going to Siem Reap/Angkor Wat from Thailand: For those of you who get easily motion sick - this is the ultimate therapy. For the sporty type - buy a mountain bike and hit the road. For those of you with sore or tense muscles - this is the ultimate Cambodian massage. For the rest of you, or the regular traveler going to Siem Reap/Angkor Wat - fly!

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