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Published: July 12th 2012
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It's been a while, but then there hasn't been much to tell really. From Phnom Penh I travelled south to Kampot. A sleepy little town just off the coast. The town is small, with little of interest for me. The riverfront is rather nice, with something I haven't really seen in Cambodia rising behind the river.. Hills!
Normally I wouldn't be so excited by the sight of a hill, but Cambodia is flat, flat, flat. Generally the scenery doesn't change much. Large skies, and rice paddies fill the window of whatever bus I am travelling in. So hills made for a pleasant change.
The bus down to Kampot broke down. This time it was compressed air leaking from the accelerator. At least that's what it sounded like. And the fix was some gaffa tape and string. Don't ask me how, but it worked.
As I said apart from the waterfront, Kampot itself has little to shout about. There was an abandoned hill fort that I was thinking that I might visit. But I didn't really like the prices they were quoting, so I declined. The other tours were of things that didn't really interest me, so again I
Kampot - The prison!
I think this run down building may actually still be a prison. gave them a miss. This may have been different if I hadn't finally found the rainy season. In three days there must have been twenty different thunderstorms. The torrential rain came, bright lightning and loud thunder followed. This would then disappear for a brief while, until the next storm front swept across the town.
After three days of this I decided that I should leave the coast, and head back towards Phnom Penh to pick up my two month tourist visa for Thailand. Last time I was here, they were not charging for this. Unfortunately this is no longer the case and they are now charging $40 for the privilege. But at least it means I don't have to worry about border runs for a while.
Coming back to Phnom Penh I got to witness a migration of sorts. There were literally hundreds of small trucks and minivans crammed with workers (I hope) heading back out of the capital. Small vans with hordes of locals all crammed in like standing sardines. The minivans were full to the brim inside and still had room for half a dozen on the roof. It was certainly a sight to see. Now
I never liked the commute to work when I lived in London, but it had nothing on this.
And that about covers the highlights of what I have been doing. Back in the city, I have been relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. Phnom Penh is a city that grows on you. The longer I am here, the more I like it.
There was a fire last night in a hostel around the corner, I didn't see any ambulances, so hopefully everyone got out alright. I only knew about it when the electrics in and around the fire went out. This of course included my hotel, so instead of sitting in a pitch black room as I have no windows, I went for a wander and had a peek. By the time I got there, apart from half a dozen fire engines and a lot of smoke, there was little to see. I couldn't get too close, as the road and pavement near the fire were already filled with spectators. This morning, there are the remains of two buildings gutted by fire.
Hopefully my wait for my visa ends tonight and I can start thinking about which
way to head to Thailand. Cambodia has been fun. I have enjoyed my time here. The mine victims that walk the street were a constant reminder of the history of the country, and you can't help but feel for them. The child that offered to sell herself to me in Siem Reap made me sad and angry in equal measures. She could have been no older than eight or nine. But on the whole the experience has been a good one. Lovely people, good food and some wonderful sights and trips.
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