Cambodia: Down Came The Rain

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Leaving Phnom Penh by 2pm, we arrived around 6pm at Snookie (a contraction of Sihanookville handed to me by Peter, British owner of the Hope and Anchor riverside pub) and made ouselves comfortable at The Golden Sands Hotel (necessary criterion: takes Visa card).

I was quite content in the passenger seat, observing street life and the women wearing pajamas much in the way some Americans wear velour leisure suits. They are cheap and comfortable if somewhat aesthetically damaging to the eyesight. However, it took less than 20 minutes for my backside to become numb and I knew that I would have to have my usual travel pillow to preserve my skin. This was efficiently purchased at a market on the city's edge much to the amusement of onlookers who witnessed it's purpose and it's a spectacular addition to our dusty biker image. An eye catching little number that would look quite at home in a brothel.

In his defense, Sophat has lost some wieght. It's not mid age 'middle earth' spread, he's too young yet. In Sophat's case the heavens, middle earth and the underworld are all afflicted which means less room for me on the bike seat as I sit jammed between him and the luggage. I suppose the payoff exists in the improved hip flexibility and strength needed to grip on during some of his more daring manoeuvers as the magnetic attraction between him and the red soil forces him 'off road' to undertake slower vehicles at any given opportunity.

Briefly we stopped at the roadside where a truck had careened off and overturned down the embankment. No one appeared to be hurt but a large crowd had gathered from 'nowhere' being as we were deep in the sparsely populated countryside. Not long after that the air cooled, clouds gathered and a light refreshing rain fell. We hadn't packed plastic with us and eventually reached a village able to supply Sophat with sheeting and cheap ponchos, while I was invited to a stall under an umbrells to converse with a boy of 15, who looked half that age. With no access to technology other than television, he spoke excellent english and was delighted at the chance to practice with an actual English tourist.

A small meal of rice with fish and flies and we were off again, draped in the thinnest layer of plastic over our already wet clothing. The scenery was captivating with the high peaks of Bokor National Park rising up to the east of the road with low clouds scudding around the base and also obscuring the highest elevations. To the west of us were more forested mountains risng from idyllic flat pastoral lands and sweeping off towards the border with Thailand. The thunder rolled around us and streaks of lightening reached downwards to the earth. Dramatic and just a little frightening for Sophat.

Arriving just after sunset we booked into the Hotel and fell exhasted into our respective beds (added for the benefit of my husband and others aware of my married state). A single day in Snookie had been set aside before rough plans to move on to KKK (Krong Koh Kong) near the Thai border.

More to come.

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