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Our bamboo hut in Pai
Very comfortable, so much so the red ants moved in!Hello faithful readers (optimistic I know),
After a fab time in Pai meeting top people, listening to groovy live music late into the night & chillin' during the day I made the unpopular decision to start the trek to Cambodia.
The journey itself was ok until nearing Cambodia. We got the overnight sleeper train again to Bangkok & at the station we book the 8am bus all the way through to Siem Reap in Cambodia with the expectation that we would arrive by 6pm. At the border there was a change of bus because the roads are so bad. We were put onto a poor excuse for a mini bus & then had to travel at about 20kph for the 150km. The "road" was just a red, dusty, pot-holed track. The bus made more stops than were necessary so that we arrive at about 8.30pm. They don't take you to a bus station or tourist office but to an out of the way guesthouse where they want you to stay. Fortunately there were four of us Brits that didn't want to comply and we grabbed a taxi together. Taxis here are either motorbikes or motorbikes with a carriage/trailer built
for two. It was quite a feat that 4 of us got in one with all our rucksacks too.
Siem Reap is the nearest town to the Angkor temples & fairly busy with tourists. We have purchased a 3 day ticket for $40 for the temples. They are awesome and definately worth the trip. The size, the sculptures & bas-reliefs are something to behold. There are some where nature has taken over 7 trees grow from the ruins. I've put a couple of photos in my gallery but will try and add more. I love the huge faces that are at the Bayon temple. The "Tomb-raider" film was shot at a couple of the temples.
Sadly this is a country that has a lot of recovery to do thanks largely to the Khmer Rouge, Pol-pot & the US. There are warnings not to stray from worn paths, even at the temples, because there are landmines everywhere. The temples are also workplace to children trying to sell you postcards, books or bracelets. When I ask them if they go to school they always say "in the afternoon" if I ask in the morning, & "in the morning" if I
as in the afternoon. Many have no shoes & look undernourished.
In Siem Reap you can barely set foot out of your guesthouse without being approached for money or formula milk. There are many young children carrying a baby brother or sister. There are also many landmine victims who are begging. It's a very tough situation. I have given to some but then you are targeted and plagued by the others as word spreads. I know that I am realtively rich by comparison but whatever I do I know that the problem will still be there tomorrow in a country that offers no support to their people.
Yesterday our "driver" was stopped by the police & he didn't have a license on him, so the police instructed him to leave some money in one of their jackets that was conveniently slung over one of their motorbikes. Even though our driver knew the cop & drinks in the same place as him, this just seems to be the accepted course of action.
Having said all this many Cambodians are smiley people & I guess that they have hope for the future.
Deb
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carol
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Poppy
Well Poppy caught a mouse in the hall on Sat night and took its head off! I heard her running around the previous night and thought she was just having a mad half hour but obviously not. Ive made a bed up for her in the kitchen now - 2 reasons, 1 to catch any more mice and 2 to stop her clawing at our bedroom door at 3 in the morning cos Im wrecked.I dont know why but she likes Jenis bedroom the most. Mike finishes school today ready to take his exams. Went to the pudding club at the weekend - it was lovely, sat out in the garden for coffee and homemade fudge.