Going according to plan so far...

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Our plan was to head off to Battambang to get the slow boat to Siem Reap, but to have a little stop off at Kompong Chhnang (about 2hrs on bus from Phnom Penh). We agreed to meet up with Linds and Sarn in Battambang and do the boat trip together.

So me and Craig headed off to Kompong Chhnang early in the morning - a sleepy little town that doesn't seem unaccustomed to travellers (all the kids seem to have been 'trained' to say "hello...what...is...your...name?" and wave to us when we pass by), yet we only saw 2 other foreign couples that day.

We walked down to the river along a wide dusty road flanked either side by everyday kind of shops, a 'cinema' (not sure what you call it - they have 4 tvs showing different channels and people sitting in rows watching them), barbers, motorbike repair shops, etc. the odd cows grazing on god knows what (probably rubbish) by the road. Every few yards we''re greeted by the kids in the fashion they've been drilled to - but actually it doesn't feel like that at all - they seem genuinely excited to get a chance to say "hello, what is your name". They wave from their hammocks or wave or sometimes walk up to us to shake hands. They are all cute as hell and beaming with smiles(or whatever the expression is - you get the picture).

By the river, we're approached by a boy ('Nem' - i reckon this wasn't really his name - just that he didn't understand when we asked his 'name' so he just repeated 'Name'), probably around 14, and we agree a price for him to punt us around on his long boat around the floating villages near by. Boat glides gently through the watery 'streets' between the floating houses - i admit to the potententially voyeuristic nature of this type of 'sight-seeing', but actually everyone seemed so welcoming and the houses mostly looked lovely and cared for - something to be proud of - and the fact that we were the only visitors - made it feel ok. 'Nem doesn't speak much english, but we managed to have a few giggles together. Very sweet kid, who ideally should be in school (well, it was sunday though,so we don't know...). So peaceful, just the occasional "hello..."s and the odd motorised longboats, the rest is the sound of water lapping against the boat, only 15cms or so below the rim.
An hour on the river in an open longboat is about the limit in the scorching sun (the seating was also just a low wooden bench, a bit tough on the derriere) - me and craig got off the boat feeling slightly mummified and decided not to do a moto trip into the country-side. And so we chilled out watching the activities at and around the tiny river port near by, drinking green cream soda which really makes your tongue green.

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Photos

long boats
the same kind we were on

floating kid
guess you start paddling at a young age around here

floating house proud
most of my photos are rubbish. get used to it...

kids in Kompong Chhnang
I choose to believe the boy on the right wasn't telling me to f*off

swimmers
we were about ready to join them, it was hot hot hot

green tongue
alright, it doesn't look as gren as it did in real life. you had ta be there