Wednesday 28th.
Leaving Dalat was uneventful, Mrs Zuung has taken such good care of us, and we like this place. The plane back to Saigon for our connection to Siem Reap was a bigger one, thank goodness. I’m not too keen on smaller planes and the Airbus got us back to HCM faster as well. I’ve been in touch with Janny and he has me worried…… our hotel still ‘has flood’ and maybe it’s better if we hire a boat!
It’s nearly 9pm by the time we arrive at Siem Reap and there’s no-one there to collect us. To add to the fun, Brenda has packed her visa in her suitcase, so she can't clear immigration till the bags come off the plane and Princess Carolyn has to get it out of Princess B's bag. Fun and games!! Princess B is definitely getting the award for most organised traveller!! A driver from Travel Indochina is there to collect someone else and makes a phone call for us then disappears into the night. Not impressed! We can catch a taxi, transit van size for $10, so as it looks like we don’t have many other options we go with that. I’m glad I packed my Tevas in my carry-on bag as we look out at the flooding all the way into town.
We arrive at the Steung Siem Reap Hotel high and dry, thanks to the large footpath area at the front. Getting our rooms sorted takes a bit, but eventually, we all end up with the right ones. The princesses were given 426, but it wasn't a twin room and we realised we had a twin, so when we pointed it out to the hotel, they swapped us. How the mighty have fallen!! The princesses end up on the 2nd floor and we get the Princess room!!
Still unable to recontact Janny we hope the message on facebook gets through and prepare for our day of Temple touring tomorrow.
yep, that's 'flood' |
We arrive at the Steung Siem Reap Hotel high and dry, thanks to the large footpath area at the front. Getting our rooms sorted takes a bit, but eventually, we all end up with the right ones. The princesses were given 426, but it wasn't a twin room and we realised we had a twin, so when we pointed it out to the hotel, they swapped us. How the mighty have fallen!! The princesses end up on the 2nd floor and we get the Princess room!!
Still unable to recontact Janny we hope the message on facebook gets through and prepare for our day of Temple touring tomorrow.
Thursday 29th.
An early morning phone call from Janny is mixed news. He cannot be our tour guide today as he has urgent personal business to take care of in Battambang, so he has arranged for his younger brother Vana to guide us. 3 tuk-tuks are waiting out the front for us and we go to get our temple pass. Then it’s off to see the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the Bayon, walk past the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Can't walk around the bases of the Terraces like we did last time because of the flood water.
Next to Ta Promh after driving around the ‘long’ way due to the flooding. Vana tells us we can go a shorter way to Angkor Wat, but it will be bumpy because the roads are damaged by the floodwaters. It was one of the most interesting rides of the whole trip. The road was completely inundated and little kids were standing out in the middle in some parts to indicate where the safe way was, or were they leading us into the monster potholes lurking under the surface so they could charge us to help push us out??
One time our tuk-tuk arched backwards and the back wheel of the motorbike lifted off the ground, I’m not sure how we didn’t tip over. Another time we lurched so far sideways I thought we would roll. Eventually we made it through and went to a restaurant near Sra Srang for lunch, Rumduol Angkor Restaurant, then after a short rest, we head for the east gate of Angkor Wat and it’s a great way to approach this amazing place.
This entry is used a bit, but not as much as the front entrance. Who do we see coming the other way? Yes, 'Hoi An Lady' and her family. We have a quick hello then move on. How much of a coincidence is that?
Finally, on my 3rd visit, I get to see the bas-relief of the Churning of the Sea of Milk, one of the most famous, and also finally get to climb to the 3rd level, which we didn’t have time to do last visit.
We've had another very busy day and we now look forward to a cool off in the pool. Surprisingly we all made it, I thought we were going to lose a couple of travellers to the heat before the 3rd temple!!
Although we are all dead tired, we are determined to make the most of our time in this town, so after a cooling schwim, we wade through the floodwaters to the Temple Club (upstairs to the Temple Balcony) to have dinner and watch the free traditional dancing. And of course, we have to have the jug of 'Tomb Raider' cocktail and get the free Temple Club t-shirt! 8pm and we're nearly asleep at the table! I think Bob and Anke are just ordering more food because eating is keeping them awake! Realising their cunning plan, I order some ice cream. Unanimous decision for a quiet day tomorrow, then maybe go out on the Tonle Sap (lake) the next day.
Friday 30th.
Rest day, probably the first 'official' one for the whole trip. We've set a cracking pace! Now I know why backpackers never seem to be rushing around, they couldn't go for months on end at the rate we went round!
After a bit of a sleep in and leisurely breakfast, we hit the markets!! Not like we haven't had enough shopping opportunities! Siem Reap is now suffering a shortage of orange scarves, thanks to P1, and shortages of other items have been noted, along with the growing girths of our bags. Some more than others, just quietly....... Trevor and the Princesses have a 'Dr Fish foot massage', where the fish nibble at the dead skin on your feet. Lo and behold, who do we see? Yes, 'Hoi An lady' and her family. We compare notes on Siem Reap and she tells us about the chill out room upstairs in the Blue Pumpkin. That's sounds worth a look. Her husband is heading home tomorrow and she's taking the kids on to Luang Prabang in Laos. I'm sure they will love that place too, it's somewhere Trevor and I will go back to one day.
After a bit of a sleep in and leisurely breakfast, we hit the markets!! Not like we haven't had enough shopping opportunities! Siem Reap is now suffering a shortage of orange scarves, thanks to P1, and shortages of other items have been noted, along with the growing girths of our bags. Some more than others, just quietly....... Trevor and the Princesses have a 'Dr Fish foot massage', where the fish nibble at the dead skin on your feet. Lo and behold, who do we see? Yes, 'Hoi An lady' and her family. We compare notes on Siem Reap and she tells us about the chill out room upstairs in the Blue Pumpkin. That's sounds worth a look. Her husband is heading home tomorrow and she's taking the kids on to Luang Prabang in Laos. I'm sure they will love that place too, it's somewhere Trevor and I will go back to one day.
The lake trip for tomorrow is booked and we will be picked up at 7.45am. Janny comes into town, finally being able to leave his hometown of Battambang, and we sit with him in the place next door, "Viva" and have a couple of beers each and a plate of 'fries' for $4.50 total. Gotta love happy hour!
We discover many good places to eat, not difficult in this town and also note how friendly the people are. When we compare notes at dinner, the chill-out room upstairs at Blue Pumpkin has many votes. We eat dinner at Banana Leaf on Pub St. Trevor has been longing for a crocodile steak here ever since he had one early last year, and everyone except P1 1/2 orders crocodile of some description. Unfortunately, Cambojam isn't playing a gig here tonight, we'll just have to come back again one day. Janny has offered to show us around Battambang, so we're going to have to! Also on the menu is a banana and choc pancake from one of the many street vendors, then venture down to the night markets, along drier streets as the floods subside. It's hard to keep track of everyone and stay together so we head off in different directions.
Me and my mate Janny. |
Saturday 1st October.
Trevor is sick during the night and bails on our day out on the lake. Lake is an understatement - this place is like Port Phillip Bay, even when not in flood. We never do find out our guide's name, because we are all certain that at the start of the day, he tells us he isn't our guide. Although the waters are receeding in town, the countryside is still devastated and the roads are barely passable in places. We have to go the long way round to get to the dock in the morning. This looks like the lake, but our guide says this is not the lake, just the floodwaters. It's not till you get out of town that you realise how vast the floods are. We count ourselves lucky for the town to have escaped so lightly.
Our tour today will take us to Kompong Phluuk, a stilted village which is built many metres from the ground and now has water lapping at the door, and also a paddle through a flooded forest, which is amazing. Little kids call out to us and wave as we go by and blow kisses which is really cute.
Getting this far on the lake is a bit tedious and we are all thinking 'are we there yet?' We note there are only 3 lifevests on the boat..... that's interesting, there are 3 crew too.......
Over an hour later, we arrive at Kompong Phluuk and putt-putt round the houses and down the main street to the local pagoda where we hand out school supplies to the kids and are co-erced into buying a few bags of chip type snacks to hand out to the kids as well. We all question the health value of this, it's not the cost or the way we are co-erced, but is it any good for the kids?
A man speaks to me. "Hello madam" to my face; "where you from?" to my breasts......... seems it's not just a Vietnamese appreciation!!
A man speaks to me. "Hello madam" to my face; "where you from?" to my breasts......... seems it's not just a Vietnamese appreciation!!
this little guy seemed a bit overwhelmed |
The flooded forest of Kampong Phluuk |
We then balance ourselves onto much smaller flat decked canoes to be paddled around the flooded forest. What an amazing place, we've never seen anything like it.
Lunch on the main boat 'Tara' is included in the cost and while the beef lok lak is a bit tough, the others have a good meal. Anke has a chicken curry that is terrific, not too hot, just right. Plenty of drinks included as well, good in this heat.
Princesses relaxing on 'Tara'. |
The boat ride back the Tara is as tedious as the ride to the village, but we have a very capable engineer aboard who gives a very acceptable massage to those who wish to partake. The engineer is the guy who goes overboard should the need arise to clear the prop of the ever present water hyacinth, and also keeps the water cooled engine running, which he is called upon to do at times. After Bob flashes a photo of his boat at home, they let him have a go of this one.
Captain Bob at the helm. |
One stop on the way back to port - Chong Kneas - the floating village/fish farm/croc farm that all the tour boats stop at. Just what we need!! Another shopping opportunity, but the prices are pretty good, bit cheaper than in town. It's been a long day and we're all ready to go back to town, so we drop some hints to our guide by getting back in our boat. By this time, the water levels on the roads back to town have dropped a bit, so we can go the way we would have under normal conditions. The water in town has gone down more as well, we won't get our feet wet tonight. Apparently the government has gouged some channels to assist the draining of the town. We wonder at what cost to the outlying areas.
We can't find B & A at dinnertime, so Trevor and I, and P1 and P2 go next door to Viva for dinner thinking that B & A might walk past and see us. They don't. Another great meal, huge for the very cheap price, and we also check out the accommodation this place has on offer. No pool, but a definite possibility for next time. A little girl comes round the restaurant selling single long stemmed roses, one dollaaar each. Trevor asks if he can have 3 for $2. She's a tough little bargainer, probably betting he won't have any local currency, her best price is 3 for $2.50. Trevor has riel, so can pay her the right money. She offers a 'high five' then dodges it, a handshake and dodges that as well, we all laugh so much, she's such a smooth operator. Eventually Trevor gets a high five and a handshake and the interaction with her has been well worth the money, plus us girls got a rose each.
Sunday 2nd October.
Today's the day. We are going home..... Seeing that Travel Indochina stuffed up our arrival transfer, we hit them up for the return transfer and it is all confirmed. We have to be checked out by midday and will be picked up at 3.30pm. The Steung will mind our bags for us. One last chance to get last minute purchases. 'Helping out the local community' is what we have come to call it. Good for us, good for them. One final pass of the Old Market and Trevor and I go to 'Soup Dragon' for lunch. They give a percentage of their profits to the local children's hospital.
Lunch at Soup Dragon. |
So many places to eat and so little time this visit. We haven't had time to go back to Khmer Kitchen, our favourite spot last time. We want to be some of the 'beautiful people' lounging in the chill-out room upstairs at Blue Pumpkin and make our way over there, only to find among the 'beautiful people' are B & A, with the Princesses not far behind. Talk about great minds!!
Upstairs at the 'Blue Pumpkin'. |
So, we're waiting in the lobby of our hotel at 3.15, 3.20, 3.30. 3.35. 3.40....... where is the bloody driver??!! We can't believe we've been let down again. The TIC office number is unanswered on the weekend and the 'emergency' number doesn't connect, so we're left to our own devices again!! This is not what any of us need right now! The hotel hastily arrange a transit van taxi for us and we get to the airport with time to spare, and now the flight is delayed anyway. At least our bags are checked through to Sydney and we don't have to muck around with them in Saigon. From the air you can get a better idea of the floodwaters, it's staggering! Water as far as you can see! We are scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 8.45am next morning allowing for the start of daylight savings, it's going to be a l-o-o-o-o-n-g night. At least our limo is waiting for us when we get through all the arrival procedures.
We are home!!
P.S. I don't know if anyone is reading this judging by the shortage of comments posted. Please feel free to add one.
I'm still adding photos and a bit more text now we're home, while I've got a bit more time and the memories still shine. Cambodia is a winner over Vietnam, although we've had a great time all round.