28 May 12
Bus ride to Kampot...back to the dodgy roads. I know Laos roads were bad as they were windy up mountains, but Cambodia roads are full of pot holes (and massive holes) which the buses try to avoid by driving on whatever side of the road, whilst you are being thrown around in the bus!
Arrive in Kampot and staying in a lovely bungalow with a little bridge to it on a pond (called Orchid Guesthouse).
Spend the day exploring the city until the rain strikes!
Power kept cutting out this evening for no apparent reason, there wasn't even a storm!!
29 May 12
Day trip - And the sun is back!!
Salt farm - currently out of season for harvesting salt, the fields are under water. But explain it takes a few days to harvest over several fields, and then they keep it in huts (saw the salt in the hut). Kampot salt is distributed across all Cambodia.
Next visited a cave with a temple inside...had an interesting optical illusion rock inside which looked like a pig or an elephant (shown by local girl who accompanied us on our walk - full of information)
Saw a pepper plantation - various pepper trees in different ages. Grow black, white and red pepper, all from the same tree but the difference is when pepper harvested and how treated - black pepper once reached maturity and dried in sun, white pepper after fully mature and soaked in water for a few days to remove black husk, red pepper after fully mature and dried out!
As driving through Kampot saw graves in fields and people's gardens. Im not sure why they are buried here, but some of the graves are like temple statues.
Off to Kep next to the crab market and a walk around the city. Had tapas for lunch which consisted of the most disappointing cheese plate (cheddarish squares with salt and pepper on top) but had some lovely crab.
Back to Kampot for a quick nap, then off for a river sunset cruise on the Teuk Chhou River. I enjoyed the boat trip (after boat wouldn't start and had to change to another boat), pretty scenery and relaxing trip!
Tonight we took part in a pub quiz!! Recruited two extra members to team to help - four spuds and a swede were ready to win! No chance, lol, but great fun!!