Saturday morning and Mikki and I meet in the lobby at 6.30 am. She is off back to Brisbane months holiday from work over, she is an editor of a magazine so I imagine a very full life.
It worked well for both us I think, we done the big trips together but were both happy with our own space otherwise.
It was good to have a friend to meet up for dinner with, I am her mums age as I seem to be for most travellers or grandmother. But it works with most people which is great, I just hope it gives inspiration for other older women to travel.
So I am on my way to Battambang, it's now 8.30am and we have finally arrived at the port !!!!
After a hour of very bumpy dusty red sand through many villages, mini bus for 12 that had 16 on, including the woman of about my age organising us all, who was 3 sizes bigger than me and climbed in the back making it even cosier, hehe. All she kept calling out was Battambang all for. Battambang, after looking at all our tickets several times.
Finally we come across a narrow Tarmac road the houses either side of this are built up on stilts I guess for the rainy season, when I arrived in Cambodia back in October the water was high everywhere but already it is quite low.
After going through a type of border control area, swapping our tickets eventually for another !! we were let through. Only to be attacked by sellers of bread and coffee. It makes me smile here in Siem Reap as everything has turned into a dollar. 4 times more than say Takeo. Think it's what the Americans have done for us. Quote "hey Doris it's all so cheap here only a dollar for everything" !!!!
Piling us all onto boats, no counting being done, I hesitantly got on this one, although I complained it was to full it had a place on the roof, other boats were just inside.
( I should have gone with my first instinct and got on another)
Some guy asked about how many life jackets on board, don't think there was an answer !!! They just pile you on and take off, when some person decides to many on that boat.
We are chugging along as I write this through narrow passages of water with everyone who is below trying to come up here. It's looking dodgy but beautiful.. Im sitting on my rucksack and not moving, they say no one else is to sit on the left hand side but they are piling up.
All I have to remember is to hold my itouch high so it doesn't go under water. !!!! As we are really keeling over to the left.
Okay we have now broken down and drifted into the reeds. Am defiantly wrapping this up in tissue and putting in a zip lock bag
Well being as we are stranded we are towed into floating shops/ homes I have been brave enough to get this back out.
We are eating the most bizarre foods (out of boredom no doubt) of course all 1 dollar !!
Oh well I guess on nearly 3 months of travel I had to have a hitch at some point. What gets me it was 22 dollars 16 more than the bus and you don't even get a seat/ life jacket. What we do for a bit of sun and a tan.
Okay I'm bored now 12.30 been stuck over 2 hours we have had the odd food, melons and pineapples peeled for us, used the local loo and the men are still hammering at the piece that I guess will fix the boat.
Shame as I was going to Battambang to have a ride on the Bamboo train, that may not happen as I was only thinking of doing the one night and the bus will leave early tomorrow.
Guess it doesn't matter to much on my dates to Australia.
Have been just told at least another hour,we could all go nuts, think I'm the only Brit !!!!! Luckily they have power on these floating villages so am powered up, after getting my charger out, might ask if they have Wifi !!!!!!!
Might have guessed no Wifi, anyhow we were on our way by 1.30 perfect !!
Not !!! We got tangled up in the reeds/trees got stuck on the bottom as to shallow finally after seeing the sunset we got dropped of out in the sticks, climb over mud and up slopes walked what felt at least 2k ( but might have only been one) with our luggage, it's dark mosquito s everywhere pot holes in the road.
Got to admit I was getting s bit teary as my toe was killing me, that I forgot to tell you that I had ripped on a nail when we got off earlier.
Finally we see the coach to take us to the city, they tell us only the luggage and carry on walking as the road is to bad for us all to be on, I told them where to go, think I must have been bright red in the face and bubbling as they let me stay on it. Mind you I had my moments when I thought maybe my time was up, I could see why no passengers. Quarter mile later we pick the rest up.
Finally arrived at my hotel at 8.15, having to book another night. Plan was get here at 2.30 go and do half day sights and book bus to Phnom Penh for tomorrow, to late to do either.
Was a little upside to the day eventually the Tuktuk driver picked two of us up to drop at booked hotels, he thought we were together so offered us a trip for tomorrow, we both couldn't be bothered to think about what we would do, so said yes to him. Aussie girl Emma so we can share the cost, and get it all done.
So I will book my bus trip for Monday morning before I go.
So I am running a day behind, for Australia but I'm sure that will be okay
Just Had chicken and cashew delivered to my room with a beer.
Think twice before ever taking a boat trip, annoying thing is, do you remember me saying at the beginning I nearly took another boat, as there was about 10 of them leaving , bit like the supermarket till, wrong choice.
But I'm here and safe.