Day 25 27.12.2014
Time to leave Sok San and Koh Rong Island. With all the development plans this island paradise (already severely compromised) will be no longer within 1 or 2 years. Unfortunately it is all about the quick buck, rather than sustainability and in the end all at the cost of the environment and the locals.
We took the Water Taxi and half way to the ferry terminal there was a crunching sound and the engine stopped. That left us bobbing in the water off a rocky outcrop ...luckily it was a windfree morning ! Several attempts at fixing the motor were unsuccessful, so...would we make the ferry ? A small fishing boat (not sure if one can even call it a boat!) came past and after some pleading from the skipper agreed to pick us up and take us to the ferry terminal. We were thankful for the lift, yet seriously concerned whether we would make it, with the boat swaying dangerously over the swells and remarkably not letting water in seeing that the sides of the boat were level with the water. Clint and I were working out what we would save and what to ditch in case the boat didn't make it ... at least the water was warm ! Miraculously we made it !!!
As we only managed to arrange a private minibus to Kep at 17h00, we had 5 hours to spare in Sihanoukville. The Hungry Traveller became our base for good cheap food. Run by Stuart, a soft-spoken South African of our age with 1 child in SA, 2 children in Thailand ( he lived there for 10 years ), and a 3 months old baby with his young Khmer wife. Stuart's main motivation for living in Cambodia is that he can get a new prothetic leg every 6 months for free from a local NGO. He lost his leg below the knee in a landmine incident in Angola (ironically he was working as a medic for a landmine clearing team). He told us that owning a business in Cambodia is relatively easy. You can own it in your own name, don't need a local partner (as required in Thailand) and taxes are USD 10 per month and USD 35 per year for his business sign.
The rest of the time we spent at the Oasis Backpackers, sitting next to the pool and listening to 60s and 70s music ...they must have thought they would be kind to the oldies !! Here it really looked as if all the seriously tattoed, dreadlocked and otherwise alternative looking people of the world were living out their hippie dreams. Great excitement at 16h00 when beers were being sold for 2 for 50c !!
Our bus experience of Cambodian roads and traffic rules had not prepared us for the Minivani experience. Our driver, an elderly Khmer gentleman, was a good driver (I think !)by Cambodian standards.
Overloaded minivans ...like nothing I have seen before. Motorbikes sticking out of the open door, luggage tied on, people sitting on the luggage hanging out of the back of the van and on top of the luggage on top of the van. One can only feel sad for the live chickens and ducks tied to the back and sides of the vans, being battered by the sun and wind and stones. Inside the vans 5 or 6 people share 3 seats. Accidents waiting to happen, especially on these roads, which must be some of the worst I have ever driven on.
Driving laws in Cambodia....road markings and road signs mean nothing, the hooter is the most important part of the car and the biggest vehicle wins ...always. Overtaking on blind corners or directly into oncoming traffic is no problem, as long as you have the bigger vehicle ...everyone else escapes onto the gravel shoulder of the road (if there is one) or into the bushes. We are happy to have arrived unharmed at our destinations and even happier that we could organise private transfers and not be reliant on the public overloaded minivans.
Luckily, Jemma and I looked at some directions for our accommodation in Kep, as we arrived in the dark and our driver had no idea where Bacoma Guesthouse was. After seeing the Vishnu statue in the middle of the highway - half of the lanes being tarred and the other gravel ( never seen that before!) - I spotted the sign in the headlights ...so pleased to have arrived.
Also pleased to be greeted by a Swiss Michael to accommodation and surrounding that corresponded to the website photos and descriptions ...in fact much better than we were expecting. Hello Kep !