Day 32 3.1.2015
On the road again. Private Minivan transfer to Koh Rong - about 280km and takes more than 5 hours. Horrendous road conditions, crazy driving styles and just masses of seriously overloaded minivans. I am sooooo glad, that we are not in one of them !!! The countryside in Koh Kong Province is magnificent, with verdant foothills and the Cardomon Mountains in the background, and thick jungle vegetation, beautiful large trees and jungle vines all around. Real Tarzan country this. There are even warning signs for wild elephants.
There were also several Red warning signs at the side of the road with only Khmer writing. These could easily be warning about landmines (pity we could not make it out !).
We are told that the dry season is Wedding Season in Cambodia. Big gaudy marquees, decorated with plastic flowers and shiny materials in bright colours, are set up, on the side of the main road, or if there is not enough space, in the main road. The road is totally or partially closed ....if it is a highway, the cars make their way around it. One would think that with all this beautiful countryside there would be nicer spaces to use. Music and Monks praying and chanting (unfortunately not the soothing Gregorian chants) is played over loudspeakers at top volume for days ! Unlucky if you happen to be staying next door ...as happened to people staying at the most expensive hotel in Kep.

"Pyjama people ...they make me sleepy with the things that they do." Frank Zappa must have been to Cambodia. What we consider to be flanel or cotton pyjamas, with pants and a button-up shirt, is something like the national dress here. Women and children can be seen in these outfits at any time of the day and anywhere, at home or at the market. Interesting !

Arriving in Koh Kong at the Thmorda Garden Resort, we were once again disappointed, as it was not quite the standard we had expected. Agoda cannot be trusted in terms of their hotel descriptions and Tripadvisor is highly unreliable within Cambodia. One has the impression that the reviews are written by friends and interested parties. Delux, resort, kitchenette and clean are not words one would use to describe this environment. Basic and delapidated would fit the bill a bit better. But ...river is huge, views amazing, sunrise and sunset spectacular...you just need to raise your eyes above the huge muddy bulldozed patch infront of the veranda area.
The seriously skinny, deformed, ill dog in the courtyard, does not add to the ambience either.
After making some arrangements to at least get a kettle and some crockery etc into our totally bare and dirty kitchenette, we settled in and made the best of the situation. At least the aircon and fridges worked, bedding and towels are clean and there is hot water. Not much else to do ! How one's priorities change. When travelling in Cambodia ...make bookings, but no payments, so that you can change when the accommodation turns out to be different from what is advertised. Frustrating when you feel totally conned to pay large sums for no quality !!

Day 33 - 34
After Ricki and Dylan had gone through to Koh Kong town to buy some groceries and had found a rather dirty town with not much going on, except for some really hill-billy looking German expats, we decided to stay here at river and enjoy the leisure time.