Travelling in a local bus.

Sokha and I have to go to Kampot and Kep to meet the POEs of both provinces on Monday so she suggested we travel together from Phnom Penh on Sunday - I can see my weekends are going to disappear as I will have to use them for traveling.

I arrived at the bus station early as I wasn't sure what time Sokha had said - 7am or 7.30am. I was almost certain it was 7.30 but just in case I was there at 6.45am. I have never used Soyra before but it is a large company and there were buses everywhere - going everywhere. I found our bus easily because it said - in English - Kampot/Kep 7.30. I also found the bus station tea room. It was cool, clean and comfortable so I sat there with a green tea and watched.

Fuelling a bus - a man comes out of a wooden shed at one end of a row of about 7 buses with a fuel hose. He drags it in front of 4 buses and starts to put fuel in the 5th. The fuel line is of course being stepped over by passengers, smoking is obviously not considered a hazard while refuelling and it is fine to just to leave the nozzle while you go back to the shed for something. Where are the health and safety officers when they are needed?

Organisation- When I first sat down at my window seat it looked chaotic with people just wandering around but no it was very well organised. Each bus was well labelled and the announcements were clear - in Khmer and English ( I didn't see one other non-Asian but still announcement and signs are in English!!) They even held one bus for 5 mins while they looked for the last passenger.

Sokha arrived and I stupidly joined her at the ticket office and immediately the price went up. The insurance for carrying a foreigner on a bus is more than if I was Khmer - at least it is for this company Capitol charges the same (maybe they don't have insurance!!)

On the bus - very clean modern and comfortable. I started in the front seat but although new, modern and clean sadly it was not water tight. This was an issue as it started to rain inside - on me and only me. Luckily the bus was not full so I moved further back. Quite glad really as the wipers were not working and as we were driving through a rainstorm I did wonder how the driver was able to see where he was going. However 10 minutes after I moved the bus stopped at a bike repair place - got a new wiper and all was well. I love Cambodia

We arrived at Kep and booked into our 12$ rooms - there's a swimming pool and it is 20yards from the sea. I love Cambodia!!!!