Today I decided to explore Kampot on the Motto - no name yet as I still need to get to know him. He needs a kick start (automatic starter doesn't work!!), slow to get going but has more get up and go than Marc when warmed up.

My morning:
Breakfast at a little cafe run by an NGO supporting disabled people. It is a great little place with lovely food and a marvelous attitude. Porridge with sultanas, cashew nuts, bananas and palm sugar hit the spot and it was all washed down with good coffee. While there I looked through things to see in Kampot and came up with Phnom Chhnork Cave Temple - the only cave temple in Cambodia and only 8km from Kampot. Found it on the map, looked easy so off I went.

I started along the road to Kep, 8km out of Kampot I saw the sign for the temple so I left the main road and went on to a very bumpy mud road. However I had already gone 8 km so I knew it wouldn't be far!! I went past some of the best scenery I have yet seen, rice fields with rocky outcrops behind them sometimes reflected in flooded fields. Just gorgeous- sorry no pics as I was concentrating on driving, looking and getting lost.

When I say getting lost I really mean going on and on for maybe half an hour - slowly - it really was a very bumpy road. I had just decided I must have missed a sign when I saw a sign telling me it was to the left - I knew it had to be close as I had already gone at least 100km!! Ok but at least 15. On I went leaving the rocky outcrops behind but the road wasn't quite so bumpy so I managed to get up to 4th gear - mind you these Mottos will go at any speed in any gear. I eventually saw another rocky out crop and another sign - so I just knew I had to be close. The next part of the journey was through small fields where vegetables and herbs were being grown rather than just rice.

Then I saw it - a sign saying Phnom Chhnork 1km to the right. By now the road was more like a track and was running alongside a canal with another rocky outcrop on the other side. Straight away I saw a little cafe on my right but then saw nothing for about 5km and the rocky outcrop had disappeared. I decided enough was enough so I turned around looking forward to a beautiful ride back to Kampot. However as I approached the little cafe I saw a mini-van and a Tuk-Tuk sitting outside - tourists I thought. I parked the Motto, crossed a bridge and approached a hut that I had seen from the road when going the other way.

I paid 1$ to the hut and was approached by 2 girls both of whom looked 10 or there about who offered to guide me. I did my teacher bit - checked they were both in school (they were and as it is Saturday in the vacation I accepted their services!!) My main guide was actually a17 year old, she told me all about how she was learning her very good English at school. So she could be one of the 10% who finishes 12 years at school. The temple was tiny and older than Angkor Wat. The cave itself was interesting, as sadly it was another place where people were killed during the Pol Pot era.

On the way back I went faster as I was more used to the Motto and I knew where I was going - however it still took half an hour to get to the main road. I decided to go back to Kampot via the salt fields. As it is the rainy season they are not flooded with sea water at the moment - I hope I see them when they are as it must look surreal.

My morning ended with a swim at the hotel where Ann and I stayed a few weeks ago. The manager has said as long as I buy a drink I am welcome.

It is a hard life but someone has to do it - oh yes it has also been a great week at work with a lot discussed and decided on in all 3 provinces.