The room in Nibbana resort wasn't so nice to sleep in, but luckily I got some sleep ok. The "breakfast" was an omelette and many pieces of Pating (white bread), a cup of coffee. And that's it. :P At 10 o'clock our driver to Phnom Penh came to pick us up. He was a nice guy, and spoke fairly good English! He also told us stories about the Khmer Rouge times and about Cambodian history and politics (also nowadays). That was actually interesting, 'cause he told also things which we did not yet know. Like how Khmer Rouge actually did vanish (government granted them mercy at 1993 (or 1994) if what was left of them agreed to abandon the KR and become to work for the government), or that Pol Pot studied in a buddhist monastery under a buddhist monk when he was young (and eventually corrupted the monk, persuated him to kill someone! So Pol Pot was a very bad apple already from almost the start). And how the CPP (Cambodian People's Party, whose signs are EVERYWHERE), bribed the people to vote for them at the countryside under the last election at 2007, by f.ex giving some cattles, pans and food for the poor people and/or organizing dinners for like 2000 persons.. Niiice corruption. And now the CPP has 90% of the seats of the government. Cambodia do has 5 different parties, but the rest are oviously a small minority, with 1-3 seats in the government. Hmm.. Anyway, it was interesting to hear. He would've been a bit too expensive to drive us all the way to Battambang (100$, when the PP-Battambang can be driven by 60$ by a private taxi). But he booked some friend of his to take us there with the 60, though he doesn't speak much english, but we don't mind. It's enough if he can drive and he knows we want to stop at Kompong Changg for a lunch on the way. It's still a fair 3-4hrs ride from PP to Battambang.
Well....the first guy would've wanted to "take care of us also in Battambang and in Siem Riep", aka. wanted more money and more drives. When we declined, he all of a sudden didn't want to drive us to Battambang anymore, instead he booked another friend for this job. This guy hardly understood any english, but he did a good job, drove us here in Battambang through Kompong Chhang. KC wasn't much of a see, but from the harbour you can take boats to see some floating villages somehwere near by, and that's why hawkes trying to sell us boat rides inmeadetly attacked our var as ee stopped to have coupla sticks of snacks (or Niina did).
The whole way from Kep to Battambang took 8hrs altogether, and this was by private taxis(!). By busses it would've taken about 12hrs, I guess, so I'm reaaally glad (and my back is even more happier, I think! ;), that we decided not to take the bus on this way. Which actually was the longest distance to travel in a day, what we're gonna have on this trip.
--- Arrived to the Sanctuary villas, our hotel, we're greeted by a traditional welcome drink (cold lime mint juice) and this time also nice fruits. This place looked much more nicer! Well, it should, since the price was again the 90$/night. It's not in te actual city centre, but that doesn't matter, 'cause the hotel provides a free tuktuk to the centre and back. And it's just about 5mins ride away. So we came to eat to the Smokin' Pot restaurant, which sounded nice. Though - we have already awaited half an hour for our food and I haven't even got my fruit shake ordered. Niina got hers, though (surprise..), and drank it already, too. And I'n still waiting... And started to be pretty pissed, if they forgot about it. ..Sometimes I'm just so sick of being always the who they forgot..F*ck you, too. But well, they'll hear about it, for sure. And if they make us wait for food for an hour, and for that f***ing one shake of mine(!), it better be f*cking good!! Waiting.... So let's see.
-- we waited about 50mins for my fruit shake and 'bout an hour for our food. My dish was only average, I wouldn't bother going there, if I were you. NOT worth an hours wait. When Niina's dish got into the table, turned out that it was raw, and she had to cook it by herself in the table, Korean barbeque style. A point which would've been nice, if it'd read in the menu OR were told by the waiter when ordering.. But no, of course not, 'cause they didn't know what "service" means.. Duh.
So we ate, and called our tuktuk to come and pick us home.