We were assured we would have a luxury bus for our six hour trip from Phnom Penh to Battambang. I did have air conditioning, barely. Seats were vinyl so very sweaty, curtains were filthy and I had to keep tucking them away because I was freaked out when they touched me. Very gross. The bus stopped twice for bathroom breaks. No potty on the bus. Stalls at the stops are tiny, those holes you squat over, no tissue and you flush with a scoop of water you take from a communal bucket. Most of the men headed off into the fields. I wish.
We had continuous Bollywood music videos. Six hours of fairly loud music. The road was very dusty, some areas were gravel with pot holes but over all not a bad trip. Along the way we saw many rice paddys, water buffalo, very skinny white cows and almost every house along the road has large bamboo mats spread out with rice drying on them. Some mats are right on the shoulder of the road. Most homes are on stilts and most would be more of a shanty than a house.
 |
| Rice drying on mats in the sun before the hulls are removed |
 |
| More rice drying on mats right by the dusty road |
 |
| Rice Paddy |
 |
| Very cute little straw hut |
 |
| Fuel for sale in coke bottles on the side of the road |
We were met at the bus station by a tuk tuk driver who insisted we should walk to our hotel. He led us while we dragged our heavy bags. Along the way he convinced us to go to the bamboo train. So after checking in to the Star Hotel, we climbed aboard the tuk and went for a very rough, bumpy, dusty ride about 15km to the bamboo train. We had actually expected a train. What we got was quite a surprise. There are many flat beds about 8' x 8' with a small motor. We sat on a bamboo rug and our driver started the motor like a lawnmower and off we went. Barreling down the railroad tracks at about 30km/hr
 |
| Sara and me in our tuk |
 |
| Sara & I on our bamboo train. Each group gets their own car, rough bamboo with a grass mat to sit on |
 |
| The track was manaully built so is not very straight and you can really feel the zigs and zags when the train is going fast |
 |
| Our train driver. Good view of the platform we sat on |
Only one cart on track at a time so when we met another cart, the drivers had to take the cart apart and get it off the track. Then load it back on the track snd reassemble. Locals walk along the track so they have to jump out of way as we go screeching past. Pretty fun but hardly a train! The destination was a small village about 30 minutes out. We have a five minute walk about where we met lots of kids and saw some brick kilns for making bricks. Then a speedy return trip with a stop on a bridge to watch the sunset
 |
| Local resident had to move off the track so we could pass. There is no other path to walk on and he is carrying a heavy load |
 |
| Farmer ploughing his field. He stands on the board while cows pull him |
 |
| Removing train car so we can pass. |
 |
| Train car |
 |
| Brick beehive for making bricks |
 |
| Sunset - taken from the bridge along the track |
Tuk driver, named Dara, dropped us at a nice restaurant where we ate for under $4 for both of us and we capped the day off with a $6 full body Thai massage from Massage by the Blind.
 |
| Dishes at rest stop on the bus trip. Just sitting outside where everyone walks past. |
 |
| Sink at the restaurant we had dinner at. Only one sink outside the toilets and everyone uses them -hopefully. I did not use those towels |
No comments:
Post a Comment