Cambodian Countryside
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
April 21, 2009
We had another lovely breakfast. Bill had french toast, croissants, bacon and juice. I had some french toast, croissants with some marmalade that was excellent, some Heinz beans and soup with minced pork and tofu with tea.
I used the internet at the hotel, but it was very slow. Bill was watching TV, packing and showering (just kidding, he was only watching TV). When I came up to the room he decided to go down and check out hotels for Phnom Penh (good idea since we are staying there tonight). I showered and packed so I could take a dip in the pool before lunch. We agreed to meet for lunch at the pool at 11:00 so we could eat and finish packing before Som picks us up at 11:45 for the bus Theresa at the Pool (waiting for Bill). We could only find one key (and you need it to keep the a/c and lights on in the room), so we both agreed to Bill's plan to take the stair so we would not miss each other if I went to the pool before he returned to the room.
It was after 10:30 when I left the room for the pool. I went to the lobby, but Bill was not at the computers. So, I went to the pool thinking he beat me there; He was not there. As I put my book down I noticed that I had 2 keys. I felt guilty, so I checked the lobby again, no Bill, I took the stairs up 4 flights, no Bill. I get to the room and can hear the shower. I guess I did not shut the door tight and he walked right in after he took the elevator up. I flung the room key at the shower door and went back to the pool.
I generously called Bill at 10:55 in the room for his lunch request. I ordered him a burger and a long island. I ordered a Pad Thai and mango lassie (mango, yoghurt and ice) T, B and Som. Bill arrived without my purse (another reason for my call to the room), so he went back to get it. By the time he returned lunch was ready by the pool.
We finished packing and checked out of our lovely hotel. Som was ready to take us to the bus station and was glad to see that I was feeling better today.
It was sad to say goodbye to Som. He had been a great driver! We gave him a Canadian pin to remember us by. We checked in at the bus and our bags were collected and tagged. That is a first! There was a van load of little kids yelling "hello" to the line of foreigners getting on the bus. They were pretty much ignoring them, so I went over and taught some of them to "high five". They were funny and very cute. I told Bill to go over and do it too. He ran over, right up to the van and scared the crap out of one little boy.
We are bombarded with people selling food. I had really enjoyed the mango here, so I bought some from a lady with a toddler sitting on top of her cart. The teenaged gay boy selling baguettes and water started talking to me. He was funny. He was thrilled that we both love mangos.
Bill had read that the bus ride to Phnom Penh is 4 hours. The "stewardess" for our bus announced just after departure that the ride is 6 hours long. We will be arriving around 6:30 tonight. Ugh! The bus is nothing special, but we left on time, we are served wet naps, a box with chicken curry in pastry, a bun with bean paste and a pastry with yam and bean paste, and a water. Plus, it has a toilet. We are actually told that we will have one stop in Kompong Luong for 15 minutes (that was more than enough for that dusty, dirty town). The level of service is very unusual. We even have English music playing and they played Rambo as one of the movies. It was dubbed in Cambodian and had English subtitles. We are seated near the back, so we could not read the subtitles. Our driver was a bit of a wimp though. It took him a long time to pass a truck and 2 lumber trucks. The lumber was piled higher than the bus, but was neatly stacked. We also passed a hay truck at one point that was stacked higher than the lumber. A truck with a big sheet of plastic hanging off the back passed us along the route. I don't think there are any type of vehicle infractions, Rick would really like operating in this country!
The countryside is flat, there are lots of trees, many fields, rivers, cows and villages along the way. Lots of different trees here and lots of palm trees. There is a lot more moisture here; everything is greener.
During the ride Bill was doing his best to agitate me. He was tapping his foot on my foot rest, telling me that I was on his side and pushing me over and into the window, making goofy faces at me,... It was a long 6 hours. I did my best to cope by reading the first Scarpetta novel by Patricia Cornwell, Postmortem, and by napping. Bill eventually occupies himself with his Winston Churchill book and by worrying about the decline of the stock market recently. Apparently he is OK with it now...
From the bus station we took a tuk tuk for $3 to go to the Pavilion Hotel. Bill checked and they are booked, along with their sister hotel and the Blue Lime. Our third choice was Cozyna. Our driver was trying to convince us to go elsewhere, but Bill had not heard of that place. Cozyna is right on the riverfront in the district with many restaurants and bars. Our driver, Savot, will pick us up tomorrow at 10 am to go to the Vietnamese Embassy. I learned that Savot is from outside the city, but is here to do postsecondary schooling. He rents the tuk tuk to pay the $200 for 2 1/2 month courses in English and Cambodian.
We walked to Reiyotonle Restaurant which gives proceeds to Tonle orphanage and is supported by CCLA. I had fried chicken with yellow mango and heart shaped rice. Bill had the pepperoni pizza. Bill ordered some mixed cookies for dessert - biscotti, shortbread, oatmeal, gingerbread, peanut, chocolate and cashew and coconut. He had draft beer and I had a soda. After the meal my stomach was burning. I had been doing so well today too. Dang!
We walked around and around (Bill was navigating) and finally asked for directions to Blue Lime Hotel. We had gone too far. We were able to book a room for tomorrow night, but they are full the following night. They do have room on Friday and Saturday...
I was feeling better, so we walked back toward the waterfront to find a place to have a drink. Bill was offered weed, cocaine and opium from a tuk tuk driver, so he is feeling better about himself (we have already heard of many others who have been offered drugs and Bill was feeling left out).
We had vodka soda and Tiger Beer at La Croisette. They had some lovely homemade chips like tasted a bit like dijon.
We went back to the room late and snuggled into our sleeping bag liners as the room is not dirty, but the sheets and towels are not 100% white.
