FootLoose in Asia This journal is primarily for family and friends to follow our progress on our SouthEast Asia adventure through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and possibly Malaysia and Myanmar (Burma). Hopefully there will also be some useful information to others planning a trip to thease areas.

Battambang 14 – 16 January, 2007 As it came time to depart from Siem Reap, we were undecided which way to travel next. We only had a week until the 30 day window for our Vietnam visa began and we wanted to spend as much time in Vietnam as possible, so we were somewhat limited. We had yet to see the sites in Phnom Penh, but we wanted to visit northeast Cambodia which is somewhat off the normal tourist route, and we also wanted to take a boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang. We could not do both without giving up some of our time in Vietnam. Unfortunately the overland routes to the northeast are poor at best, so the main option is to fly from Phnom Penh to Ban Lung the provincial capital of the Ratanakiri Province. We were in a travel agent checking out flights, when another fellow tourist came in to pick up some documentation they were preparing for him. We began talking and it turned out he had come through northeastern Cambodia on his way south from Laos, and he said he would only recommend the area if one were traveling through to/from Laos as there wasn’t a lot to do in the area. We then departed together for lunch and a couple of pitchers of beer. His recommendations, along with the price of the flights, pretty much clinched it for us, and we decided to buy tickets for the boat trip to Battambang for the next morning. The boat was scheduled to leave at 7:00 AM, and we were to be picked up at the hotel by minibus at 6:00 AM for transportation to the boat. When the minibus arrived (at 6:30 in line with Cambodian scheduling), we should have considered it an omen of things to come. The minibus was already full with people and luggage, and after stuffing our packs in and jamming four people in a seat for three, we were still one seat short. Never mind, the driver informed us the day before was even worse as they had two more people and even more bags. We told him they needed a roof rack on the van, and he just smiled and nodded his head. Actually a roof rack is not a necessity, as on multiple occasions we saw a number of people sitting on the roofs of vans, somehow managing to stay on while going around corners with nothing to hold on to. We are convinced they must have super glue on their butts! We had read that the boats are notorious for overbooking and to be sure to take a hat and plenty of sunscreen. Just like the minibus, when we arrived at the boat all seats in the lower covered area were taken. We were directed to the roof, where there were no seats, let alone any shade. All packs or luggage brought on were soon converted to seats or back rests for the remainder of the trip. We shoved off shortly after 7:30 AM for what we were told was about a five hour trip. The boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang is supposed to be the most beautiful boat trip in Cambodia, and we were not disappointed. It begins with a boring one hour crossing of the northern tip of Tonle Sap Lake to the Stung Sangker River. The only excitement on the lake crossing was when the boat began to tip due to the weight imbalance on the roof, and one of the crew came up to tell some of us to sit in the middle so the boat would not capsize! Once entering the river, it was a beautiful trip, passing through a bird sanctuary and passing by many “floating” villages of the local fishing population. After four hours, we pulled up to a dock for a stretch break, and while there we pulled along side the boat going in the opposite direction. We asked each other how long they had been traveling, and for both the answer was four hours, so this was the halfway point. After the halfway stop, the river narrows and there are many sharp bends witch make for some interesting maneuvering by the driver and one crew member on the bow with a long pole to assist with sharp turns. By this time the early afternoon sun was beating down, and the tin roof we were sitting on became a frying pan. We recalled our earlier comments about our trip on the minibus from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville about how we should have taken the boat. We were now beginning to think maybe we should have taken the bus for this trip, but the scenery was well worth the inconvenience, so we would still recommend this boat trip to everyone. Just try to get to the boat early to get a seat on the lower covered deck. The main drawback to the lower deck is those stuck on the roof often sit on the edge with their legs under the railing and their feet dangling. Those feet are then just above head level of those below. Depending on the cleanliness/smell of the feet, this could pose a considerable annoyance to those below. Along the entire route, D was fascinated with the children. Whenever they saw the boat they would smile, wave, and shout “Hello” or “Goodbye”. D got a sore arm waving back at them all. At one point in the narrow upper river, we came close enough to the floating homes for D to blow up a balloon and hit it to the kids on deck. They almost fell overboard trying to grab it, not that it would have been a problem as many were already in the water anyway. Maybe D should get a puppy when she returns home, as she sure isn’t allowed to bring any stray children home. We finally arrived in Battambang about 4:00 PM, ready for a shower and a beer, not necessarily in that order! Fortunately we met a couple in Siem Reap the evening before, and they recommended a hotel which we booked before we left. The hotel picked us up at the pier, and we were soon in air conditioned comfort. Well, maybe not complete comfort, but at least air conditioning. After a shower and a quick walkabout to find dinner, we returned to the hotel to find some moto drivers wanting to take us on a tour the next day. As there were some sights we wanted to see and we would only be in town for one full day, we negotiated a price and set a 9:00 AM departure time. Our plan was to have breakfast next door to the hotel at the Sunrise Café, a café frequented by westerners because they have an excellent cup of coffee which is hard to come by in Cambodia. Their breakfasts, pastries, and breads are also excellent for an added bonus. Battambang turned out to be a hidden jewel much to our surprise. Our primary objective in going there was the boat trip, but the moto tour gave us a different perspective of the area. Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city, but there is no comparison to Phnom Penh. The town itself did not impress us in our limited time there, seeming to be a drab and dusty place, but the outlying areas were another story. Our motodup drivers Chin-Chin and Bath spoke excellent English, and helped to make for a very educational and entertaining day. On the backs of their motodups (scooters), we visited a small local temple of unknown name, climbed to Wat Phnom Sampeau and toured the “killing caves” there, passed on Wat Banan, visited a pineapple farm and sampled their rice moonshine and other wares, visited the Wat where the fruit bats are protected by the monks, and rode the bamboo railway for approximately eight kilometers. All in all a very enjoyable, educational, and dusty day. During the day we learned road dust is called Cambodian snow, there are four types of roads in Cambodia (dusty, bumpy, slippery, muddy), and three types of holes in the roads (small, big, and @$&*-#% big). If you ever visit Battambang and want to tour the area, go to the Royal Hotel and ask for Chin Chin and Bath. The next morning we were off to the bus station for our return to Phnom Penh for our last few days in Cambodia before moving on to Vietnam. Next stop Phnom Penh.