Brendon
As mentioned before we would be travelling to Sen Monorom on the back of a pick-up truck. When we were booking the trip, we had the option inside or outside the truck. As we didn't know what one or the other looked like, we asked the guy from the guesthouse what would be the best. He said that there wasn't much difference and that when it started raining they would put a cover over it. As we thought we should travel like the locals, we decided outside it is! BIG BIG mistake!!! Luckily we are alive to tell the tale. First we had a trip to Snoul, which was about 2 hours, where we would change trucks for the last bit. The back of this pick up was about 2 metres by 1.50 metres (sorry english people, guessing about 6,5 foot by 5 foot) when they were able not only put in quite a bit of luggage, but also 16 people!!! There was an old woman sitting on the floor as well. We thought this was quite snug, but all good. See, feel and smell the locals and they us. Poor people! Trip to Snoul wasn't too bad, but then arrived at the most horrible (locals agree) place in Cambodia, Snoul. You could say it is an outdoor MAKRO, but slightly different. Not knowing we just jumped on the back of the truck where are bags were thrown on and posito\ioned ourselves nicely on the bench of the truck. Locals pointing and laughing and asking us to wait next to the truck. The wait was about 3 hours, while they packed our truck with anything you can imagine. Firstly they removed the benches!!! This can never be a good sign. They were replaced with metal container which were filled with live fish! And not just a goldfish or two, hundreds and hundreds of fish went in these containers! Where did these fish come from? From the boot of a car. They had changed the boot into some kind of pond, where they were scooping these fish from. They also had the, once again living, fish in big jerry cans (which are also used for fuel!). Luckily they also managed to put some dead fish on there with some ice, cuz otherwise it wouldn't be hygienic of course. This was the bottom layer. This was covered with some plastic, then comes loads of luggage including our bags, fruit and veg, many things I have never seen before, so far till the back of the pick-up truck was the same height as the truck itself! Maybe you are wondering, cuz we were, where did we sit. There was only one logical explanation to us, and that was we were going to sit inside afterall, cuz there was no way we could sit on the back, as there was no back left. WRONG! Once mister maniac driving man was ready, he just gested, climb aboard! Where? Two other kids ranup the back as well and we tried to find a reasonably safe spot! This trip lasted another 5 hours, of which mostly we were thinking that we were on a drugs trip! After about 10 minutes, the asphalt stopped and it was dirt roads till the end. It gets quite hilly (bloody mountains for a dutch bloke) over here, so it was hanging on for dear life when literally sliding down the hills (mud tracks) or trying to go up the hills, past stranded other trucks. Just to give you a feeling, when the roads were a bit better we were doing speeds up to 90-100 km/h (60 mph) on the top of a truck holding on to some luggage and finding religion! Best bit is of course it is rainy season! ha ha. Oh yes, terrantial rainpoor. Luckily(!) the kids had a bit of plastic which we tried to get cover under. We didn't stop to do this, but we becamer good at holding on to stay on the truck and holding this plastic so we stayed reasonably dry! Unbelievable trip. Only came of twice, once for a routine stop and once for a pee break next to the road where H was attacked by a leech (squeel)! Finally we made it to Sen Monorom (it is good to be alive). Jumped on the back of a moto (also speeding like crazy, but after being on a truck you can handle anything). My driver said that it had rained a lot and that the roads were slippery, as we were on a dirt road not breaking for corners! Thanks mate! Sorry for ou guys to have to read this, but for H and me this is a part of therapy to write about it and deal with it. One thing we promised ourselves when we got to our guesthouse, with a very romantic bungalow with an amazing view and chilling in the hammock with a drink and some food was: 1) tomorrow we do nothing and just relax and 2) always answer inside when asked in or outside the truck!
The next day we duid literally nothing. Didn't even leave the premises. Absolutely amazing view and as said before a nice bungalow. The bathroom was attached to it, but was outdoors So great showers in the open air. We planned a site-seeing trip the next day and booked an elephant trek for the day after, which I will tell you all about very soon. Now we are already back in Phnom Penh, so mum, don't you worry I made it back as well, and are going to visit the killing field now. Not all cheery, but will be impressive! Speak soon......
Mam, maak je geen zorgen, Faye gaat het naar har zin hebben en het is echt veilig hoor. Pap, genoeg foto's van gecko's gemaakt voor je. Je zou het geweldig vinden. Nicky, waar ben je?
