Bokor Hill Station

After the embrace of beachy Sihanoukville we travelled east to Kampot (see previous entry) and hopped in the back of a truck to brave the rough, ruddy jungle road to Bokor National Park. It was a bumpy ascent through the cacophony of insects and strange tropical birds with deep, resonant song. 41km on the edge, and off the edge, of our seats. On several occasions we were nearly decapitated by low, fallen trees.

We opted to stay overnight and once the tour groups left we had the complex to ourselves. The mysterious caverns of ill-lit hallways, rooms and makeshift dungeons were eerie. The fog rolled up the mountain and we watched the approach. It swirled over the treetops as they sloped towards the summit.

There are many dilapidated buildings at the hill station (casino, hotel, post office, church) which were used as bunkers during intense, lengthy battles between the Khmer and Vietnamese armies. Where the walls haven't been blown away bullet holes filter in the sunlight. We wandered the abandoned rooms as wind howled through the hallways and empty spaces.

We slept in the ranger station. The power there is run by generator until about 9pm, then there is darkness and silence except for the wind. In the morning I awoke thinking there was rain pelting against our window. In fact it was just the force of the wind tearing through the space between our building and its neighbour. It sounded like a typhoon.

Before our group arrived to carry us back down the mountain we ate a breakfast of crackers, bananas and peanut butter on the terrace of the casino. Note to future visitors to Bokor: Bring food.



At least we had a nice view:

Cosy Ride

It was hard to leave the beach. Even in the days leading up to departure when it rained furiously it was hard to think of leaving.

The guesthouse in Sihanoukville arranged a shared taxi to Kampot. When the driver stopped a mile down the road to let someone else in he opened our door and said "four people in back". I laughed with relief when I saw the woman and her young daughter. The small girl sat on her lap and we rode on. The car dipped around the hilly town and pulled up to a guesthouse in Victory beach. A tall man and woman opened the door and the woman with her child slipped out. "Okay, in the back" said the driver. The French couple slid into the back and found that closing the door would be impossible. The woman slid to the front of her seat, between the two front seats. The woman and child sat in the middle seat in front, between the driver and a random man who fills the passenger seat in every shared taxi I have ever ridden in, though I suspect he is just along for the ride for some reason.

Our troubles were few in comparison to others who travelled Route 3 between Sihanoukville and Kampot. We frequently found ourselves behind a hatchback packed beyond limits, with the trunk open and a person or three dangling precariously from the bumper:



Crazy crazy roads.

Safely in Kampot and with an arduous trip to Bokor Hill station also in the past (which I will write more of soon) I am enjoying our current riverside retreat, Bodhi Villa. Not sure what's next or when...

IKEA SPONGY FURNITURE COMPANY

We flew from Hoi An (well, Danang) to Saigon on the 4th. Good old Pacific Air (or Specific Air, as we renamed it) was delayed again. I don't know why we thought it would be any different this time. The funny thing that we noticed about this airport (and I'm sure this is true of public places in general it was just illuminated here) is that in a nearly empty section of seats someone will sit directly next to you. For me and Jessica it was reminiscent of going to a movie in Florida where, in an empty cinema, a senior citizen will sit in the seat right next to you. First someone sat down next to Kip's mom when there were literally a hundred places she could have sat and not been near ANYONE.

Notice the seats all around this individual. Even right in front of her is a row of empty chairs...

Our two nights and one day in Saigon were functional. We booked bus tickets to Phnom Penh and spent the majority of the afternoon in Bobby Brewer's watching one terrible movie (Game Plan) and one exceptional one (Things We Lost in the Fire).

Bright and early we boarded the bus for the Mochbai/Bavet border crossing. Prepared for the worst we were nothing but pleased. It took all of half an hour. At no time did we even have to wait in the sun, which is unheard of. Also, Jessica received a lovely marriage proposal from the visa issuing agent.

In the morning we said our goodbyes to Kip and Rosemarie. They were on to the majesty of Angkor. We were heading south to the beaches of Sihanoukville. In the bus on the way here we passed the IKEA SPONGY FURNITURE COMPANY. And just the day before Jessica had assured Kip's Mum that there were no IKEAs in Cambodia.

Sihanoukville has really blossomed since I was here last. There are about five times the restaurant shacks lining the Ochheuteal beach and at night the sands shake with the beats of a hundred stereos. It is still a beautiful place and I'm finding it relaxing if not peaceful. Planning to be here for a few days more...

Please explain this item to me.

Da Lat was a bust. Heralded as the Paris of Vietnam, it was like a cheap Disney version of a generic European city. There was a distinctly European feel through the hilly and tree-shaded streets, along the stone stacked walls, the open markets, the terraced buildings but the details were not there. Aside the river is a radio tower made to look a small version of the Eiffel tower. Cheesy.

We stayed two nights but started planning our escape rather quickly. Kip was arriving into Hoi An and to meet her there we needed to take two buses over the course of 24 hours. The first bus was from Da Lat to Nha Trang and carried only four passengers. In Nha Trang it was drizzling so our plans to spend the day by the ocean were drowned. We ate lunch at a place called Cheers Cafe and went back to the hotel to watch Jurassic Park while waiting for the bus.

I knew it was going to be an unhappy event, this overnight bus, so I was glad to have two seats to myself. The rain started late in the evening and continued to alternate between a light mist and a torrential downpour all night. Water poured in through cracks around the window, making it difficult to find a dry place to sit. As the morning began to brighten the surroundings the amount of accumulated water was astounding. Fields were flooded enough to make them look like wide coves. Homes were flooded several feet high in places. The water rushed over the road and turned it into a river, causing us to swerve occasionally. A sixteen wheeler was overturned in our path and caused a brief delay.

The rain continued until the MOMENT we got off the bus in Hoi An. Then the sun broke through the clouds as we set off to find a hotel. There have been several more serious storms since we arrived. Sometimes at night the sounds of wind and water seem to be bringing the building down. The ceiling in our bathroom is constantly dripping like a cave.

It is fantastic to see Kip in Asia again. It's wonderful that she's here, because it saves me from having to buy insane things (which are appropriate gifts only for her) like this: