Battambang to Sihanookville

Salut!

I spent a nice few days in Battambang...for Cambodia's second largest city, the night life is absolutely dull though! Restaurants close at 10 and the one bar that doesn't play Cambodian music has a last call at 11!
I've been traveling the last few days with Claudia from Holland. We met on the boat ride from Siem Riep to Battambang and have been getting along very well. We went to the Killing Caves which are half way up a small mountain a few kilometres from town. Quite disturbing but it was nice to be in the mountains...our guides, Puong and Sopa (pictured below ), were lots of fun and we learned a lot about the local history.

We also went to visit another temple on top of another small mountain. After walking nearly 400 steps in the afternoon heat, we were met with an Angkor-period temple and lovely views of the country-side. I think that's what i enjoyed most about my time there, the moto drives in the country-side. Beautiful. Your arms get tired because you're constantly waving to all the excited children! Fruit trees, rice fields, narrow roads, small villages...beautiful.

The next day we went for a ride on the bamboo train - basically a bamboo mattress on rails. Lots of fun and the breeze was very refreshing! I also recommend to anybody travelling through there to have a fruit shake at The White Rose...by far the best i've had so far. :)

Last night i arrived in Sihanookville after a painful 10 hour bus trip. Painful because they played reaaaaaalllly loud Cambodian karaoke the whole way. For those of you not familiar with it, Cambodian music sucks. Cambodian karoake is worse. At one point during the ride, i almost snapped. Almost.

But it wasn't all bad...we met a really nice couple from Holland - Ruban and Claudia. We spent the entire morning just talking and drinking tea today. At the moment, we are sadly not at the beach because the weather is crap!!! The wet season is indeed wet now. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better...

So far my plan is to stay here for 4-5 days...that may change if the weather doesn't get any better so i'll keep you posted!