Savannakhet

I went to Savannakhet to go to the Thai embassy and get a visa. Apart from this I don't see much reason for tourists to bother making the stop. There is an old section to the town which is quite scenic and architecturally interesting but doesn't take more than an hour or two to cycle around.
There is a dinosaur museum, believe it or not, the remains of quite a few dinosaurs have been found in the Savannakhet province and are displayed at the museum which has very friendly staff who are keen to help; possibly because they don't have many visitors. I did pity them a little and stretched my visit out as long as it was possible to look at a fairy-light outline of a dinosaur on a wall and some bones. Do pop in if you're stuck in the town. The provincial museum has a few displays housing a variety of artifacts from pottery to dead bombs and the notation is even in English here. The town's setting on the river is actually very scenic and the food stalls along the banks are the perfect spot to sit and gaze across the river to Thailand while planning your trip and enjoying a barbequed fish.

4000 Islands; Don Det

So I'm back in Laos for a little holiday of sorts in the aptly named 4000 islands; The island of Don Det specifically. At the widest stretch of the mighty Mekong river, a large group of Islands cluster together, poking their sandy humps out of the water. They vary in size depending on the season and the height of the flowing waters but always form an impassable barrage across the width of the Mekong through their mass and the waterfall's which have formed in the passageways between them.
I have come to this beautiful spot for a bit of relaxation and it's the perfect place with bungalows dotted along the river banks, plenty of eateries overlooking the water and not too much to do! I do spend a couple of days sightseeing on a bicycle and its lovely cycling around the islands dusty paths, through peaceful forest. I visit a couple of the waterfalls on the bridge-connected islands of Don Khon and Don Khon Peisey which thunder with a tremendous force and explore the abandoned railway. Due to the impassibility of this section of the Mekong, a railway was constructed from the South of Don Khon to the East of Don Det (north of the waterfalls) and was used to transport 3 paddle steamers past the blockade and subsequently cargo for export and import to Laos. The remaining boat landings which connected to the railway can be reached by bicycle on both islands.

A group of the Mekong's Irrawady dolphins inhabit a section of the river just off the southern tip of Don Khon and I take a boat trip to see them. The boatman takes us to a small island and proceeds to tell us that we shouldn't actually be there as we are now illegally in Cambodia! As a boat of Cambodian officials makes it's way for us he hastily ushers us back into the boat and deposits us on a large rock which is apparently officially Laos. The dolphins however seem to favor the Cambodian side and the few we see are far away but the boat trip through the rocky islands is lovely none the less.
Other than water-bound activities such as swimming, kayaking or tubing in the river there isn't much else to do here and the rest of a visit can be spent relaxing in a hammock and enjoying the amazing sunsets over the islands.

Sen Monorom; Elephant Valley Project

The reason most tourists seem to be in Sen Monorom, including us, is to visit the Elephant Vally Project. A project set up by an Englishman; Jack to rescue abused and injured working elephants and provide them with a safe natural environment where they can live out the rest of their days. Jack rents the jungle land from local farmers and brings the Elephants here either by buying them from the owners or by renting them on a long term basis to keep them out of work. The elephants are then free to roam, bathe and feed as they please in the valley. Each elephant still has a mahout to keep an eye on it for the safety of visitors and to stop them straying into surrounding cropland which would cause conflict with the local farmers.

>We begin our visit walking down into the valley to watch Bob and his girlfriend Onion having their morning bath and mud-covering session in the river. After them four other elephants come down, skip the bathing and go straight for the mud! It's amazing to watch them in a natural environment, just doing what they do, spraying mud and water everywhere and rubbing everything into the muddy bank. They're so close but seem so wild it's a magical experience. They spend most of the morning wallowing, even when the mahouts tell them to go and eat, they ignore them; happy in their mud bath. Eventually they wander out and make their way to some good scratching tree trunks. We walk alongside them and laugh as they bend trees right over scratching their heads, bums and trunks against them. We follow them into the forest for a while under the spell of their charm until it's time to return to camp for lunch.

After a delicious lunch we make our way, with Jack, into the second valley which is home to four more elephants and we find them also enjoying a good soak in their own muddy river. We spend the afternoon watching them while Jack tells us their stories. They are entrancing to watch and none of us wants to leave them at the end of the visit. At least they now have a nice home after their hard lives and if people keep visiting hopefully Jack can rescue the rest of the mistreated elephants in Mondulkiri.

Mekong Irrawady Dolphins; Kratie

Kratie is a provincial capital in the north-eastern part of Cambodia. Most tourists come here either on their way to Laos or to see the rare Irrawady dolphins of the Mekong River, and that's the reason I've come. We hire a tuk tuk in the late afternoon to travel up the river to Kampi where the dolphins live. We stop first at a popular swimming spot in some 'rapids'. We pay a $1 entrance fee and our driver then leads us 10 minutes away from the attraction to a quiet spot presumably so we can swim in our bikinis although he strips off and jumps in too. The havoc we walked past consisted of bamboo pagoda type shelters extending across the width of the river and rapids. They were full of celebrating locals (due to the Khmer New Year), eating, drinking and jumping in the water. Unfortunately, this being Asia, most of their rubbish is carelessly discarded into the water and I am devastated by the sight of plastic bags, polystyrene containers and tin cans lining the banks and floating downstream into the rare Irrawady dolphins fragile home waters. It's tragic and can't be helping their plight for survival.

It's $7 each for the boat trip to see the dolphins, which seems expensive, considering they just take you 2 minutes into the river then wait for the dolphins to appear. But we've timed it for the sunset and as the dolphins appear we know it's worth it. The river reflects the pink of the setting sun as the beautiful dolphins breach the water around us, some just passing by and some coming closer to investigate. We hear the whoosh of their airholes and search the waters to catch a glimpse of their sleek bodies. I'm glad they're not perturbed by all their visitors. The Mekong here is beautiful, all the more because it's home to the rare dolphins, it's just a shame about the polluting rubbish making its way to them.

Siem Reap: The Temples of Angkor

I don't know where to begin this post, there's so much to say and so little that can be said with words. The Angkorian temples at Siem Reap, the most famous of which being Angkor Wat, are something which one really must experience for oneself to have any understanding of their impression. I spent 3 days exploring them and they really are stunning. I'd heard before going that if you think you'll get 'templed out' you won't. Well I think that depends how much you like old crumbly temples but it certainly won't happen as soon as you'd expect. There are so many differences in the size, shape, style, decoration and ambience of all the temples that the variety provides for almost endless interest.

Face of the Bayon

I started at the Bayon, one of the most impressive sites with it's huge carved faces looking out protectively over the lands. A massive jigsaw puzzle, the Bayons huge stone bricks lay in rows on the surrounding grass. The structure itself towers above me, exuding power and as we climb it's terraces the many all-seeing faces carved into the towers seem even more imposing. With many intricate carvings and bass-reliefs the Bayon occupies my curiosity for quite some time.

The Baphuon

The Baphuon is another favourable site and although almost as large and imposing as the Bayon, it's not as intricately decorated. It does provide a surprise in the form of a giant reclining Buddha hidden in the curves of the back wall.

I sneak past some slumbering caretakers around the Kleang and Prah Pithu, this must be the napping area!

Banteay Srei is possibly the most beautifully embellished temple of Angkor. The carvings are so intricate and delicately crafted I wonder at how long such craftsmanship took to complete. It is known as the temple of women because they say its carvings are too beautiful to have been designed by men. It's certainly very different from the other temples and worth the long ride out of town.

Ta Prom Trees

Possibly my favourite site; Ta Prom is an atmospheric gem. It is here they filmed for Angelina Jolie's tomb raider movie and I can see why. It's crumbling walls are supported by, encased in and destroyed by huge trees whose roots have chosen its stones as the place to begin their journey. Over time they have grown into monstrous plants forming a beautiful juxtaposition between nature and humanity. The overgrown jungle creates a lost world feeling amongst the crumbling ruins.

Angkor Wat is obviously the famous star of Cambodia and the reason so many tourists started to visit the country. I begin my visit before sunrise and watch as the sky turns red and the sun rises behind the profile of Angkor Wat's stunning towers, casting its shadow into the lily pond in front. I get to wander round the rest of the temple with it relatively deserted which is great for photos and the atmosphere. The experience is all the better for the serenity of the early morning. Angkor Wat is grand and majestic. It towers over the land a statement of superiority. It's mighty form is offset by intricate detailed carvings in it's interior which invoke sentiments of appreciation for its delicate beauty.

This is not an exhaustive description of the sights I visited; that would bore you, merely a selection of the highlights but nothing to compare with seeing the temples themselves. If you ever have the opportunity, take it.

Travel by Boat; Battambang to Siem Reap

Regardless of many bad internet comments and in spite of the hotel clerk doing his best to dissuade us, we've decided to take the boat trip from Battambang to get to Siem Reap as it's supposed to be very scenic, although in the dry season it can take up to 12 hours and the bus only takes 3 (and costs less). At 7am we're informed it's a particularly crappy plastic boat that's operating today and indeed it is but it'll do the job. The onboard toilet however is well below our pompous standards, consisting of 4 walls 3 ½ feet tall surrounding a hole in the floor, yes, no roof, so the men sitting behind will see you doing your business! Err won't be using that then! It is a very beautiful trip up the river, passing rural villages where life revolves around the river and the land. Some people have floating houses on the water or live in boats and others live on it's banks. We pass by an entire floating village on the lake near Siem Reap which is quite a sight. Arriving in Siem Reap at 3pm were pleasantly surprised we're already there! Not a bad 8 hour journey at all, quite pleasant.

Battambang Bamboo Train

If you're stopping by in Battambang take a trip to the Bamboo Train. Also known as the 'Nori' Battambang's bamboo train is situated 15kilometres outside the city, it's a pretty drive through the countryside and on arrival we pay $5 each for a ride on one of the little 'carriages'. It's a normal looking train track but the trains are simply two axels with wheels, a bamboo platform and a motor sitting on top!

We sit on the wooden mat and whizz down the line, the fresh countryside wind in our hair, surrounded by views of rice fields and grazing cattle. There's only one line and trains run in both directions so when you come face to face with another carriage one of you has to offload and dismantle the simple train to allow the other to pass. It's actually great fun. We stop some way down the line at a small village where lots of smiley children are keen to show us around the brick making factory there. After following the kids around for a bit and practicing their English we grab a drink at one of the villager's stalls. She's a lovely friendly lady who makes us rings out of leaves and high-fives us with a big smile before seeing us back off down the line. The sun is rapidly falling in the sky and it's a beautiful scene as we chug and rattle along the lines which are pretty bent and warped all the way along. Well worth the $5. See for yourself.

I spend my other day in Battambang visiting some temples and caves and temple caves; beginning with a climb up 358 steps to the ruins of Angkorian temple Banan. Marvelously carved stones are crumbling from the 5 stupas which feel authentically ancient and are very beautiful. The surrounding cactus plants make for quite a scene, coupled with the hilltop view it makes it worth the climb up the steps. After Banan temple I visit Phnom Sampeou which is set a-top a rather tall hill that has to be walked up, well if you're lazy you can hire a moto. On the way up I explore a cave which now contains a shrine and reclining Bhudda but in the times of Pol Pot this place was used like the killing fields. Innocents murdered above and their bodies thrown into the pit of the cave. The bones have been displayed here inside a glass shrine. After a very sweaty climb I make it to the top of the temple and am rewarded with a stunning view across the landscape. The land is so flat you can almost see past the horizon! That concludes my sightseeing of Battambang.

Phnom Penh; The Killing Fields

The Choeng Ek killing fields are situated 15 kilometres outside of Phnom Penh and are so named because it is basically a field where the Khmer Rouge brought people, including prisoners from S21, to slaughter them. It was an execution ground. I begin my visit in a small museum where I read about the atrocity of the Khmer Rouge and watch a short informative video. The rest of the site is navigated with the narration of an audio guide. It takes me through the green field which is shaded by beautiful flowering trees and bordered by an orchard. Its hard to imagine at first the bloodshed that occurred in this pretty setting but the audio guide gives a moving and graphically descriptive portrait of events, including stories from survivors of the regime who lost dearly loved ones to it's whim.
There are hollows in the ground where mass graves have been excavated. One contained 450 bodies, one 160 headless corpses, one only women and children. Most victims were killed as soon as they arrived at Choeng Ek but some were detained overnight. Nearly all were bludgeoned to death and had their throats slit before their bleeding bodies were pushed into the dug pits. A mournful tree stands next to one of the excavated graves; the children's grave. The tree was used to smash the innocents heads against, breaking their skulls before they were tossed into the heap of bodies. A vivid description is given by the man who discovered the tree after the fall of Phnom Penh. He tells how he saw the trunk of the tree was covered in blood, hair and brains and soon deduced what might have happened.
It's a tear-inducing walk around the site where clothing and bones still rise from the disturbed earth. I see rags in the dirt alongside a partially uncovered jaw bone. The bones from the excavated graves were cleaned and are now housed in a memorial stupa in the centre of the site. It's a rather morbid sight and I'm not sure it isn't a bit disrespectful to the families of the victims to display them in this way. I only hope it's been done to emphasize the cruelty and atrocity that was the Khmer Rouge and not simply to attract tourists. Cambodians believe that the souls of people who don't receive a proper burial will not be able to pass on and will be left wandering in the ether of this world. I hope the souls from this land have been able to find peace and pass on to their afterlife.

Phnom Penh, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum; S21

Cambodia has a horrific modern history from the 1970's when for almost 4 years the Kampuchea Democratic Party overthrew the government in power and turned the country into a huge slave labour camp. They evacuated the cities and marched everyone into the countryside, to the rice fields where they undertook hard labour for nothing and received only a little food each day. The regime, known more widely as the Khmer Rouge, killed thousands of people, actually 2 million in total, for no valid reasons; because they were too educated, because their hands were too soft, because they were starving and stole food, women, children; no one was safe. They killed indiscriminately; even their own soldiers who they deemed to have not been carrying out their duties properly.

The Tuol Sleng Genocide museum is housed in some concrete buildings in a compound which used to be a high school, but under Khmer Rouge rule it was turned into a security prison; S21 where arrested civilians and soldiers were brought and tortured until they confessed to something the Khmer Rouge deemed to be a crime. After confessing to even the most petty of 'crimes' most were taken away and brutally slaughtered. If they didn't lie and confess to something they probably hadn't even done they continued to endure the cruelest of tortures, and when they confessed their only escape was into death. Many died at S21 from wounds inflicted by their torturers, alone and destroyed in a pool of blood.

I walk through the buildings haunted by the ghosts of its victims. Some rooms are filled with mug-shots of the inmates and victims, each face tells a story, expressions of anger, desperation, stubborn bravery, fear, complete and utter sadness, nothing. I see tears in the eyes of babies, defiance in the eyes of young men and a complete loss of hope in the eyes of mothers. It's a horrifying place where the exhibits tell stories of the people who were sent here, the people who committed the terrible torture acts and the leaders of the dictatorship regime; some of whom died before any justice was brought was brought to their heads. I walk through one building where rough brick walls were constructed to make tiny individual cells to detain victims in. Upstairs a similar layout is created with wooden partitions but solid doors create an even darker claustrophobic atmosphere. I can feel the presence of those who suffered so much here. Their sadness lingers in the air, a sense of death hangs over the horrifying complex.

Bones and skulls of someone's loved ones are displayed in cabinets, unidentified, lost. On the floor above hate filled visitors have scratched out the faces on photographs of the atrocious Khmer Rouge leaders, wanting for justice to be brought to the perpetrators who caused so much pain and suffering and exterminated one quarter of Cambodia's population; mothers, brothers, lawyers, doctors, sons, teachers and daughters. They were the most brutal regime and the museum truly brings to light the atrocities they committed.

Caves and Crab in Kep

Kep is a small seaside town on the south coast of Cambodia with an imported beach. I stay in a charming place called the boathouse, next to the forested hills of the national park and with lovely wooden houses, pretty gardens and tons of character.
I've decided to give the fake beach a miss for my only day in Kep and instead hire a tuk tuk to visit some caves. There are several cave sites along the road to Kampot and we are visiting two of them. At the first we find a small closed temple outside and a man and a young boy guide us into the 'white elephant cave'. The rock formation which he points out to us as an elephant head, however, looks absolutely nothing like an elephant, however hard you squint! He shows us the bats in the darkest reaches of the cavern before leading us to an impossible climb out route where we cling to the rock face; don't look down! We make a circuit through some forest to the 'bat cave' where some more nocturnal critters hang out, before completing the route back to the temple where we find some monkeys larking about in the branches.
It's back in the tuk tuk and on to the second cave where after paying an entrance fee we're followed by about 5 young lads who want to be our guides. One of them has particularly good English and does a great job of guiding us. They point out huge boulders crashed into crevasses above our heads and interesting rock formations. Of course there's some more unlikely elephants but also a monkey looking down which is strikingly more resemblant of the real thing. The lad tells us how some people, including his grandparents, used to hide out in the caves during the time of the Khmer Rouge regime. The boys are a good laugh and one of them even sneaks up on us in the darkness and pokes his head out of a hole in the rock face 'boo' making us jump out of our skins.

We climb up out of the cave system to be rewarded with a dramatic vista of the landscape; hills surrounded a perfectly flat plain which stretches all the way to the sea, peppered with palm trees and carpeted with farmland.
Another highlight of Kep is the crab market, not actually a market but a string of restaurants overlooking the sea serving up the most delicious array of the freshest fish, seafood and of course tasty crab. A must if you're stopping by.

Phu Quoc Paradise

Phu Quoc is an idyllic island off the coast of Vietnam, and very close to Cambodia. Its serene sandy shores could make for endless hours of relaxation. I hire a scooter one day to explore the island and head south along the coast from Duong Dong town. It's a 20 km stretch along the coast to the southern tip of the island and I'm amazed at how undeveloped it is; just a few fisherman's shacks and homes line the tranquil beach.
We stop at the fishing harbor which is full of colourful blue and red fishing boats. Women on the dock gut small squid and lay them out on wooden trellis to dry in the sun. We drive north a little to visit the coconut prison museum, which I had read about at the war remnants museum. On arrival the site appears to be more of a reconstruction than the original prison grounds. It's a stark reminder of how POW's were treated and gut-wrenching to see the inmates' enclosures and read about the terrible tortures they endured; many of which they did not survive through. For a brighter side to the Island we drive up the east coast to Sao beach; an absolutely stunning stretch of sand fringed with green coconut trees. The water is so clear, shallow and warm that we spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing in it's embrace. It's such a beautiful place and there's only a few other tourists here we have to share it with, making it all the more tranquil and special.
If you're going to Phu Quoc you must visit the night market where a dazzling array of fresh seafood is barbequed to your order before your eyes and stalls sell incredibly cheap pearls from the islands pearl farms.