So today I decided to rent a scooter. Yesterday’s tuk tuk driver decided he’d chase me down and see if he could get another trip out of me (my fault for giving a generous tip). He turned up at the end of the street where I was trying to figure out where the nearest mobile phone shop was. Another younger guy joined him, someone who could speak English better than him, who started bartering prices for tuk tuk hire. When I said I needed a phone cable so needed to go and do that and, anyway, I might just go rent a motorbike (big mistake offering information!), he started offering me deals on renting a motorbike. And when I said no and carried on, a few minutes later another tuk tuk driver started chasing me up the street saying he could take me to a mobile shop and had a motorbike.Clearly the previous driver had phoned ahead! This one was harder to get rid of. Fortunately, there happened to be a mobile phone shop just across the road. I ducked in, got myself (another! the third this trip) iPhone Lightning cable. I don’t think it’s just third party cables that are causing the problem as my genuine cable also started being unreliable. I’m wondering if it’s dust or fluff in the phone socket.
Then back to the motorbike and off on my mega journey.
First, Banteay Srei known for its pink sandstone. This consisted of long passage ways until you got to to the three central stupas all of which was surrounded by a wall with a moat.
Next Kbal Spean. There was a security guard in the hut who I spoke to briefly before ascending. Kbal Spean, aka the waterfall, was, given the drought, actually probably nicer without all the water as you could see the carvings up close) that was around 1500m. About half way up, I heard a rustling noise. I climbed the ladder to find a team of women sweeping the path ahead.
Another security guard at the top had taken some time to explain the carvings. Then the heavens opened. My umbrella did not do a great deal other than incrementally decrease my overall wetness. Monsoon rain attacks you from all directions.
When I got to the bottom the guard asked me if I would help him out with his English. Given it was raining I was more than happy to have some shelter. He was 78 and was completely self-taught from an English grammar text book. His written English was surprisingly good. However, his spoken English less so. I suggested using a smartphone to access English resources on the internet but he didn’t have one. I was also going to suggest we kept in touch via email correspondence but given he had no access to the internet that wasn’t an option.
As someone pointed out, we could have simply swapped physical addresses! It had not even crossed my mind. It was almost as if I’d forgotten that kind of correspondence existed any more.
Then back via the Cambodia Landmine museum. I was starving so had the healthiest dish I could find. Fried begetables (sic) and noodles. This turned out to be a pot noodle with a handful of green leaves on top. I had to move tables to avoid the ants that were racing across the table from one edge to the centre where clearly some crumbs had been left.
The landmine museum was a bit of a disappointment. All the mines were protected by plexiglass so you couldn’t take a good picture of them. However, the work that the founder had done, Aki Ra, was very inspirational. From Khmer Rouge soldier making mines to Cambodia army defector finally to landmine de-miner, his was quite an amazing story.
Finally on to Ta Som. Another gem of a temple.
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