Our crossing into Cambodia from Vietnam was sold to us as a speedboat up the river and then a minibus journey into Phnom Penh. At our hotel we met another couple, Tom & Mairie (also from Scotland) who were doing the same trip. We all got to the harbour to find our boat which was more suitable on a park lake. Not ideal for four people, two bikes, two rucksacks and six panniers! However, two hours later we arrived at the border and formally left Vietnam. We then met our Cambodian boat driver, who informed us that he hadn't been paid. So we were left stranded in "no man's land" between the two countries for an uneasy half an hour until the situation was resolved. More customs formalities and then we were officially into Cambodia and into our second boat. This one was even smaller than the first one and there were two local Cambodians already sitting there, obviously joining us. Two hours upstream we were dropped off for the transfer to the minibus. Instead, we were met by a small taxi for the four of us, the bikes and all our luggage! Past the stage of caring (we'd had nothing to eat since breakfast and ther had been no shade on the boat from the fierce sun), they managed to load the bags & the bikes with the boot remaining open for the 30 miles to Phnom Penh. Then, on the way, Caroline started to feel unwell and we had to make a couple of emergency stops en route! Finally, the driver then stopped at the edge of the city and wanted to kick us out - a couple of dollars were required to grease his palm to take us to our final, if rather dingy, resting place!
Introduction
Cambodia wasn't originally on our trip itinery. It wasn't a place we thought (a) we would want to travel to or (b) it was a country we could visit easily and safely.
However, during the previous months, we regularly met travellers coming the other way who'd been there and they all talked about a spectacular, "must see" place called "Angkor Wat". So for this reason mainly we amended our route but also, as we were so close, we wanted to take the opportunity to see the country that was so notorious and infamous!
Phnom Penh
Our hotel was OK (despite being woken up at 5am as usual) and nearby were some super restuarants overlooking the river. On day 2 we cycled across the city, as we had to go to the Thai Airways office, and thought it was very much like any other large western city - international hotels, supermarkets, modern bulidings and well made roads. However, on the way back we took a detour off the main road and were immediatley confronted with a scene more resembling a war zone! The roads were unmade, there was rubbish everywhere, and there were signs of people living in the streets. Also, as it was Cambodian New Year, everything was shut and there were very few people around, which added to the sinister, unnerving atmosphere. Courageously, we cycled on!
We had made our detour to see 'S-21'. This was a school that in 1975 was converted into a prison and torture centre for the Khmer Rouge and is now retained as a reminder of the brutal past. The scenes inside, we'd heard, were pretty graphic (before and after photo's, blood, instruments of torture etc....) so, especially after our month in Vietnam, which had it's fair share of traumatic sights, we decided not to venture in.