Back to P.P. via the Mekong!
Travel Location: Phnom-Penh,Cambodia
Another early morning wake up before the sun to catch the fast boat to P.P. via the Tonle Sap (got the heading wrong and can’t seem to change it!). It was a long exhausting trip – glad we did it – but will go via bus again in future. We took off from Siem Reap at 07:30 and arrived in P.P. at 14:30. I was ready to hop off at about 11:30. Diesel engine throbbing constantly gave me a throbbing headache by the end of the trip – nothing a couple of panadol didn’t sort though. The kids were very tolerant. The first couple of hours they slept then the rest of the trip they alternated between sitting on the roof with some of the other passengers and sitting underneath in the seats.The safety equipment was much to be desired, a few lifejackets and safety rails around the edges for when climbing on the roof was about as far as it goes.
The toilet though was certainly an experience in itself. It was tucked right in the back of the boat thru a very narrow door – you wouldn’t want to be carrying too much adipose tissue! Then the fun started. One had to climb up onto a platform about a meter high, squat and do your thing keeping balance whilst the boat rocked along the waterways!!!! Needless to say we all tried not to frequent it too many times in the 7 hours but when you gotta go you gotta go!!! Certainly adds meaning to “sitting on the throne”.
The river scenery was worth the trip and the inconvient toilet situation though. I was constantly pointing out the river villages to the kids and the many fishermen who frequent the waterways. The kids were amazed that people lived the way they do on the riverboats.
We are staying in a different area of town as we were before. It is near Boeung Kak lake, very touristy and not really my scene but it is very relaxing and there are heaps of local kids around for our kids to play with. Speaking of which they are happily playing Khmer hackey sac with the locals as I write. The area has cute little alleyways and enclosures where the kids can safely play without any traffic worries. We will stay here for a couple of days and then head back to the Cafe Korner where we were before.
Zara and Theo on the roof of the boat
A fisherman on the Tonle Sap
A mobile shop visiting the floating villagers
Kids waving as we pass one of many floating villages
