Listed: 18km; actual: 12km; total:
280km
Boat ride: 95km
Up at 6am for breakfast at 6:30am. We had a
change in timings today - had to be in the lobby for a 7:45am pick up to take
us to the boat for the ride to Siem Reap. We were all ready and waiting and got
to the boat "station" just before 8am for an 8:02am departure. The
boat was nothing to write home about but it floated and we hooned along nicely.
We travelled along the Sangker River and stopped at the floating village - Kaoh
Chiveang, for a comfort stop. The toilets were little rooms off the main house
with a bucket underneath to catch the stuff. We hate to think what they do when
the bucket is full?!
After more meandering through small waterways to
Tonle Sap Lake, South East Asia’s largest freshwater lake, it was onwards to
the port of Siem Reap where we disembarked and mounted the bikes for the short
(12km) ride to the hotel. Unfortunately, Dan and Bill are in another hotel
because they booked the tour late. As
well as being the biggest lake, it is also the main catchment for the Mekong
Delta when it is in flood; without the lake, Cambodia would be flooded every
year.
Our home for the next four nights is the Angkor
Boutique Villa and we have room #001. Greg went for a wander with Bob whilst
Wendy caught up on some pers admin.
We were picked up at 7pm to have dinner at The
Restaurant Square less than a km up the road. It was a set menu and very well
presented. We have a vegetarian and a non-seafood/fish eater (guess who?) so
they make alterations to suit. They have done very well so far.
A slow wander through the Night Market, which is
similar to Paddy's in Sydney, back to the hotel and it was time for bed as we
start from here at 8am. There are another six people joining us tomorrow some for
just a few days and others for all the remainder of the tour. Two of those are
Wendy's cousins from Perth - and yes, this meeting is pure coincidence. Who
would have thunked!!
Siem Reap now serves as a small gateway town to the world heritage site of Angkor Wat. It is a vibrant town with modern hotels and restaurants, still managing to preserve much of its culture and traditions. Siem Reap's recent history is coloured by the horror of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Since Pol Pot's death in 1998, however, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry have revived the city and province.
Battambang boat harbour
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