Up at 5:45am to shower, get breakfast in our room (a seemingly random selection of items unrelated to those ticked on the list and left outside the room the previous evening) and then pack final bits and bobs. Get tuk tuk to the ferry terminal to be met by a swindler who wanted to arrange a lift and hotel for us at the other end (he assures us that our hotel would not be sending a car for us as promised now that we’ve booked with them – of course the car that he would arrange for us wouldn’t actually deliver us there anyway, as they don’t pay him any commission, it would be somewhere else entirely!) Luggage put in back of boat, and we kick someone off our seats inside the cabin (after being told by some noisy Germans that we couldn’t possibly sit in the front seats, which we weren’t making any attempt to occupy anyway – we, like everyone else, had numbered seats)
Set off and went straight up on to the roof of the boat, along with 2 other travellers and spent the five and a half hour journey observing from there, with a great breeze to cool us down. Ventured into the dingy diesel smelling deathtrap cabin only to use the smelly squat toilet. One chap lost his cap over the side of the boat to the wind, Ieuan later decided to copy this technique but managed to grab his cap at it flew off down the top of the boat. Saw some great views of the water villages, fishermans boats, and really rural communities who live on and around the river.
Set off and went straight up on to the roof of the boat, along with 2 other travellers and spent the five and a half hour journey observing from there, with a great breeze to cool us down. Ventured into the dingy diesel smelling deathtrap cabin only to use the smelly squat toilet. One chap lost his cap over the side of the boat to the wind, Ieuan later decided to copy this technique but managed to grab his cap at it flew off down the top of the boat. Saw some great views of the water villages, fishermans boats, and really rural communities who live on and around the river.
Younger children often waved as we passed, copying our waving style and running, often half dressed, out of their stilt hut houses to get a wave in before we passed by. Arrived at Siem Reap and navigated our way through the river community to find the usual motley scrum trying to lure tourists to their tuk tuk or hotel. Met our car and driver and headed off to Vila Loti, checked in, and then went into town. Had lunch at the all white interior Blue Pumpkin cafe, then looked around town. Bought some t-shirts and trousers in the Boom Boom room café and shop, had some tea with no teabag, and got the tuk tuk home. Observed a huge spider on the balcony wall.
In the evening, we went to Chivit Thai, whilst our tuk tuk waited outside for us. Wasn’t very busy and nowhere near as “atmostpheric” as the guidebook had described it! Ordered starters and mains, then received some spring rolls, which Lou thought were her starter, so ate most of, only for the real (nicer!) starters to turn up several minutes later! Great! Asked the waiter for the name of the artist that was playing - Suntaree Vechanon, although perhaps we can only buy her cds in Chiang Mai!
In the evening, we went to Chivit Thai, whilst our tuk tuk waited outside for us. Wasn’t very busy and nowhere near as “atmostpheric” as the guidebook had described it! Ordered starters and mains, then received some spring rolls, which Lou thought were her starter, so ate most of, only for the real (nicer!) starters to turn up several minutes later! Great! Asked the waiter for the name of the artist that was playing - Suntaree Vechanon, although perhaps we can only buy her cds in Chiang Mai!
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