ATVs and bicycles
Kampong Cham, Cambodia
On our last night in Siem Reap, a group of us elected to take an ATV ride around a rural village and through the rice fields. We drove past small homes in the fields and kids running out to wave and say hello. It was a great way to see how the average Cambodian lives while getting a spectacular tour outside the city. Stopping in front of some buffalo, we watched the sunset over a distant mountain. It felt amazing to be back on an ATV again and made me miss my summer out on the Long Point peninsula.
After dinner that evening, a couple of us hit the night market, and I worked on my haggling skills to pick up a pair of those elephant pants (they are a dream) and a matching elephant shirt. I also got a skirt of the same print, and two scarves with Angkor Wat patterns.
Yesterday was another long day of travel to Kampong Cham, this time on a bus with the locals. Whenever we'd stop at the side of the road, ladies would come on board with cut fruits, eggs, and corn to sell. There was a huge TV screen at the front of the bus where they were playing Cambodian music videos, which we found hilarious and tried to interpret based on the dramatic scenes being played out.
Arriving in Kampong Cham, a few of us rented bikes and took a tour of the area. We crossed the Mekong River over an exhilarating bamboo bridge, with motorbikes and even the occasional car thundering by. The feeling was a mix of ecstacy and terror as you are sure the bridge cannot hold, with the slats making so much noise under you and the river separated from you only by a few spikes of vertical bamboo. On the other side of the river is a small village. Again the kids were so excited and came running out, many of them with arms outstretched for a high five. You'd just hear a small "hello!" coming from the huts, and look around for the source running toward you while calling back and waving enthusiastically. We stopped in at the local temple, where the monks were watching the game on a cell phone, and little kids on bikes followed us curiously. Along the way, we tried some local fruits, all of which they dip in salt, and sometimes chili.
For dinner, six of us took a tuk tuk to a local family's house, where they prepared us a delicious feast. We sat crosslegged on the floor in the main room, with the kids running around excitedly wanted to play with us, while they brought out dish after dish of curries, noodles, rice, vegetables, fried pork, and eggplant. We chatted with the patriarch about his life and family, and he introduced us to his homemade spider wine. He pulled out a jar filled with a concoction of rice wine, honey, and a few dozen large spiders. We squealed a bit but couldn't turn down the experience. It didn't taste particularly different, and there were no fuzzy body parts in our glasses, but you are well aware of the ingredients. We thanked the family with palms pressed together at our chests and many 'arkoon's, and set off on the wild tuk tuk ride home.
On our last night in Siem Reap, a group of us elected to take an ATV ride around a rural village and through the rice fields. We drove past small homes in the fields and kids running out to wave and say hello. It was a great way to see how the average Cambodian lives while getting a spectacular tour outside the city. Stopping in front of some buffalo, we watched the sunset over a distant mountain. It felt amazing to be back on an ATV again and made me miss my summer out on the Long Point peninsula.
After dinner that evening, a couple of us hit the night market, and I worked on my haggling skills to pick up a pair of those elephant pants (they are a dream) and a matching elephant shirt. I also got a skirt of the same print, and two scarves with Angkor Wat patterns.
Yesterday was another long day of travel to Kampong Cham, this time on a bus with the locals. Whenever we'd stop at the side of the road, ladies would come on board with cut fruits, eggs, and corn to sell. There was a huge TV screen at the front of the bus where they were playing Cambodian music videos, which we found hilarious and tried to interpret based on the dramatic scenes being played out.
Arriving in Kampong Cham, a few of us rented bikes and took a tour of the area. We crossed the Mekong River over an exhilarating bamboo bridge, with motorbikes and even the occasional car thundering by. The feeling was a mix of ecstacy and terror as you are sure the bridge cannot hold, with the slats making so much noise under you and the river separated from you only by a few spikes of vertical bamboo. On the other side of the river is a small village. Again the kids were so excited and came running out, many of them with arms outstretched for a high five. You'd just hear a small "hello!" coming from the huts, and look around for the source running toward you while calling back and waving enthusiastically. We stopped in at the local temple, where the monks were watching the game on a cell phone, and little kids on bikes followed us curiously. Along the way, we tried some local fruits, all of which they dip in salt, and sometimes chili.
For dinner, six of us took a tuk tuk to a local family's house, where they prepared us a delicious feast. We sat crosslegged on the floor in the main room, with the kids running around excitedly wanted to play with us, while they brought out dish after dish of curries, noodles, rice, vegetables, fried pork, and eggplant. We chatted with the patriarch about his life and family, and he introduced us to his homemade spider wine. He pulled out a jar filled with a concoction of rice wine, honey, and a few dozen large spiders. We squealed a bit but couldn't turn down the experience. It didn't taste particularly different, and there were no fuzzy body parts in our glasses, but you are well aware of the ingredients. We thanked the family with palms pressed together at our chests and many 'arkoon's, and set off on the wild tuk tuk ride home.
Beautiful details. When do you find time to write?
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