Mr Beem's Asian Journal
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Cambodia |
The border town of Poipet is not a good introduction to Cambodia - dirty dusty and the road is 'Rooted', to use a good Aussie expression. But the people are great, really friendly which was a sharp contrast to what I had been anticipating. I thought that after all that they have been through they would have the "Shits with the world', but it was and has been quite the opposite. I think they are the friendliest people that I have met so far on this trip.
So there you are, I am in Cambodia for the first time in my life and loving it.
Still no word from Amex (28th June), I would be interested in your comments on this matter, something that I can forward to them as a public awareness campaign, as they have definitely lost touch.
Angkor
The next day I visited the Jungle Temple part of the Angkor Complex north of Siem Reap - Cambodia, this Temple has only be partially restored, as the Jungle was so well advanced it would have meant taking the whole place apart just to remove the tree roots so it has been left semi natural - so to speak. This Temple features in the Lara Croft - Tomb Raider movie, and the door way which I am standing in also features on the cover of the latest Lonely Planet Guide to Cambodia - isn't that all very Interesting.
July 4th
I had one off those 'I don't believe it's possible' sort off days yesterday.
First thing I went to the Lao Embassy and they processed my Visa in three hours instead of two days - hard to believe.
Then I went to the Thailand Embassy, they were going to take five days including the weekend to give me a ninety day Visa, when you can get 30 days on the spot on entry, but I sort of believed that.
Next I went to the Vietnam Embassy, and asked the officious little man behind the counter about motorcycles in Vietnam..'not possible' he said in a manner that made it clear that no further correspondence would be entered into, well I had heard of people doing it so I definitely didn't believe that.
I stopped in at Lucky Lucky Motorcycles and asked them what they knew about bikes in Vietnam, yes it can be done but not from Cambodia, you have to go to Lao and cross over from there - unbelievable.
I had a great lunch for a dollar - including tip...yes believe it or not I left a tip.
In the afternoon I went to an old primary School that was taken over to be used as an interrogation centre during the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, this was in 1975, I was fifteen years old when this happened so it not exactly ancient history. The place is in the middle of Phnnom Penh's southern suburbs, surrounded by nice houses, and looks to all the world like a run down school. But you wouldn't believe the shit that went on inside, 17,000 men, women,and children, went through this place on their way to the killing fields which is just another 15 kilometres south-west of town. They would have gotten nothing out of me under interrogation - I would have dropped dead of fright just walking through the Gates, its even scary walking around there now.
After that rather depressing but thought provoking few hours I nudge Mr Beem through the late afternoon rush hour traffic, which actually isn't that bad compared to most capital cities, and had a ride out to the killing fields. leaving town is a bit of a shit fight, but before long you are in the countryside, the roads are bad but the travelling is easy. It's two dollars entry, but I got in for a dollar due to the lateness of the hour and the meanness of my disposition. It is an old tropical fruit plantation and looks totally unremarkable.
They have built a large white monument and stuffed it full of skulls which can be clearly seen behind a huge glass window - it's not my idea of good taste, but there you are. They have also put bush material huts over some off the mass graves that they exhumed and have put up signs telling how many bodies were recovered from each one, the place is actually quite pretty, not at all menacing. But then again I hadn't just been dragged away from my family, tortured for ten days, had my arms tired behind my back, my eyes blindfolded, and made to kneel down in front of an open pit where someone was going to bash me on the base of the skull with an Iron bar and then cut my throat and push me in. So I guess that you could say, my view was slightly biassed. some people are, unfucking believable.
After an afternoon like that, I believe that a good stiff drink is in order, so I went to see Jim, he runs the California 2, Bar, Restaurant and Guesthouse. I had meet Jim earlier in the day we had been talking about bikes and all that good blokey kind off stuff. So I sat down with him and a couple of his mate and had a beer and watched the sunset reflect in the sky over the Mekong river and talked about travelling with Motorcycles.
A couple of the guys were heading out to see Phenom Penh's Thursday night, night life - so I tagged along. We went to Sharkys, a big upstairs bar, with a balcony, where girls out number guys about five to one, 'the odds were good, but some of the goods were odd'. Cambodian women come in all shapes and sizes, unlike Thai girls who only come in regulation beautiful size. I actually think this a positive thing for the Cambodians, that and the fact that three girls jump on you and start massaging your back and shoulders, before you have even had a chance to order a beer - believe it or not.
After that we cruised (not so much cruised as propped our selves on the back of little 100cc scooters and then moved around as much as possible in order to put the driver off balance and make him stop hassling you about finding you a woman or a good deal on some dope) on down to the Walkabout Bar for a game of pool and few quite ones before turning in.
All in all that's a fairly typical day, in the life of a Man and his bike 'On the Road'.
Do you think that the kind of things that went on back in the mid to late seventies in Cambodia could be happening right now in some other part of the world. No, it would never be allowed to happen - would it ?
The bike has been great for exploring this area and I have had several offer to exchange, but the thought of doing the rest of the trip on an Elephant is way beyond my imagination, but there would be plenty of space for my gear...in the trunk. He he...ha ha.
I will be moving on down the road tomorrow to the metropolis of Phnom Penh and from there south to explore the beaches on the coast on the Gulf of Thailand.
