Travel to Phnom Penh

National Museum
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We had committed to the speed boat to Phnom Penh when we first arrived in Siem Reap so it was another early start to the day, being picked up at 5:45am, we should have realised what we would be in for when our van was late and we continued picking up more passengers until we had thirteen people in the van with all their luggage. Somewhat cramped to say the least. Down to the boat where we were harassed to buy a breakfast and finally managed to get aboard over a narrow gangplank with our bags. The boat is steel, fully enclosed cabin seating 5 abreast and quite long, but narrow and carries about 120 passengers give or take a few extras. The boat left about 7:30am and soon reached full speed of about 30km/hr. Quite a few people elected to sit on the rof but the effects of 5hrs sitting in the sun were pretty obvious when we reached Phnom Penh, "frazzled people"with very red faces. The first half of the trip is on Tonle Sap (the lake) with not much to see. At this time of the year the lake is extensive and its like being on the ocean. The second half follows the river with the usual quota of villages, towns and fisherman to see as you pass by.

Our arrival at Phnom Penh was greeted by a horde of tuktuk and taxi drivers touting for business making it very difficult to even get off the boat. Carol had organised a tuktuk when we left Siem Reap and much to our surprise it worked and we were soon on our way to The Pavilion Hotel, the tuktuk probably cost us $1US more than it should of but the convenience was worth it.

"frazzled people"with very red faces

The Pavilion Hotel is a small hotel near the Royal Palce and was fairly small but well appointed and had a swimming pool. The restaurant is small and basic but still served our old favourite Beer Lao. in the afternoon I visited the National Museum where there is the largest collection of Khmer carvings in the world and they are as good if not better than anything the Romans or Greeks did and more than worth the effort and time spent visiting the Museum.

My trip back by tuktuk was somewhat eventful as the driver understood very little English and was illiterate which meant no communication between us. I soon realised we were heading the wrong way and got him to understand basically where I needed to go. Unflinchingly he turned down a main one way road in peak hour traffic (going the opposite way) taking me towards our hotel, eventually we got back after getting further directions from a passer by.

Another night, another bed, another hotel, tomorrow we had for our Öne Night in Bangkok!"