Trip to Cambodia Feb 09

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12-03-2009, 03:03 PM
WujouMao

Trip to Cambodia Feb 09

After being laid off from work last year, i made the right choice to escape the bloody cold weather of UK and stay in Asia for 5 months.

I arrived into Aranyan Prathet/poipet after a long journey from Malaysia to Bangkok Mochit.
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Then it was another hour drive to Sisophon.
this is what greeted me in the morning. At least the trains don't run anymore.
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the local way to catch insects during the night.
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Sisophon's very own bamboo train. more of a trolley really. i would find a better model later on
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Next stop, Bantaey Chhmar. some Angkor styled temples a few hours north of Sisophon. This is Bantaey Top
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2 sides of this tower have already collapsed
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Bantaey Chhmar
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12-03-2009, 03:13 PM
Gabriel

Enjoyable pictures. Thank you!
12-03-2009, 03:37 PM
WujouMao

i'll have to upload the rest later. photobucket is messing up. all my photos are now 100x40
12-03-2009, 04:13 PM
Wallalai

Interesting pics, I wait for the rest. :)
12-03-2009, 05:09 PM
WujouMao

Bantaey Chhmar is pretty much fallen down. some buildings are still standing. the main area inside the outer walls have all but been destroyed by looters. some of the outer walls display some fantastic carvings
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some other temples on the east side feature the classic Angkor faces
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walked around the village, looked at the simple life.
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saw the local wildlife and even asked the locals in the area if the fields were free from mines
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so you could say i was shitting myself when i found this stuck to a tree. FECK!!!
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after that i went to Battambang, which i didnt find all that appealing. iv seen better looking french buildings in Laos. some intresting things were the countryside and the olde pepsi plant which hasn't been used since it was closed in the 60's
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banana being dried
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12-03-2009, 07:44 PM
phuketbound

^Wicked pics. I never made it to Banteay Chram, but did go to Banteay Srei where the Ancient Female God of Shriva is? Did you get there?

There is a Landmine Museum on the way out there, did you get a chance to go? It is really worth it. Saddening that there are still so many landmines in Cambodia.
13-03-2009, 08:19 PM
WujouMao

Banteay Srei is 23 miles north of Angkor. U think i paid it a vist 3 years ago. i can't be sure. As for Bantany Chhmar, thats in North west Cambodia. 63 km from Sisophon and 20km east of the Thai border.

u have many more pictures of my trip to Cambodia, but i'm having photobucket issues. i'v uploaded 70 pics and almost half are 100x40, even though i know for a fact they are all 800x533
13-03-2009, 08:46 PM
britmaveric

Saw a few landmine signs myself - not a very nice feeling to have. :o
18-03-2009, 05:16 PM
WujouMao

some temples around Batambang.
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The Cambodian girl said it was a ghost from a cambodian fabel..
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rode the bamboo train from Pursat to Romeas which took 2 days. think it was about 75km in all. [maybe less]
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the bamboo train is just a flat bed with and engine. it doesnt move very fast, due to the likelyhood of meeting another 'norry' from the other direction
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country side view from the bamboo train.
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just how many more people can you fit on?
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steady on lass
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a vietnamese floating village on the Tonle sap
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i sampled Beef and red ants in Pursat town. and deep fried spiders in Skoun just outside Phnom Penh.
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i heard it tasted like chicken, like everything does, but it just tasted like something fried, like a grasshopper. gave me an infection in the back of my throat though, a green lump!
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visited the capital, saw its hectic traffic and its bars, like you do then went to kep
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i wanted to see Bokor hill sation, but its closed for 4 years while they upgrade the road and put a new casino up there. still, i went an saw a 6th century brick stupa in a cave. its in good nick too.
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and the roof of the cave
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took a long walk over the other side of the river, towards the muslim area. walked through 3 muslim villages little seen by foreigners who just use the main road to bike through

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tossing shrimp
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drying shrimp
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i was knackered
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took care to cross this, as i wasnt sure it would hold my weight
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and saw the salt fields too
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stayed the day in Takeo and took a ride up the canel, got windburn and saw another temple.
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6:50 am
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then i went to Kompon Thom to see the masons carving huge Buddhas
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and saw some old ones carved into the rocks
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the next day, my Moto driver told me about a village with temples in boats. i wanted to know more. i was the 1st tourist in these parts. its about 5 clicks out from Kompong Thom and i forgot what the village was called.
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there are 3 temples in the ships, the newest one is still being built.
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if the other 2 look colourful, then i'm sure this one will just as impressive
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inside are beautiful coloured paintings.
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these are the carved doors
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and no cutting corners in this neck of the world. no hollow doors or cheap look-a-likes. these are solid wood for the doors and window shutters
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23-03-2009, 06:40 PM
Repubblicano

great pics, thx for posting
12-04-2009, 10:31 AM
sunsetter

well done wjm, amazing pics, great thread :)
12-04-2009, 12:05 PM
natalie8

Great pics! Thanks
22-04-2009, 12:51 PM
ron2mutt

Super pictures. Thank-you for posting them.
22-04-2009, 01:04 PM
Mr Brown

Big thanks 10/10 for that, I miss travelling Cambodia
25-04-2009, 05:46 PM
SiLeakHunt

Looks like Bolton before it started getting run down
29-04-2009, 09:15 PM
Phuketrichard

anyone heading to Siem rep. Make sure u go to the Angkor NIght show. I went 3 nights ago and it was one of the highlights of living in Cambodia.
view pics here Zenfolio | Richard Reitman Photography

I just came out via Osmach border crossing, ( south of Surin) 110 kms dirt road and glad it hadn't rained hard that ay!!
30-04-2009, 07:19 PM
meow

"rode the bamboo train from Pursat to Romeas which took 2 days. think it was about 75km in all. [maybe less]"

Bloody hell you must of had a very sore arse after that! How often would it stop for breaks?

I am planning the exact same thing as you this winter after also being laid off work recently.

I don't have much savings so it looks like it will be back to the old teaching lark again!

Still, anything to get out of the UK, especially in winter !!
01-05-2009, 04:42 PM
Twocam

Cambodia

Ah, brings back memories. Lived in Cambodia for a few years back in the 90s and loved it. Try to make as many trips back as possible. That bamboo train is a killer. The one in Battambang is a tourist trap but there are plenty of other places along the line you can catch one.
04-05-2009, 10:02 PM
WujouMao

Quote:

Originally Posted by meow

"rode the bamboo train from Pursat to Romeas which took 2 days. think it was about 75km in all. [maybe less]"

Bloody hell you must of had a very sore arse after that! How often would it stop for breaks?

I am planning the exact same thing as you this winter after also being laid off work recently.

I don't have much savings so it looks like it will be back to the old teaching lark again!

Still, anything to get out of the UK, especially in winter !!

yea mate, my arse was killing me and i was sitting on my rucksack with everything else piled around me. the only time there was a break was when there was another bamboo train coming the other way, but you really had to make sure you're the 1st one on again once you get going or you'll lose your seat. and foreigners take up more room. we're taller and long legged than the others. but it was all good fun. not a sole spoke english
05-05-2009, 09:36 AM
Rural Surin

Lovely set Wujou. Cambodia has become one of my favourite places. Cheers.:1st:
06-06-2009, 07:58 PM
WujouMao

i left Vietnam and spent a week or so in Cambodge. decided on doing a 3 day motorcycle trip with a driver to the outbacks of Kompong Thom and across the old angor road, route 66.

its the start of the rainy season, so who knows what this is like in 2 months time.
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This is the elephant temple, near Phrea Khan.
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visited more ruins in the area. Garuda is on this one.
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Phrea Khan. the temple wasnt much to look at. its all blown up. bad thing is is that you're followed around with 2 girl guards who think you're gonna give them a tip afterwards.
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saw this nice looking web in the rubble though
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have no regard for their own culture.
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stayed in this village, the baby's cried when they saw me. guess i really am ugly to them.
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National Highway 66.
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my Moto driver said if the river ahead in up waist height, we have to go back. but i guess he didnt want to go back either. He buggered his bike though, so i walked for 4 hours while he drained his bike of water
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saw a flaoting spider??
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and saw the bugger of a spider later one. sizewise, leg to leg its 5 inches long. i just hoped the spider wouldnt lunge onto me and kill me. thankfully it was more scared or me and shot up its web when i came near.
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sideview..... jesus!
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and the back, just look at those monsters!!
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06-06-2009, 08:25 PM
WujouMao

continued ahead on the old ankor road, NH 66. thankfully i decided to walk across instead.
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had a rest stop in a town, met some giggly kids, who were shy at 1st.
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Spean Ta Ong - Angkor bridge
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Koh Ker temple complex.
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archway of arches
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some more spiders with curious web design
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Cambodia has a Pyramid of its own. sadly you can't climb it as its collapsing
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sorry mum. but its ok. it won't fall
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you just gotta love those fig trees with the roots.
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fire ants nest. i must say, it aint nice riding through the forest, and they land on you from above, and start biting you on the back of the neck,
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And i know why those blasted fire ants hurt now.
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Beng Meanla
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these things littered the ground
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on the road to Dom Dek. Altern 8 anybody?
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Kompong Kdei Angkor Bridge. better nick than the other one, and all 4 corners are intact.
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saw this customised truck
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they have hippo's in this neck of the woods???
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just what the hell was he doing.
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wonder if chickens suffer from pins and needles too
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06-06-2009, 11:05 PM
Marmite the Dog

Quote:

Originally Posted by WujouMao

just what the hell was he doing.

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By the looks of it, he was driving like an Asian.
07-06-2009, 12:30 AM
EmperorTud

He probably swerved to avoid a hippo.
13-06-2009, 07:21 PM
Frankenstein

Quote:

Originally Posted by britmaveric

Saw a few landmine signs myself - not a very nice feeling to have. :o

Much better than the feeling of your scrotum exploding into tiny fragments and raining down all over the countryside.
13-06-2009, 10:45 PM
bustak

WujouMao, once again this is an excellent vacation thread! Not sure how I missed this one, great photos!

Your camera has a nice macro, you're a brave man for those spider pictures!
14-06-2009, 06:58 PM
BenDoverMax

I think Banteay Srei temples are older than the Angkor wat temples.

Can imagine Angkor would be photogenic more so in the rainy season than the dry. Was there apr 2006 and thought i was going to die from heat stroke. Was dry, dusty and damn hot! But worth the shots as you can see.

Did the 4 main temples in one day (Angkor Thom (Bayon), Preah Khan, Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat). Too much to take in - in one day. Cost $20 per day or $40 for 3 day pass.

Good memories....
15-06-2009, 10:16 PM
DeislerX

These are the great pics. They are very reality but I have to say some of them blur (not sharpen).

Look like a survey. TFS
19-06-2009, 05:30 PM
WujouMao

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeislerX

These are the great pics. They are very reality but I have to say some of them blur (not sharpen).

Look like a survey. TFS

no mate, they're all pukka, well the ones that are still on my SD card is. these ones are reduced to 600x800 for this forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bustak

Your camera has a nice macro, you're a brave man for those spider pictures!

no mate, just stupid :)
20-06-2009, 12:11 PM
Phuketrichard

love those spiders :-)
thats buffalo crossing :rofl:
06-07-2009, 01:04 PM
ClaraLondon

wow nice pics of asian region.keep it up.plz post more photos.:)
07-07-2009, 11:59 AM
WujouMao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phuketrichard

love those spiders :-)
thats buffalo crossing :rofl:

i know mate. i was taking the piss. don't you have humour where you come from?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClaraLondon

wow nice pics of asian region.keep it up.plz post more photos.:)

well no doubt you have seen the local cambodian train on page 1? well i'm of to the philippines tomorrow. i looked in my guide book and now that the trains have stopped running as of 2008, the local people there have their own filipino style train. its called 'skates'. same principle, just with car seats bolted down instead. sounds shocking i know.
25-10-2009, 07:23 PM
Anja09

Great Pics! Thank you so much for sharing. Unfortunately, I only saw Cambodia through the eyesy of a mass tourist.
29-10-2009, 12:49 PM
StrontiumDog

Awesome thread, wonderful photos. Lots of "moments in time" shots. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do such a trip, but I'd like to...maybe one day before I get too old. Cheers.
13-09-2011, 11:59 PM
WujouMao

I went back to Cambo in November of last year. Spent most of my time in the bars that's why i never uploaded any pics. I did however go and see the water festival although i would call it a boat race.

Took some video's but most are terrible quality. I did however record this at a temple across the river from the heavily touristy side of town. This was i think 1 day before the festival started. just unloading the long boats from the trucks. Just to show you just how long this really is.

Cambodian long boat - YouTube

The bamboo train from Pursat to Romeas
Bamboo train - YouTube