We spent a few days in the sleepy Kep and explored some of its charm. The best way to do that is by riding around and exploring. That is exactly what we did. There are heaps of broad and empty streets and back streets to explore. A lot of the ghost town feeling comes form the many half finished and run down French colonial villas. These are tucked away behind jungle in the most beautiful spots. The one below had an incredible view and we sat on the roof for a while. Some are being renovated and others are doomed to collapse in the future. We were told that land…
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Crab Carnage
Made it to Kep, about 30 minutes away from Kampot – depending on how many locals the bus picks up and drops off, and it’s a cute little town. Kep is full of old French colonial villas that are in ruins after the Khmer Rouge era where starving locals looted and picked anything they could use to survive eg. Firewood, any material of value etc. Very cool town, but the main reason I wanted to explore Kep was via my mouth and stomach, as it’s Craaaab City! We’re staying in a cute rounded bungalow owned by a Swiss-Khmer family, Bacoma Bungalows, and my priority for choosing it was its close…
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Killing Fields & S-21 – A Bleak Reminder from the Khmer Regime
Today was a heavy and emotional, but historically interesting day. We got a Tuk Tuk driver organised through our Guest House, Fancy Guest House in Phnom Penh. First he drove us out to the Killing Fields (Choeung Ek) through the insane morning rush hour traffic, complete with VIP convoy passing where police frantically moved all the traffic to the side and stopped all intersections. At the Killing fields there is a monument to remember the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in the 70’s. When we entered we paid the admission fee of US$5 and received the audio guide, which will guide us through the small area, which is the…
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War Museum – Siem Reap
Rode our free guesthouse bikes to the War Museum that other day. It’s just out of town, and probably a 30 minute ride along the main highway towards the airport. It was over 35 degrees C and I struggled with the heat, the dust, and riding on the (wrong) RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD. Definitely foreign to me, and so many times I got confused by turning left from the right lane, that I stopped mid-way through the intersection waiting for tuk-tuks, motorbikes, and trucks that were riding head on towards me. A lot of times they took pity on the panic-stricken tourist riding a single speed bike that…
