:: February 21, 2004 ::

Kampong Trach

Well, I only had one class per day this week, because the school gave all part-time students a week off. So what did that mean for me? I gave my hours to another teacher, and I got a 7 day holiday!

I started on Tuesday around Phnom Penn, shopping and getting all those boring chores done. I have to goto the market here at least once every three days, mostly to stock up on vegetables, they don't last long in my fridge.

So, I went to the train station, to try to get a ticket to Kampot, which is south of PP, about 6 hours by train, but only 125km. That gives an average of 20km/h... pretty slow. However, the train(according to lonely planet, and the local newspaper) only runs every other day. On tuesday, I asked if the train left today, and the lady said, "No, cancelled today"

Naturally, I assume that means the next day the train will run, so I spent the rest of tuesday packing all the essentials:

Food - Snickers Bars, tuna cans, and peanut butter
Shelter - Hammock
Clothes - One pair of clothing(what I was wearing), plus two Krama's(scarfs), and a rain jacket(I know it's dry season, but wait till the end of the story)

Wednesday: I get up at 5am, because the train leaves anytime between 6 and 6:30, or whenever the train is full(never). However, I only see one train. One train goes north, the other goes south. Aparently the ticket lady meant the South train was cancelled forever. Frustrated, I hop back on my moto and goto the market where the pickup trucks leave. For twice the price(a whopping $1.50) I get the bumpy dusty mini-van ride to Kampot instead of sitting on top of a train roof, enjoying the scenery(a less whopping $.75). Bummer.

Kampot is a picturesque little river(inland bay, more likely) town, but I had been before, so I quickly rented a moto(I bargained down to $2.50/day) an headed off. I stopped by where the fishing ships were offloading. There was a little food stand there, and I sampled the local seafood. Excellent stuff, compared to the usual Khmer food(I cannot use the word cuisine, because it's not).

So, I head off to Kep, the old French seaside resort. It used to be the number 1 place for Khmer and French upper class to take their holidays, but Sihanoukville has usurpted it. There are plenty of run down, decreped, concrete buildings(yeah, more places for me to sleep). If you remember my Bokor story, very much the same, as Bokor is only 40km away from Kampot in the other direction.

Kep was nice, I rode on possibly the only one-way road in Cambodia(it was only one-way for foriegners, I saw Khmers drive the other way, no problem). Nice excuse for the police to extort more money, but I knew the trick beforehand, and the police were non-confrontational. The beach was black rock, and not to pleasant water. But nice views of islands off the coast.

So, long day, but I decided to goto Kampong Trach, another 25km east, very close to the Vietnam border. There are mountains that shoot straight up from the rice fields all over the place. I took plenty of pictures(probably up at printroom tomorrow). The closest one was 2km north, and there are famous caves that the Khmer Rouge used to hide out in. I went exploring around until dusk, then tried to find a place to sleep.

Many of you might remember my passion(or financial stubborness) for sleeping in exotic(free) places. Well, I found a shack, the locals use them as temporary rest shelters(when in rice fields) or shop fronts(when on roads). I found one on the road, with no roof, so I assumed that no one would be using it. I setup my hammock, and local kids came and stared at me(as they all do here). Soon, I had an audience of people, dumbly staring at me. An elder Khmer came forward and started talking. I stated my intentions, in Khmer(I had studied the exact conversation I would use), but they didn't seem to understand. He started asking for money, so I just packed up and angrily rode off.

I rode for only 3 or 4 km, off into the rice fields, where I found a palm tree grove. The trees were fairly far apart, so I had to use my moto as one base for the hammock. It was a light moped, so I kept sagging to the ground. I retried my rope in a single strand, so it was longer, but less strong. It worked but I could hear some of the strands popping and straining under my weight. It didn't really matter, because the same elder had followed me into the fields. This time he had a machete, or some kind of sickle in his hands. He asked for money again, but this time I didn't argue, I just packed up and rode off again. It was amazing how friendly and nice he sounded, but he was holding a machete and had a gang with him, so, I caught their drift.

Really angry now, I rode back in the direction I came from, in the dark now. I had already scoped out all the locations, and knew that there weren't any. So, I went back to the closest mountain to Kampong Trach. There was a monestary very close to there. I had wanted to spend the next day exploring the other side, but I had no choice now. I went towards the monestarty, but passed a large cave first. It was large enough to drive my moto into, so I went maybe 20 meters in. There was a little campsite inside. I didn't bring my sleeping bag, as its pretty warm most of the night(it only gets chilly from 3am until sunrise at 6am. So, the first night I slept in the cave.

I've seen moto drivers sleeping on their motos. They swing their legs over the handlebars, and sleep on the seat cushion. I tried this before the ground, and I don't know how they do it. I almost fell twice, the bike started to lean, and I was still awake, so I jumped off. If I was asleep, I would have fallen hard.

Anyways, the bats were zooming in and out of the cave. I sat outside(where stragely enough, I saw fireworks in the distance). The bats would zoom so close to me. The trick is to hold really still. Because if you move, their radar can't react fast enough and they hit you. If you hold still, they think you are a rock and avoid you. This doesn't mean they won't shit on you, but I came out of the cave fairly clean.

In the morning, I was woken up by some monks. Word travelled fast, a barang by himself, and they were asking me all kinds of questions. I followed them to their wat, and they cooked me some noodles. I signed a book, with 3 other foriegn names in it, and headed off again.

This time I passed a gravel making machine. Stranger still, I passed Khmers sitting on piles of rocks with hammers. Ther were hitting the rocks and making gravel. They had one palm leave for shelter from the sun, and they all hit in a steady rythym. I thought of the Flintstones when I saw them. I talked to one near a cave entrance, and all he could do was beg for money. At least he mentioned bei(rice), or food, so had him take a few pictures of me, plus some of him, and gave hime some money for the problem. His boss came(probably because he didn't hear him hitting the rocks) and started yelling. I hope I didn't cost him his job, but he probably had to share the money I gave him. There were children all over the place, too. I wasn't sure if they were working or playing, but I wouldn't put it past this company(chinese) to do it. There is a lot of resentment towards the chinese here, because they all live in the same town, but they are richer and segregate themselves from the khmers. They have different schools, homes, and even markets.

So, I found the cave where the Khmer rouge were... More of a system of cannon, gun, and mortar holes in the rocks. I was at the Rock of Gibralter, and it was very similar to that. I got a little lost and had to use the train tracks as a guide to get home. Since the Kampot line is no longer running, the locals have little plank cars that use boat motors to scoot along the tracks. It's better than using the roads, and cheap. However, the moto is too heavy, only bicycles. Plus there is a moto track alongside the railroad track.

I made it back to Kampong Trach a little early, so I decided to check out the Vietnam border. I chose the one that foriegners are not allowed to cross. The border guards were very confused as to why I was there. I just wanted to take a picture of the vietnamese flag, and they said no. I took one anyway, and they tried to take my camera away. I tricked them into thinking I erased the picture, and left. People just don't understand sometimes...

I took the long way back to Kep, even though it was geographically shorted. I passed many salt lakes, and the whole area had that strong fish-salt smell. I saw two large wats on hills, and one monk showed me around. He was pretty young, but I find all the monks speak english very well, and they want to practice when foriegners arrive. He was most friendly and served me tea and dried fish. The local school was in the wat, and the children all played around me.

I made it back to Kep, and remembered a nice abandonded building where the roof was still intact. There was also a ramp to the roof, so I could store the moto up there with no one able to see it. I watched the stars for a little while, and then strung up my hammock. The stars went away, and it started to rain... IT STARTED TO RAIN!!

Now, this is the dry season, but along the coast it sometimes sprinkles. I felt rain for maybe 2 minutes, not enought to even get my clothes wet. I haven't seen rain for nearly 3 months, and it was a nice reminder. Surprisingly, I had no problem from the police or knife-weilding farmers... slept great.

Friday: I left Kep early, and went to another cave complex. The caves here are unimpressive, but better than nothing. I had a few hours to kill in Kampot, so I went towards Bokor mountain. There was a zoo there, so I decided to check it out. I found it, but there were no animals... and the guards tried to charge me entrance fee. I said I was just driving through. He said the road ends, I said, I know... I go to end and come back... While he was trying to figure this out, I drove off. Beyond the zoo there was.... get this... a garden farm..... Now, I saw little plots of land, with flowers and plants, all seperated by concrete walk-ways. I have no clue why it was there, but by the condition of the road, I assume not many people made the trek up there. Interesting, but confusing as well.

Turned in the moto and caught a pickup truck to Sihanoukville...

A lesson on Karma:

I knew the price for the pickup. The tout knew I knew the correct price. However, he also knew that there were not any other trucks leaving for a while, and the rule is, when the truck is full(really full, i sat on coolers hanging off the rear tailgate) it leaves. So it could have been another 2 hours before they found enough people... So, I paid double the price(a whopping $2.00).

One girl on the truck took offense to me putting my shoes on her luggage. Now, everything on the truck gets covered in a layer of dust, so I don't know what her problem was. Plus the tout who overcharged me was not giving me much room to sit. He yelled at me for grabbing the wrong hand hold, and was just generally nasty.

So, right as we are about to get to the main road, another girl gets sick and vomits(or tries to vomit.. it looked like clear jelly and snot) off the side of the truck. Going as fast as we were, it carried back up and splattered all over the nasty girl and tout sitting on the edge of the truck..... MESS WITH ME=GET VOMMITED ON.

So, Sihanoukville was depressing. My favoirite bungalow was shut down by the tourist police and was no longer letting people stay for free. A golf course is moving in, so it looks like I won't be visiting there anymore. Just too depressing and too many tourists.

Got back to Phnom Penn a little earlier than I expected, but the caves and mountains and sea were all worth it.

More pictures at printroom

.: Ben Hansen :: 4:16 AM [+] 0 comments

.AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le
ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos
tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n
ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon
g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I
.go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You.
road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here...
.Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis
eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka
rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl
e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass-
I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves.
me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps.
me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are
.latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!.
You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind
ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she
lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod
den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s
ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo
f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part.
in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o
f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea
ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde
nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than
.I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,.
and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by
.the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m
e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and.
imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha
t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold
s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar
e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I.
can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself
.and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among
.them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me...
..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app
ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air
,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the
.whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains
t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it,
.to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage
s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen
ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine.
philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo
ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h
im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob
ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes.
for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass
,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e
fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T
hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa
nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under,
.but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa
ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s
eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be.
free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here
.is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He
re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and.
woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou
ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o

f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo
nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires.
...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi
rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea
utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th
is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here;
.However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i
nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya
nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety
,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The.
stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t
he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here
.if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas
'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes
;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer
.rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall.
scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard
ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the