:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.Well, there is plenty to report.
I left Phnom Penn at 6am in the morning on the 25th. I could have taken a bus straight to Bangkok... but where is the fun in that? Instead, I opted for the train... the only train. A few months ago I tried to take the train south, but was informed that there was only one working train and it went to Battambang, in the northwest of Cambodia. Battambang is the second largest city and is maybe 300km from Phnom Penn, but it takes 12 hours by train, and maybe 6 by bus. Yes, the train really does go that slow.
But the whole point in taking the train, is that you can ride on top of the train. Cambodia = No Rules. So, as soon as the train started moving, I locked up my backpacks(yes, I now have two) and went to the gap between cars and climbed up the ladder. It was fairly empty up there, but there were 3 kids all yelling at me. I was on my hands and knees, and tried to stand up to wave at them, as they were jumping up and down and screaming something at me in Khmer. Just then, an electrical wire smacked me in the back of the head. It jerked my hat off, but luckily it didn't snag me. The shack towns that live next to the tracks all have personally made telephone and electrical poles and wires all over the place. No tunnels, but plenty of hazards. So, I lost my hat, but I used my Krama instead. A few times, the tree branches scraped along top of the roof.
Description of the roof:
1. Tin = hot in the sun.
2. It was slightly rounded, but there were air vents on the side to grab on to if you started slipping off the edge.
3. The conductor actually came up to the roof to check my ticket. He was well impressed.
4. There were maybe 3 passenger cars, and 3 cargo cars, but each were used to carry both people and cargo.
5. There was maybe a 3-5 foot gap inbetween cars, and a precise jump was required to move up and down the train.
6. Since the train went pretty slow, it was easy to stand up and face forwards, looking for things to knock you off.
Situations on the roof:
1. Young boys were paid by the conductor or train company(not the government, I don't think) to haul things on and off the roof. It was mostly lumber, but there were bags of produce and other things as well. Anytime the train stopped, there would be lumber laid next to the tracks and people would pick them up and the young boys would pull them up. At first all the lumber was perpendicular to the train, but a few got caught and fell off, almost taking a few people with it. The conductor saw this and started yelling at the boys(who didn't wear shoes for better tracktion, but the heat of the tin must have hurt). They lined them up parallel this time with no problem.
2. There were food and drink vendors who walked up and down the cars selling their wares. If you wanted something cold to drink or hot to eat, you had to wait for the train to stop. People would chuck things up to the roof(maybe 20-25 feet high) and then you throw down your money. A few times the vendors didn't make the toss high enough... fun to watch.
3. There was a lady carrying a baby, begging for money. They use these babies for sympathy, and it is really a depressing sight. I usually get a little angry when I see it, because I know the babies are usually not from the woman carrying it. Plus, I have heard that the babies are drugged, because you never hear them cry, and they are always semi-concious. Anyway, the lady couldn't jump the gap with the baby in her arms, so one of the young boys and to follow her and jump across with the baby.
4. The last 50-100km were really rought. I've never felt a train rock from side to side so much. From the noise, it sounded like some of the wheels actually came off the track. Really lound crashes and bangs. Plus it was getting dark, so I waited for the train to stop and climbed back down into the passenger car.
5. Inside, I was invited to stay at a school with a young girl, who was learning to be a teacher. I was also invited to go to a pagoda with a monk. The same monk kept offering me cigarettes... Vow of Chastity, but cigarettes and cell phones are fine... seems backwards to me. Anyways, he gave me ice cream and fried frog instead. Interesting texture contrast...
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I have to say that the whole experience was tiring, but well worth it. I slept very well in Battambang, after having trouble fining a room because of a UN convention.
The taxi pickup ride was the same as I've done before. I met 3 Aussie girls, who had never crossed the Poipet border before, so I acted as a guide for them. The border crossing was uneventful, but we had to wait 2 hours for a bus. Plenty of time to play cards, and fend off Cambodia beggers on the Thai side.
Bangkok is the same as ever. I ran into a friend on Kho San Road, who was taking a little holiday from his guesthouse business. We ended up watching the Arsenal game, but drank a little too much.
The next day was spent wandering the city looking for my travel agent to pick up my airplane ticket. The streets are numbered strangly, and the address given to me was actually two side streets off the street that was listed, plus no sign. Dodgy, but I got the ticket. So, I caught a bus to Kanchanaburi, sight of the Bridge over the River Kwai.
I got into town just in time to catch the sunset over the bridge. The clouds were actually green! We'll see how the pictures come out. I rented a moto and cruised around town, but most of the fun happened the next day. I didn't get much sleep because my guesthouse is next to a different bridge, and the bungalow I am at is on pillings above the river, marsh. So, anytime a big truck goes over the bridge, my whole room shakes. Plus there is a disco next door as well.
I still woke early enough to beat the heat and get to Erawan Falls. The area reminds me of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. The limestone or whatever type of rock, forms pools, with little areas where the water falls from pool to pool. There are 7 levels to the falls, all about 1.5 km apart. It is a fairly steep climb, but well worth the effort. It is dry season so the water level was a bit low, but pretty nevertheless. There were fish that nipped at my feet. It would have been cute, if I didn't have a scab on my foot that they constantly attacked.
Then I went to the dam where the Thais were still celebrating Thai New Year. I got doused with water while still riding the bike. Luckily, my digital camera escaped damage. I got dragged into dancing with a bunch of ladies, but everyone there seemed to enjoy watching me try to dance.
After that, I went on to Prathat Cave. It was in the middle of the park on a dirt road, so it didn't get much tourist action. When I got to the cave, there were no rangers there. A donation was required, but I had already paid for the waterfall, so I put on my own headlamp and walked into the cave. It was a commercial cave, with installed lights, but I couldn't figure out how to turn them on. I didn't go in to far and didn't see much. When I came back out, there was a little kid asking for money. He sure didn't look like he worked there, so I just moved on. He ended up throwing rocks at me... I guess you get both sides, kindness and bitterness.
So, it was a 50km ride to the Tiger Temple, and they only let the tigers out from 3:30-5:00. It was 3:00 when I left, and just when I needed to go fast, a few thunderstorms appeared. I was already wet from the festival, but the rain stings when it hits you going 100km/hr. So, I made it to the temple at 4:15 since I rode through two storms without stopping.
The tiger temple is a sanctuary for abandoned animals. Their claim to fame is the tigers. However, I had more trouble with the water buffalo trying to spear me that any tiger trying to bite me. The monks give a little tour of the other animals, then they lead you down into a ravine where the tigers lay around. The monks spray water on them, to tame them I guess. The tigers are all sleepy, and yawn quite a lot. All this gives great photographic opportunity, because a yawn and a roar look similar. There were 4 tigers, two were occupied chewing on some sandals. I squatted in the middle while a monk took my picture. I got to pet two of them on their back, but was told to stay away from the head. The lead monk even smacked the tiger on his tounge when it yawned. All good fun, yeah?
All great experiences, and I plan to explore the mountains here for another day, and then back to Bangkok to wait for my flight back to England.
.: Ben Hansen :: 7:22 PM [+] 0 comments
There are two groups for this trip. One group is going to a wedding for a guy named Dave near Kompong Cham, which is on the way to where we are going. The other group will meet us on Sunday in Kampong Thom and then onward north. They are the more experience group.
So, here is the updated roster:
Wedding
-----------
Big Shawn - Aussie
Sean - British
Simon - British
Mike - KhmerAmerican
Ben - Dunno
Hardcore guys
------------------
Francois - French
John - American
Tim - British
Dara - Khmer
Henry - French
Everyone except Simon and I are decked out in gear. All we have are crash helmets. Everyone else has boots, elbow and knee pads, chest plates, and one guy has a kidney support belt! Supposedly all the bouncing doesn't do your internal organs much good. At the end of this trip, I wish I had all that stuff. I actually rented my bike from Francois, so he knows my bike very well, and will be able to help fix any problems that arise.
So, on Friday, I only had 3 of my 6 classes on my last day. Most of it was spent dancing.
It took 3 hours in the dark after work to get to Dave's wife's village. There was a support van with other friends in it, plus 5 dirtbikes. Everyone in the van said they felt like royalty with a bodyguard convoy following them. The van went much slower, so we were constantly overtaking them. Fun way to start the trip. When we got to the village, it was late, so most went to sleep, but a few stayed up drinking and dancing.
.: Ben Hansen :: 5:28 AM [+] 0 comments
DAY 2 - Wedding
We all woke at 7am to do the fruit carrying ceremony. 36 different types of fruit in baskets, all delivered to the door. Then a large lull in the day, until 1pm for dinner. So, most of us went to Kampong Cham to look around. The rest of the crew all got guesthouse, but some of us decided to stay in the village. Big dinner, but another lull until 7pm.
So, Vinh and I decide to go off to take some pictures of the rubber plantation. It's a huge area, and right in the middle, my rear tire goes flat. So, I kick Vinh off, and slowly ride it out of the plantation. Once at the road, I search for someone to fix it. We are out in the middle of nowhere, and there aren't many houses around. Vinh is far behind me walking on his own, but I do end up getting flagged down by some villagers. They spent 2 hours trying to fix it. I think they did alright.
We both get back for the cake cutting and flower throwing ceremony. Again, silly string makes the cake tast funny... little bit like soap. We drank and danced most of the night. The music was live, and quite nice when no one was singing.
.: Ben Hansen :: 5:15 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 3 - Tbeng Mean Chay
I wake up to find.... my rear wheel is flat again. After letting the few remaining wedding guests look and shrug at me, I decided to just ride the flat all the way to Kampong Cham.... 30km away. Oddly enough, the tire worked better when I went fast. The dirt road was rough, but the asphalt road was fine. I find a shop and the rear tube is shredded, so I have to buy another one.
Everyone else is ready, so we are off. Maybe 5km out of town, Chris tries to overtake a van and his engine seizes! Not the best place for that to happen. So, his bike is done. Luckily, within 2 minutes we flag down a pickup truck to take the bike back to Phnom Penn. Turns out one of the passengers is one of Shawn's students. So, they took the bike back for free.
We set off again, but I get a THIRD puncture... Now something is wrong here. So, this time I sit a watch the mechanic. He does all the same stuff, but this guy checks the tred and pulls out a nail! Go figure, check for a nail... wonder why the other guys didn't think of that?
So, now we are late, and we haul it up to Kampong Thom to meet the rest of the gang. They are itching to get going on some hard trail, so they go ahead. Simon, Sean, Mike and I are left behind to take the easy straight dirt road to Tbeng Mean Chey where we will all meet.
On the way we run into a huge thunderstorm... not as bad as the one I was in in Kirirom, but heavy heavy rain. Some of the road got washed out, and going through the puddles was fun. The was was actually hot, not cool or warm, but HOT. The falling rain was warm, but it stung when it hit, so it wasn't that much fun.
Turns out that the other guys got a few flats as well, so that slowed them up. We actually made it to town before them. Quaint little town, but quite nice and clean air. I'm already a little tired from the ride, and these have been easy roads...
.: Ben Hansen :: 5:10 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 4 - Prasat Preah Vihear
Big Shawn is sick, so we don't leave until 9:30. The original plan was for Simon and me to take the easy road, while the rest of the group took the sand road. Anyone who has ever ridden a dirt bike on sand knows that it ain't easy. The catch is: the faster you go, the easier it is, but the faster you go, the harder you crash...
We had to cross a major stream, so Simon and I decided it would be easier to continue rather than turn back. It turned out the Mike had a harder time than us anyway. He must have fallen 6 times. Twice he was trapped under the bike, but he had boots and padding, so he was fine. I never fell, but I went REALLY slow. The rest of the group had to wait up. We came to another crossing. It took us a while to pass, but I cooled off in the river. We passed a few more fun spots where I caught a little air. Basically a 3 meter dip where a stream used to be. So, fast down and up the enbankment. At the top, the front wheel is already up, so just keep giving it gas, and you can do an easy wheelie.
We get to Chaom Khsant, and rest for 2 hours. We all get rooms and leave our big bags, and off to the mountain temple, Preah Vihear. Sean and Shawn felt bad, so they didn't come. Simon was at the back, and ended up getting lost. We waited for him at the base of the mountain for an hour. I got impatient, and decided to go alone. There was some lady trying to swindle some money from tourists, saying that if you bought a ticket at the bottom it would be cheaper than at the top. I knew this was a scam, but some of the others wanted to pay. While they all argued, I went around the gate and drove on... Again... lesson on Karma....
The road up the mountain is RIDICULOUS!! Normal mountain roads in the US always try to keep the grade under 20 degrees. This road had some sections greater than 45 degrees. That might not sound so bad, but this is not asphalt, just large boulders and rocks in your way. Going up a road like this is all about momentum. You lose it, you fall. I lost it twice. John had to come help me clutch start the bike, but I made it up after putting the bike down twice. It wasn't much of a fall, the bike took most of the damage since by the time you stop moving up, you are practically at a stand still and the bike falls from there. Mike and Tim couldn't even make it up and had to turn back.
We only had 45 minutes at the top, because it was getting dark and getting down the mountain would be impossible in the dark... well not for the hardcore guys. There were mines everywhere, and big signs saying what to look out for.
It turns out we could have stayed with the monks for free, or slept in the temple if we had brought hammocks. But, we all wanted to get down. Simon, Henry, and I went first. I fell twice and Henry waited for me, but Simon kept going. Simon even kept going past Tim and Mike who were waiting at the bottom for us with dinner. The rest of the guys decided to try to come back down in the dark... they made it fine.
So, Simon got lost again because there was a tricky turn that you can only see coming from one direction. It turns out that he took the right way, but thought it was wrong and turned back. We all stayed and had dinner... 3 chickens and a lizard.
We ended up finding Simon at some village, where he had booked a room because he thought he was lost. They were dancing in the street, and he was drinking with them. He decided to drive back... bad decision.
Maybe 3km from our town, he wiped out on a bridge, skidded along the wooden boards. A few nails cut him, but he was alright. When he went down, he took Mike with him. Both of them were lucky not to be more seriously hurt. So, we were all glad to be back in the town. Well, mostly, because at 10pm they shut the electricity off for the whole town. No electricity = No fans. It was HOT. Very little sleep.
.: Ben Hansen :: 4:53 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 5 - Koh Ker Krash
Now, Sean is sick and wants to go home. After much persuasion from the rest of the group, we all set out together to goto Koh Ker. It was briefly the captial of ancient Cambodia. It's claim to fame is it's secluded location and a pyramid temple. We all stopped in Kulen, about 30km from the temple. There we fueled up and snacked on frog and monkey. No kidding...
Back to a story on Karma:
--------------------------------
After finishing our meal and trying to figure out the bill, I go to get fuel. I ask for 3 litres, and know the price. The lady quotes me a higher price. I give what I feel is right and start to ride off. Henry stops me and says that the lady put more than 3 liters in and wants more money. After arguing with the lady, through Henry, I pay the lady, but I am in a frustrated mood. The rest of the group goes off on the road to Koh Ker. Only Simon is behind me. Tim is directly in front of me. I am trying to keep up with Tim, which I knew better than trying. The road was actually quite smooth, but still dirt and rock, so I was going pretty fast, somewhere between 50-80 km/hr(this is an estimate since no rental in all of cambodia has a working speedometer, odometer, or anything else that locals deem nonessential).
So I am still daydreaming and thinking about what has just happened when I look up and see a sharp left turn after a bride. I took the wrong line into the turn, I was too far to the left to safely turn. I use my front brake to try to slow down quickly, but because of the mechanic making the brakes too tight, I use too much pressure and the front brake locks...
So, for those of you who don't know what happens when the front brake locks = you crash. There is NOTHING you can do. The entire front end jerked my hands off the handlebars. I tried to grab them again, but the bike had already started to go down. I moved the handlebars straight again, but by this time it jerked again and I was going off the road down into a ditch. I had the heavy backpack on, so it was not easy to jump off the bike, but somehow I did. I landed on my right side and skidded, mostly on the bag, for maybe 10 meters.
After the dust settled, my shoes were missing, and I was checking myself for injuries. 3 slight road rash cuts on my palm, hip, and ankle. Nothing broken. Oddly enough, all I could think about is where the hell my shoes went. This was just in front of a village, so all the villagers were running at me. I jump to my feet to show I'm alright, but I have to fend them off from grabbing me and trying to console me... I guess.
Then Simon comes into the picture. He shoos away all the villagers, picks my bike up and starts it with 2 kicks, then turns it off, and comes to help clean my wounds...The villagers loved this part. We used bottled water to wash away the dirt from the cuts. Not surprisingly, it stung very bad everytime he poured water on me. I would give a little yelp of pain, then there would be a laugh from the croud. Simon noticed this and started to make a game of it...
1.pour water
2.make Ben scream
3.make villagers laugh
4.repeat
It was almost like we was a conductor, and used to water to make painful music. I was all in good fun, and it actually helped me keep my mind off things, as I was quite angry that I got in the accident in the first place. So, I put iodine and bandaged up myself and tried to start the bike again... won't start.
Plus, the kick pedal is now jammed. Simon started it fine, so we know it runs, but we can's kick it now, and no electric starter. This is all in direct sunlight, so I am getting a little dehydrated. Quick thinking results in me digging through my backpack to get my hammock out to use as a tow rope. A few villagers try to push start it, but we need more speed. So, Simon drags me out of the village(a relief to get away from all those staring eyes), but the bike still won't clutch start.
It's been almost 45 minutes, and finally Shawn and John come back to see what's wrong. Just as well, because the road got tough, and Simon could not have towed me the whole way. John is a magician with my bike... well mostly because he had boots and could kick it harder than me. He unjammed the kickstarter, and managed to start the bike. The next 15km were over seriously damaged bridges. We're talking huge holes in the middle, and the bike must follow a single plank to get to the other side. Again, if I had the time I would have stopped to take pictures, because even now I can't believe I made it over some of those bridges.
So, after regrouping, and reassuring everyone I was alright to continue, we get to a little town 8km outside of the temple. Most of the hardcore guys want to find harder roads instead of visiting the temple. Only Henry and I want to see the temple. Mike, Sean, and Simon go on to Siem Reap, and the others look for the hard track. Tim stays behind to look after my big back, which has my took kit....
Of course, my front wheel locks again, but I don't have a wrench to loosen the screw to fix the problem. So, Henry must go all the way back while I find a shaded spot to wait. Finding a shady spot is not as easy as it sounds. You must find a spot ON THE ROAD. This is still a heavily mined area, and you aren't supposed to leave the track. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long. It turns out that the government is in the process of builing a big road from Siem Reap to Koh Ker, right on top of where the tough road used to be. So, the hardcore guys decided to come see the temple. Luckily, Francois fixed my bike again, and we were off. So, it a year or two, the whole route we went will be unnessesary, as package tourists will be able to take the bus.... but our way was definately more fun.
The temple was awsome. Two AK-47 armed soldiers accompanied us up and down the pyramid temple. We were the only people there, which was a surprise... it being Khmer New Year. We tipped the guards and they took us on a tour, trough mined areas, to other minor temple sites. But, nothing was as spectacular as standing on top of the pyramid.
It was getting late, and Dara and I were at the back of the group. We missed a turn and ended up loosing 30 minutes... time that would be important later. So, most of the road back to Siem Reap was smooth, but maybe 40km from the main road, it started to get dark. I had to slow down, and then my entire body started to shut down. The adrenaline and energy were completely gone, and I almost collapsed off the bike a few time. All the tough technical riding I did was nothing compared to a simple road with potholes while it is dark and the rider is tired. So, Francios helped by setting a pace and resting with me every 10km. It was nice to stop, because we did so in front of houses that were decorated with candles leading up the stairs to a big star, all lit up like Christmas. It was very pretty.
I somehow gathered enough strength to get to Siem Reap. Everyone else had dinner, but I went straight to bed. I found a cheap $3/night place in the middle of a busy time of year... go figure.
.: Ben Hansen :: 4:27 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 6 - Recovery
I've never slept so deeply before. A bomb couldn't have woken me up. I slept till noon, and then went to the FCC-Foriegn Correspondants Club. Don't let the name fool you, it's open to anyone with money. They had a pool, and a river view, so it sounded like a good place to relax all day.
Except for the mango trees. We picked the day that all the mangos decided to fall. Several fell into the pool. The chair I was laying on had an umbrella. Good thing, because several hit the umbrella. But, on the bright side... free food.
At dinner, the rest of the group decided to continue the trip onto the Cardamom Mountains. I would have loved to go, but it was more technical and three times as difficult. So, there was no was I could continue in my condition. Just as well, since I hadn't seen Angkor Wat and the other temples yet.
.: Ben Hansen :: 3:44 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 7 - Angkor Wat
I got up early, feeling more rested. I managed to make it to Angkor Wat with 5 minutes to spare before sunrise. About 200 other people had the same idea, but there was plenty of room to get the sunrise shots.
Having the dirtbike was a blessing. It was extremely hot all day. Walking around was easy, as long as you could find shade. But the best part was, I could just hop on the bike anytime and ride around to cool off. Plus, I saw all the major temples before noon. So, I ended up going around the circuit again and catching the smaller sites. There is a mini-mountain that most people go to for sunsets. I went around 3pm, and ended up sleeping in one of the little rubble areas that no one goes to. I listened to the sparrows swoosh by. I've seen them before, but never heard them. The make quite a loud sound, cutting through the air.
After sunset, and about 200 pictures later, I went back into town. It was the last day of New Year, but everything was pretty quiet. I went to a bar called the Dead Fish Bar. Their claim to fame is that they have a crocodile pit beneath the bar. You can feed them while sitting on your stool. They were little crocs, and a bit lazy, but still a novel idea. Slept sound again.
.: Ben Hansen :: 3:38 AM [+] 0 comments
Day 8 - Back Home
I went to go see the crocodiles again at the Dead Fish Bar. Most bars are closed, but this one is enough of a tourist attraction to stay open longer.
It was a long, lonely, boring 6 hour ride back to Phnom Penn. The trip ended on a calmer note, but that was fine by me, as I had plenty to reflect upon. Plus, I ended up sleeping for almost two days straight. I had to pay $20 extra for the damage done to the bike, but the damage done to me... free!
.: Ben Hansen :: 3:19 AM [+] 0 comments
I am going on a dirt bike tour with a bunch of teachers and expats out into the provinces for Khmer New Year. Expect lots of photos and crazy stories when I get back.
Well, I went to a meeting(actually, we went to a bar that had a map of cambodia) where the trip was organized. Here is the roster:
My teacher friends
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Simon-British
Sean-British
Chris-Britsh
Mike-KhmerAmerican
We are all pretty much the amatures of the dirt bike gang. I'm sure we will be at the back of the pack playing catch up.
Others
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Sean-Aussie - NGO
Francois-French - Motorbike shop owner(where I got rented my bike)
Dara-Khmer - Mechanic
Vitou-Khmer - Guide
Adrian-British - No job
John-American - ex HALO Trust worker http://www.halotrust.org
Tim-British - Organizer of the trip, NGO
---------------
So, the second group has all brought body armour, knee and elbow pads, and who knows what else... this is their hobby, and they are well equiped. John will be a blessing, because the area we are going is heavily mined. We may even get to go watch some of the deminers work. I promise I won't throw any rocks at any metal I see...
I'm going to my fourth wedding! I leave Friday night to attend a wedding with the other teachers. The other group will meet us on Sunday.
We are going to Preah Vihear province, in north central Cambodia. It also has a temple that the Thais and Khmers have been fighting over ownership. The temple lies right on the border, but technically it is in Cambodia.
Then to Kulen, which was temporarily the Capital of the Khmer Empire. Now, it is nothing but a squat little village. The main religious grounds are located at Koh Ker. This temple was demined in the last 2 years, and gets very few visitors. It is within 100 km of Angkor wat, but is not accessible from the west. Instead, you must go 300km out of your way, on very bad roads(but good in the minds of dirtbike riders).
After, our group will probably split. I hope to goto Ratanakiri, but there are lots of other places, daytrips, or temples to visit. High on the list are: the gold and diamond mines, Yet Laou Lake(supposed to be beautiful), and Pol Pot's burial spot.
Have fun, cuz it won't be as much as I'm having...
.: Ben Hansen :: 9:52 PM [+] 0 comments
My good friend Tin invited me to his pagoda where they were having a grand opening of sorts to commemorate their new building. The site has been a monastery for a long time, but they finally got some foreign money to finance a large Wat. The No. ! backer was American, so I was particularly popular... except for the family I met whose house was destroyed by american bombs. We were only 60 km from Phnom Penn, and at least 150 from the Vietnam border... so it goes to show how far into Cambodia the bombing campaign went.
The ceremony consisted of lots of fireworks and firecrackers. Many small denomination donations were given, and it was a gathering for lots of families to come back to their homelands. The ceremony coincided with the weekend before Khmer New Year, which is generally a time to reflect on people who have pasted away.
I went out into the fields, where they bury their dead in the Chinese fashion. A huge mound of dirt, with one side pointing in a certain direction. We sacrificed a pig, and made offerings of beer and coke(hey, its all these people have). Some beer mysteriously went missing, and I could hear the parents yelling at the children. I've been to this place 3 times now. It is so peaceful and beautiful. There is a very shallow lake, with people walking out to the middle to fish for clams. The rice fields are green where there is water, and the water lotus flowers add a nice purple color to all the brown dead grass. The palm trees are a powerful tree, and the dead leaves hang down from the top of the tree, but don't fall off. They rustle in the wind and it is sometimes the only sound to be heard.
It's not so easy to get to this place, especially by small moped. My back has paid the price, and I need to be in shape for next weeks bike trip to Ratanakiri, the last jungle area in Cambodia. I'll give you an update before I leave on the big trip...
.: Ben Hansen :: 6:54 PM [+] 0 comments
:: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :..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
