A few drops fell as the bus approached this town. And pretty much from the moment I arrived not quite 24 hours ago, it has rained and rained. It's funny how just a couple of days ago I was cursing myself for loading up my suitcase with silly things like my waterproof shell and the baseball warm-up thing I wore on the plane so as not to be too cold. Not that it's cold, per se, but there is a 25 - 30 degree difference between here and when I started in Siem Reap a week ago and getting soaked when it's barely in the 70's isn't all that pleasant.
But back to that bus. I've been on a million buses all over the world, but I have to say that the first 2 hours and last 30 minutes of the 4 1/2 ride yesterday was the worst bus ride experience ever. Were it only for the ride itslef, it would be one thing, but factor in the meat locker-like temperature and the television playing karaoke in Khmer very loudly and you get a better idea. Yet again, the iPod and bulky noise-cancelling headphones saved the day. The ride the other day was paradise compared to yesterday. The bus was not the same caliber as the first one so everytime we ran over a cigarette butt, we felt it inside. Yes, I'm exaggerating, but not by much. I am so thankful that I opted not to have breakfast before boarding because it would've been messy. My road experiences in Cambodia are almost done, thankfully.
Kampot is nothing like Phnom Penh. I am so relieved. This is a funky place that time more or less forgot, it seems. There are dozens of examples of old colonial French houses that are in various states of neglect. It kind of reminds me of the malecon in Havana. So there is a certain charm amidst all the squalor. There is still way too much trash all over the damned place, but that's the only resemblance to PP. The town is experiencing something of a revival and in ten years, who knows? But seriously, the people here need take care of their beautiful country a bit more. The other day in PP, I was walking around minding my own business when suddenly three feet in front of me, a plastic bag with food scraps went wizzing by me and into the street. The woman who had tossed it didn't see me coming, but that's hardly the point. I don't care about political correctness- being a slob is being a slob in any country and in any language.
So back to the rain. Ironically, in the moments since I started writing, it seems to have basically stopped. I had intended to visit a couple of attractions nearby riding on the back of a moto with some guy who offered to take me around today, but the rain kind of scared me off. I don't care about me getting wet, but I do care about the camera and all. I think I'll proceed, but in a tuk-tuk instead as they offer some shelter. I'm going to Kep, a small town nearby where the seafood is supposed to be amazing and then off to a cave to see some spectacular scenery. More to report later, weather permitting. And I don't say this lightly. About four days ago, the town flooded. Hoping to stay relatively dry...
Oh yeahh...Larium update: Thrilled to report that after one bizarre dream which involved me petting a dog or cat only to discover that its claws were made of sharp blades, I slept the rest of the night totally weird-dream-free! And in all fairness, that particular episode may or may not have been anti-malarial drug inspired. Who knows? It might have been the spicy Indian food I ate for dinner served by a Welsh dude and washed down with a Laotian beer (trying to mix things up a bit.)
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