Email to Friends: Battambang‏

I decided to take the boat to Battambang, since I have spent a lot of time on buses and the river is high enough to make it in about 7 hours. It left from a floating village outside of Siem Reap called Chong Kneas. It was really a fun trip, even though I was exhausted. Went through lots of floating villages. Mainly tourists on the boat, but we occasionally stop in a little village to pick up or drop villagers off, with padded seats for about 20 people (plus, we are also allowed to sit on the boat roof). Lots of colors and children all stop to wave hello as the once a day boat passes by. They have everything you would expect in a village: Temple, gas station, mechanic, corner store... except it is all floating on water. Want to visit the neighbor? Row on over! Even saw pets (cats, a monkey chained to a tree, and a guard dog paddling around chasing another dog). There are little waterways cut through thick brush. The boat operators quickly roll down canvas over the boat to keep the branches from thwacking us too hard, and it is kind of like a thumping massage. Some guy thought I was Cambodian and took pictures of me, but all in all, an enjoyable ride.

Once we hit Battambang, I found a hotel in the city center, right across from the local market where I could get my $1.25 noodle soup for breakfast. They claimed to have wi-fi, but it was slow an unreliable. So the next morning, a moto driver said he would take me to look for a better place. I told him what I wanted, and he took me to a perfect spot right across the river. Quieter, much cleaner, newer and nicer rooms, a quick walk over the bridge, and they matched the price of my old hotel (since it is low season and they have lots of empty rooms). Made plans for the moto driver to take me outside the town center the next morning and dropped off my stuff. Looked like it was going to rain so spent the day goofing off around town. Walked up and down the river and through all the streets. Went to a museum with old artifacts (big contrast to the high security of the Smithsonian, as these artifacts are guarded with the same glass and lock that they use to store their potato chips and snacks at the local bars). Visited a few temples and chatted with folks. One had a tiny, little kitten that curled up in my hand an seemed content to stay there, so just walked around the monastery with him for a while, much to the monks amusement. Saw a funeral down a side street (funerals can last several days, depending on how far the relatives have to travel).

The next day, my moto driver came to pick me up at 9am and we headed for the bamboo train. It is really just for tourists now, but it was actually a lot of fun (and will be gone in a few years when they build a real train from Phnom Penh). It only one set of tracks (which are run down and not very straight) and you have to get off when a train comes in the other direction so they dismantle the train and take it off the tracks so the other train can pass and then reassemble it. But it goes through beautiful, lush, green rice fields and the driver let me drive the train for a little while (much to the other passengers dismay).

After the train ride, we went to visit a narrow, rickety village suspension bridge that looked out over the river. It bounced as motorbikes passed and I squished up against the sides to let them pass (until a moto carrying a bunch of cargo came and I ran to the other side, as it was clear we both would not fit and I didn't want to create a traffic jam) My driver laughed an called it the Batttambang Golden Gate Bridge. Then we headed to a temple with 354 steps up to the top. There were five crumbling temples built before Angor Wat. I liked the feel of the unrestored temples, but didn't explore too much, as my driver warned me that the area around it may still have landmines. Then a basic roadside lunch of tomatoes, chicken, and rice and a coconut water to quench my thirst after all those stairs.

As we through little villages towards another temple that I had to climb up a small mountain to get to, my driver stopped to get me a freshly picked dragonfruit from a roadside fruit stand run by a lovely, old Khmer woman. She and my driver said somme words and he laughed. he explained to me that she said I talked like a foreigner but was dark like a Cambodian. She let me try all the delicious fruit and we went on our way. Made it down the muddy pot-hole filled dirt road to the next temple and started the climb. Halfway up was another temple over run by monkeys. Stopped and had a coke (which I inadvertently shared with a monkey who decided it was his turn and took it right out of my hand). So continued up to the top. Beautiful view off the area and a monk invited me to sit down. We had a nice long talk and it was very peaceful. He told me of being orphaned and becoming a monk. He now runs a school for village children and orphans because "it makes his heart feel good and when you die you can't take things with you, but the good and the bad you have done can live on."

My driver took me to meet his family. He has a wonderful year and a half year old boy that he found sick and abandoned by the side of the road. He took him to the hospital and stayed with him for 18 days. When they were going to send him to an orphanage, he took him in instead. He and his wife married six months later. He and his whole family are full of kindness and love and I feel really lucky that out of the hordes of tuktuk and moto drivers here, I found him. He also took me to the bus terminal to get me a ticket for my continuing journey to Pursat (my hotel said it would be $10, the same to Phnom Penh, which I knew was not true as it is only a third of the way... when I protested, they said "well no one has ever asked to go there!"). He got me on a local bus for $3.75.

This morning, I woke up to chanting monks, grabbed breakfast at a place (have to just point at something someone else is having that looks good, since there is no English menu and only locals that don't speak English), and watched the fishermen along the river wall. Now, packing the backpack and off to the bus station.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: Susdaai from Siem Reap!‏

I really like Cambodia! The people are friendly and nice and there is lots of exploring to be had. My parents hooked me up with an amazing hotel in Siem Reap and it has been sooo nice to have a comfortable bed, a pool to relax in and cool off from the heat, and super hot showers and baths. It is amazing how the red SE Asia dirt sticks to you. It took a bit to adjust from the small village in Lao with a population of probably less than number of employees at this hotel and riding in a bus with a chicken in a burlap sack at my feet to luxury accommodations with business travelers (including a group from Microsoft). But it provided a much needed break from living out of my backpack for the last month! And while I didn't get my clothes professionally laundered, the hot water got them much cleaner than they were, and I got to do bathtub laundry instead of sink laundry... Movin' on up!!!

The first day, I purchased a three day pass for the temples. Tried to visit Angkor Wat at around 9:30am and it was horrible. Tour bus after tour bus of mainly Japanese and Chinese tourists. You could barely even take pictures as they shove you out of the way and get in every shot you are trying to take. So I left and found a much quieter temple with a climb up and nice view and called it a day.

The next day, I got up a little before 5am and found a tuktuk driver to take me to Angkor Thom. Most groups go to Angkor Wat at sunrise, so being the only person climbing around these temples was breathtaking. It is where several shots in Tomb Raider were apparently filmed. Lots of separate structures within the walls, my favorites being one with huge faces made of crumbling rock, another with long mazes of dark hallways and high walls with murals. Spent hours running around alone before the first tour groups showed up.

Decided to walk and just stop whenever I found a temple. Each was a little different, made in different times and by different rulers. After walking several kilometers, some Australian guys that had hired a tuktuk insisted I hitch a ride with them, so went to a place called Ta Prohm. Oh, and that Google maps camera car happened to be over here right now so I may show up walking on multiple dirt roads in Siem Reap. These temples were also neat, as they are being engulfed by huge trees. They are also doing restoration work on some, which was interesting to watch. Took a lunch break for some traditional Khmer coconut curry soup with fish, vegetables, pineapple and a side of rice. It was a delicious roadside lunch! Walked further on the loop of temples and finally felt templed-out for the day, so hired a guy with a motorcycle to take me back to my hotel.

Later that night, I set off for town to hit the night market and food stalls, but got side-tracked as usual. My tuktuk driver from the morning was hanging out with a bunch of other drivers in a parking lot on the way to town, enjoying some Angkor beer and chicken skewers with papaya salad. They invited me to join them and treated me to dinner and a few beers. Afterward, they were heading to a disco club and invited me along. I played it safe and let people I had met in the hotel know who I was going with first and they gladly have their tuktuk number. It was definitely an experience. Only locals (mainly men and a random kid brought with his mom and dad) are there. It is dark with lots of fog machines, music, and light shows. Oh, and a line of women "paid for their company" all stand up and greet you when you enter. But everyone was really nice (even the women that were chosen as company), the beer was cheap (I ordered a draught beer and they bring a whole, big dispenser for the table for $6), and everyone took good care of me and made sure I felt safe and was okay.

The next morning, I slept in until 8, a luxury for me. Had breakfast at the delicious hotel buffet (they have cheese... and real cheese is almost impossible to get in SE Asia due to refrigeration issues). Decided to run errands and wander around, so walked to town and explored, booked my boat ticket, and found and signed up for the cooking class someone had recommended. Around lunchtime, I decided to try Angkor Wat again. The tuktuk drivers gave me a tip to go during lunch, as many tour groups head back during lunch. Found a motorcycle driver who said he could drive me, wait for as long as I wanted to stay, and drive me back to my hotel for $5. I had a much better time... a fraction of the people and got to explore for hours. Really impressive piece of architecture and very different from the previous temples visited. Took an afternoon swim to cool off during the afternoon rain and tried to go to see a local boxing match at the arena, but they are apparently only on Monday and Wednesdays.

Today, I took another cooking class to compare the spices and flavors used to Laos. We each got to choose one appetizer and one main dish, with a shared dessert. I chose spicy shrimp salad and my favorite traditional dish of samlor kteas (the spelling varies since their alphabet, like every country I have visited, is different) which is a spicy coconut milk/vegetables/pineapple and meat or fish soup I have been eating every day. Went to market to pick our ingredients and had lots of fun. Soaked in the last of the sun at my nice pool (trying to get rid of my flip flop and sarong tan lines from staying covered around locals everywhere else). Meeting my parents' sweet friend who I met the first day who is a student and driver for dinner and drinks after wandering the night market and them promise the hotel bartender and staff I would come have one last beer to say goodbye before catching my 6:30am ride to the 7:30am boat to Battambang.

Cambodia is wonderful, but also has a very sad side. People in Laos worked hard but were very poor, but Cambodia seems even worse (especially in the low season). As always when traveling, I am trying to spread my money around as best I can and not haggling too much, since they can use the few extra dollars way more than I can. There are also many orphans here and people with missing limbs and deformities from land mines that are trying to make an honest living. The men injured by landmines playing beautiful music outside the temples for money make me cry. I better harden up before going to see the Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh.

Hope you are well. I will find a guesthouse with wifi in Battambang, so I can be reached if needed.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: A Little Slice of Lao Paradise

I have been pretty lukewarm on Laos. But I found a little spot of perfection for my last four days. As I left the guesthouse in Luang Prabang, I met a Dutch guy who was heading south who said he had just come from Nong Khiaw. He had forgotten to leave his room key, so I said I would return it. Took a roller coaster minibus ride, speeding up the mountain roads, past small towns along the river. Arrived in Nong Khiaw, a sleepy little town with not much character. Looked for the hotel to return the keys, and nobody seemed to have heard of it. Walked through town and over the bridge into the next town, Ban Saphpoun, but still no one had heard of it. Noticed they had an ATM machine, and the guy had said I needed to bring in all the cash I needed, since they didn't have any ATMs. Finally, a man at a restaurant said it might actually be in Muang Ngoi, which was only accessible by boat and was about an hour upriver. Since I had said I would return the key, I figured what the heck... might as well jump on a boat and check it out. Heard the last boat leaves at 2pm and of course it is 1:50, so I hot-foot it back over the bridge to the boat jetty... luckily it leaves at 2pm Lao time (which is more like 3pm).

Head up the Nam Ou river through beautiful cloud covered limestone mountains. The weather moves fast, bringing sunshine and then downpour. Arrive in the little village, and instantly liked it. Ask around and am pointed down the main road (there is only one road with a temple at one end and the end of the road within sight). Of course the place is at the far end, and it starts to pour as I carry my backpack through the muddy street. Since there is no road access to this village, there are no tuktuks (the only time I would have really liked one) and I only see one motorbike) but lots of chickens and ducks. An elderly man allows me to duck into his house as it really pours for a few minutes. I see a sign for the ever elusive Suan Phao Guesthouse and Bungalows on the road, but it doesn't look like much and is attached to the pharmacy. Stepping in, a neighbor goes to find the owner. A woman comes from across the way and thankfully, she speaks some English. I explain what happened and return the key and she is very appreciative. She asks I need a room, and I am a little apprehensive, based on the look of the house, but say I will take a look. She takes me a few meters around the side dirt path and it opens to a garden and five bungalows, right on the river. It is perfect. She gives it to me for 50,000 kip (about $7) a night. They recently got 24 hour electricity in the village (used to only run from 9am til 6pm) and it has an indoor shower and toilets (still have to fill with the water bucket to flush but beats going outside with the rest of the town and bathing on the side of the main road in one of the few town faucets). But there is a big bed with mosquito net, the roof doesn't leak, and there is a balcony with a hammock overlooking the garden, river, and mountains (and I LOVE hammocks... I would probably live in one if I could). I spend the rest of the afternoon and evening swaying on my hammock, watching small hummingbirds and butterflies feed on the garden flowers until night brings out the loud sound of cicadas, crickets, frogs, and fun jungle insects, and bats fly by occasionally, with flashes of lightening in distant mountains.

The next three days was mainly spent relaxing in the hammock, reading, watching the villagers and their pigs or other livestock walk around, drinking the Lao tea and coffee and ginger tea that the owner brought me or heading down the street to her sister Ning Ning's restaurant. There can't be more than 100 people in this town and a handful of tourists during rainy season, so if a restaurant isn't open, you just wait or wander down the street looking for the owner. The first night there are a couple other tourists in the bungalows and the second night are a few more that I helped bring when the afternoon boat comes in (you can hear it puttering up the river long before it gets here). The last two nights, it is just me and family members. Turns out the reason the pharmacy is here is because her husband is the village doctor and she used to be a nurse in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. They also have a wonderful 12 year old daughter who knows little English, but visits with me. We occasionally draw pictures to communicate (she is a pretty good artist) and she likes wearing my hoodie sweatshirt a friend gave me for my travels. In the evening, I find a nice little restaurant and bar with excellent Lao whiskey cocktails and a nice owner.

With several days here, I am in no rush to go trekking, so I wait until a sunny day. The red road occasionally goes through cold mountain streams and goes up and down the mist covered mountains, alongside green rice and corn fields. There are little dirt paths that seem hidden until people pop out or disappear down them that lead to small villages. Butterflies are everywhere, and land on me as I explore. Cows, chickens, and pigs run around. Shoeless village women carrying machetes walk beside me for a ways and then smile and disappear into fields. Stop in to a small village for a break and watch the kids play. I am given some type of bamboo drink by a friendly family that is shared amongst several other villagers that stop by. It was refreshing and a little peppery (hopefully the water used to make it was safe, but it would have been rude to turn down their hospitality... stomach of iron, don't let me down!) Hung out for a bit and then continued further on the road. After about 5 hours of the up and down road, the villagers try to get me to pass in this deep river (past their waists) as some strip down to cross it. But I decline, as I figured I would not be able to keep my bag and camera dry and the hill after it appears to be a steep, endless incline. Turn back and head back to town.

After a small incident with a local village guy showing up at my bungalow wanting a kiss (one of the issues with being one of the only tourists in a small place is that everyone knows where you are staying and that you are alone), now I am back at my guesthouse in Luang Prabang. Mrs. Joy surprised me this morning with a travel care package for today's boat and bus ride with homemade banana pancakes and it was nice to be greeted warmly by my guesthouse family in Luang Prabang. Last night in Laos! Off to watch the sunset over the Mekong, eat my last Lao food for a while, and spend the last of my Lao money. Flight to Siem Riep, Cambodia in the morning via Pakse, Laos. Good timing, as I was getting a little homesick, but I think a new country with new adventures will cure it. And after more than a month of doing sink laundry, it is probably also time to turn my clothes over to a professional laundry service while I have a pool day. I was doing well until the last four days, where nothing ever really has a chance to dry, and then got shoved back in the backpack!

Laos trip photos are online or you can view them as a slideshow.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: Luang Prabang‏

Luang Prabang is relaxing and easy, probably due to the number of tourists that flock to this UNESCO World Heritage town. It is set in a valley in the mountains with the Mekong and Nam Khan river running through it. My accomodation, Ho Xiang I Guesthouse turned out to be perfect! Spotlessly clean, located a half a block from the Mekong and a few blocks from sights and the night market, and the family speaks little English but is wonderful (especially the grandmother, who is apparently 88 years old and doesn't speak any English, but has a kind face and always smiles at me and looks after me). Okay, maybe I just had to kill a huge roach or water bug (which would also explain why geckos are 6-7 inches here instead of the normal cute little ones) right after I wrote that, but in this climate right next to the river, it probably can't be helped... and I am sure there is only one, yes?!? Whatever helps me sleep at night, right? Luckily, I didn't see another one.

The first day, I was just going to walk around and get my bearings, but Add, a super nice hotel guest who is from Thailand but does business in Laos and spends a lot of time here, offers to drive me around and show me some sights. He takes me to a waterfall that is heavily touristy (they have elephants to ride and zip lines and such), but still nice. We take a boat to reach it. He speaks and if I don't say anything, I get charged the local price. He treats me to a lovely lunch overlooking the falls and I go explore the area later while he waits below. He also takes me to the Royal Palace Museum, which is full of interesting history about Luang Prabang and then Phousi temple that is 355 steps up to beautiful 360 degree views of the town. We part ways and I wander the street looking for a spot for dinner. I found the guidebook-recommended Luang Prabang sausage and sticky rice and a pineapple shake for dinner at a place along the Mekong and it was really yummy. Chatted with an English teacher who is from Thakhek (but now lives in northern China and sometimes Florida) who was home for his nephew's funeral, who was a famous monk in that town. He was excited that I had just visited his home town.

As with other good service and guesthouses I have found while traveling, I recommend my guesthouse to others I meet to try to help their business. The English teacher, Joe, from last night switches guest houses this morning to mine. We make plans for lunch and I go off to explore the town by foot. Saw the market and more temples and looked at different cooking classes to decide which to sign up for. Met Joe for lunch and we had a lovely traditional Lao meal of minced fish with mint, spices, and peppers, and steamed watercress and garlic which we eat with our hands and sticky rice. After, I went for more walking around town and visit where the Mekong meets the Nam Khan River. Still haven't really gotten my bearings, as most streets don't have names and there are both little and big streets. It is super hot and I may have gotten a bit of heat exhaustion, so had to head back to the guesthouse to load up on water, eat the dragon fruit I picked up at the market, and cool off. Went to enjoy sunset along the Mekong and wander the night market for a small bite. There may have been a few BeerLao consumed later that evening, as Add heads back to Bangkok in the morning.

I was going to head by bus up north to Nong Khiaw and further up river by boat, but my body seems to be telling me it is tired, and I think I will try to recharge a bit more here. Wandered the little side streets and ate at the baguette stands on the street. To avoid yesterday's heat exhaustion, I return to the guesthouse at noon, and the family invites me to join them for lunch and fresh fruit by the grandma. Watched the neighborhood boys play "kick the water bottle" and hide and seek as one tries hiding behind my skirt, giving me the universal "shhhhh" sign (but I think my smiling gave him away to the other boys when they look at me). Another boy decides it is too hot for shorts today, so just runs around in his shirt and underpants (not unlike my neighbor across the street from me). Went to walk the bridge in the afternoon, but got side tracked, as usual, as some monks invited me in to watch their evening chanting. Back at the guesthouse, grandma motions for me to come sit next to her and she shares her roasted corn with me while we sit smiling at each other in silence.

Today, I woke up at sunrise to watch the monk procession. Much different from Myanmar, as this one is full of tourists and people are taking flash photos and not following any of the other requested rules that are posted everywhere and say makes them lose a bit of their culture and tradition every day. So enjoyed the beautiful morning light over the misty mountains surrounding the Mekong instead, as people shuttled in and out by boat to villages across the river. Then headed to my Lao cooking class at Tamarind Restaurant. First we went to the market. The morning hustle and bustle was mainly over, but I still had that guilt of being like that annoying tourist in Pike Place Market who get in the way of everything. Then we headed to the class kitchen, which was in a beautiful setting outside of town, beside a river and a pond. Learned to cook a spicy roasted eggplant dish to dip sticky rice into, lemongrass stuffed with chicken and then fried, and a buffalo dish with a bit if tripe and bile (sorry cute water buffalos, which I love so much). We finished the meal by making coconut milk and boiling it with sugar and purple rice with fresh mangosteens, pineapple, lychee, and dragon fruit. We each got a recipe book, so I hope to try more at home. Back at the guesthouse, it started to rain and the father asked for help with his computer and setting up Skype (which he tried while sitting right next to me). They invited me to join in the family dinner, but I was still too full from lunch. The rain let up so I went to watch the sunset from my favorite spot on the wall along the Mekong. Afterwards, I watched the men gamble and play a game similar to Bocce ball, but I declined the offer to play (mostly because none of them spoke English to explain the rules).

I am heading off north to Nong Khiaw tomorrow morning, so will likely lose Internet (and luxuries such as hot water, and maybe indoor showers and bathrooms... oh well, the better to help me appreciate my resort hotel my parents gifted me with in Siem Riep). May go trekking or may just explore the little town, depending on the weather and the cost (heard it was expensive). Then back to my favorite guesthouse family in Luang Prabang on the 20th for a night before my flight to Siem Riep on the 21st.

Hope all is well with everyone! And hope this email goes through, as Hotmail seems to be intermittent for me lately.

Love,
Betsy