BootsnAll Travel Network



Boats and Buses – Siem Reap to Saigon

too much bus

bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, the driver weaving this way and that – back and forth across the strip of bitumen – for hours – to avoid so many people on every conceivable form of transport, and wandering buffalo and darting chickens.  everyone’s horn blaring – for hours.  endless rice fields like a monstrous lake – a watery world.  two rice harvests missed this year so far – the fields too flooded to sow.  ‘climate change’ – said one tour guide.  Phnom Penh was not at first on my list – but thanks to suggestions – it was added, and after the wobbly bus ride was over – i was glad i went.  enjoyed a wonderful new guesthouse – and met some great people there.  viewed the Genocide Museum and Killing Fields – for those who died there.  wandered the streets and markets and found i did not know which way to look – so many people, so much going on!  took a moto through the crazy traffic and loved it.  and lost half the dinner off my plate – thanks to a very hungry, cheeky monkey !  i had a good laugh.  in the end i felt i should have stayed longer.  then bus/boat/bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon.  down that big, brown river.  stopped along the shore to cross the border into Vietnam.  on again, downstream to Chau Doc, where we stopped for the night.  next morning, toured a fish farm on the river.  again – met a great group of travelers on this tour.  then on to Saigon.

first impression - Saigon

the Mekong Delta is packed with people.  its hard to believe what you see.  but Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is really too much, and too many – it defies all logic.  no doubt there are many places in the world that do.  i look forward to moving on – to travel up the coast – there is so much more to this country and so many beautiful places in Vietnam, yet to see.

saigon - typical sidestreet in the ‘tourist district’



Tags:

Leave a Reply