“End of the Dancing Roads…
Slowly but surely my travels are coming to an end. I think am a bit depressed. Its natural right. Even though I will still be hanging around in Hyderabad with my family it won’t be the same. I will be in the realworld soon. One of the things I realized in the past few days was the fact that I do not really like to aimlessly wander around sometimes. I loved traveling around the country but felt that I really did not connect. I wanted to so much but never had enough time. The only time I felt like staying put some where was Phnom Penh, but I chickened out of spending more time there. I really was scared that I would not be able to leave, when push came to shove.
After a very interesting time traveling to Kratie and Ratanagiri, I have finally landed myself in the Cambodian beach town of Sihanoukville. The travel tales of Cambodian roads is prehistoric. I really don’t understand how people can last on those roads. I call them the “Dancing Roads. Potholes are an understatement of the century to describe some of them. The others built with the help of the Japanese, French, Australian and even US help are pretty good. BUT once you reach to some of the outposts you will wish for massage parlors every few minutes.
Okay, this is the only place where a Toyota Camry replaces a SUV. Didn’t know Camry’s could be used in place of a 4×4…trust me they can..they do here. Kratie was disappointing…I saw only the pale shadows of the Dolphins. They didn’t come out and play with us sob! sob!. The scenery around the town was gorgeous and the Mekong (or rather one of its tributaries) was just as I had envisioned.
Traveling on my first and ever speed boat ride I ended up in Strung Treng, hungry and deaf. Seriously these speed boats are a very very bad idea! but I didn’t have a choice. Once again I encountered the breed of taxi drivers who can test the patience of a messiah. I def!! am not one, but this time I did not loose it. I compromised and paid whatever extra he wanted (we had already paid our GH in Kratie…Mr Pasai was the name of the owner..right opp the Star GH…Beware!)
Brigitta and Moi on the speed boat 
Brigitta revealed…far away from the dusty roads of Cambodia…in the Swiss Alps.
A long dancing road (you skake so much that you have the same symptoms like after a night of dancing salsa) ended in a ghostly guesthouse. Bridgitta and I could be bothered to check around other places. Did I tell you this gal has been on the road for 11 months on a bicycle! Wow I was impressed and did I share the fact that she is just 21. Courage.
The area around Ratanagiri is very picturesque but the town has nothing to write home about. Except of course some genuine smiles. We walked around the town, arranged a picnic lunch at the Crater Lake and just walked around talking to villagers and kids on our way. We sat down and entertained a bunch of kids in a local coffee shop. They just giggled for about 2 hours. We wanted to do some comedy routine for them but just our being there and trying to chat with them was the best standup routine that I have ever done. I’m impressed with my skills.
On volcanic rock 
This is where I wished that I had spent more time in Cambodia doing something other than just pack and unpack my backpack. Wished I had stood still for a moment. I pushed away the urge to stay in Phnom Penh, I was lucky enough to stop a bus to the coast as soon I landed in PP (yeah! I flew..a small 52 seater Russian aircraft from Ratanagiri). I deserve a purple heart. I saved a soul next to me from near death. Wow now I know how somebody looks and feels when they are scared of flying. What was he doing on the plane first and foremost? Anyway, we talked non stop for 50 mins till the plane landed. Boy! was I thirsty. I knew I could talk but this was a marathon of subjects from our life saga’s to Arundathi Roy, NGO’s in Cambodia and the fear of going home!
At Ratanakiri Airport 
Well my time in Cambodia is coming to an end. I will soon be in Thailand and before I know it I will be living it up like a princess.
Monks on their morning walk for alms in Ratnakiri 
Tags: Cambodia
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