Although we leave from Vietnam early in the morning, the distance to the border is still long. Worries preoccupy my mind as we make our way – will they let our motorcycle cross the border without any problems? We know about thriving corruption in Vietnam, so we do not really want to spend more money.
We arrive to the border at midday when sun is in its hottest. We park our motorcycle and rush to the office, however, we are forced to stop when we hear one of border officers asking us if we bought the motorcycle in Vietnam. Upon hearing our yes, he smiles charmingly at us and points with his hand to go to the passport control point. We are not yet sure if that smile was a sign of goodwill. Couple of minutes pass for passport checking, stamping and we finally move towards the border buildings of Cambodia. The same smiling officer gives us a long look.
At this point we take much more time. The officer doesn't rush with visa stamping and starts a conversation, asking us where Lithuania is. Following a conversation about the similarities and differences of Lithuania and Cambodia for some ten minutes, we pay for our visas. However, before handing our visas back, the officer asks to pay an administration fee of a couple of dollars. We, of course, have heard about this particular fee. Although the fee is illegal we don't get into arguing because we know we would lose any argument. It looks like it's over but then the cheerful officer sends us to another check point to get more stamps, after which we are sent to a third point. Here we get our body temperature taken and get another unnecessary certificate, for which of course we pay another administration fee! Nevertheless we are happy that we could pass the border with our motorbike without any problems and finally we are riding on the red ground of Cambodia.
We take a seaside road towards the town of Kampot in the south of the country. We did not really expected to see any major differences between Cambodia and Vietnam before we entered this country, but soon we realize how wrong we were. The world outside the border is completely different; it feels like we are walking in a painting! The colors are so bright that it makes it hard to believe that what we see is actually real and very much tangible! The ground is red, the rice fields are bright green, while the sky is amazingly blue.
We pull over for a break. We find ourselves in complete silence as the engine of the motorbike stops. Quietness… which in a few minutes is broken by a group of cheerful school children on their bikes. They all greet us, wave and smile at us :)
We arrive to the border at midday when sun is in its hottest. We park our motorcycle and rush to the office, however, we are forced to stop when we hear one of border officers asking us if we bought the motorcycle in Vietnam. Upon hearing our yes, he smiles charmingly at us and points with his hand to go to the passport control point. We are not yet sure if that smile was a sign of goodwill. Couple of minutes pass for passport checking, stamping and we finally move towards the border buildings of Cambodia. The same smiling officer gives us a long look.
At this point we take much more time. The officer doesn't rush with visa stamping and starts a conversation, asking us where Lithuania is. Following a conversation about the similarities and differences of Lithuania and Cambodia for some ten minutes, we pay for our visas. However, before handing our visas back, the officer asks to pay an administration fee of a couple of dollars. We, of course, have heard about this particular fee. Although the fee is illegal we don't get into arguing because we know we would lose any argument. It looks like it's over but then the cheerful officer sends us to another check point to get more stamps, after which we are sent to a third point. Here we get our body temperature taken and get another unnecessary certificate, for which of course we pay another administration fee! Nevertheless we are happy that we could pass the border with our motorbike without any problems and finally we are riding on the red ground of Cambodia.
We take a seaside road towards the town of Kampot in the south of the country. We did not really expected to see any major differences between Cambodia and Vietnam before we entered this country, but soon we realize how wrong we were. The world outside the border is completely different; it feels like we are walking in a painting! The colors are so bright that it makes it hard to believe that what we see is actually real and very much tangible! The ground is red, the rice fields are bright green, while the sky is amazingly blue.
We pull over for a break. We find ourselves in complete silence as the engine of the motorbike stops. Quietness… which in a few minutes is broken by a group of cheerful school children on their bikes. They all greet us, wave and smile at us :)
We eat up the mangoes brought from Vietnam and get going, enjoying nature and the sea on our way...
It's just impossible not to notice poverty as we approach the town. The houses remind of shelters, people look dirty, wearing well-worn clothes. Skinny cows and dogs. The town welcomes us with flooded streets. We ride on the river, guessing what size the next pit is going to be.
Then unsuccessfully check several hotels popular among travelers, but we find them all to be fully booked. As we are making another loop around the town we notice a sign on a big and rather luxurious-looking hotel with very affordable prices. Success! The rooms are spacious and clean. Security guards keep an eye on our motorcycle. Couldn’t ask for more!
After a good rest we begin our exploration by moving to the top of Bokor Mountain. This mountain is called the ghost city not without a reason. The very top of it is home for old rusty buildings, an old church and graveyard. From time to time everything is covered by passing heavy clouds. This was the filming site for the final scene of the movie The Ghost City (2002), also some scenes from R-Point (2004). On our way back we decide to stop by a river to watch the changing sky and the sunset…
It's just impossible not to notice poverty as we approach the town. The houses remind of shelters, people look dirty, wearing well-worn clothes. Skinny cows and dogs. The town welcomes us with flooded streets. We ride on the river, guessing what size the next pit is going to be.
Then unsuccessfully check several hotels popular among travelers, but we find them all to be fully booked. As we are making another loop around the town we notice a sign on a big and rather luxurious-looking hotel with very affordable prices. Success! The rooms are spacious and clean. Security guards keep an eye on our motorcycle. Couldn’t ask for more!
After a good rest we begin our exploration by moving to the top of Bokor Mountain. This mountain is called the ghost city not without a reason. The very top of it is home for old rusty buildings, an old church and graveyard. From time to time everything is covered by passing heavy clouds. This was the filming site for the final scene of the movie The Ghost City (2002), also some scenes from R-Point (2004). On our way back we decide to stop by a river to watch the changing sky and the sunset…
By chance we come across a little restaurant which we do not forget for a long time. We order one of the meals that make Cambodia famous worldwide, Amok-seafood curry, and we don’t regret. The taste of it is too hard to describe! We return here again and again. Although we order the same meal in other restaurants as we going around the country, we remain a little disappointed, the taste is not the same…
Following our plan, which is arranged day after day, we next go to the capital city, Phnom Penh. We notice a huge black cloud hanging above the city as we approach it. We start wondering if that is a cloud of rain or smog? When we finally reach the city, we find it hard to believe that it is actually all smog and dust! Suburban streets are unpaved, while the traffic is extremely intensive. We fly the dusty gravel roads, as if racing with passing trucks and other motorcycles. The fruit, clothes and other goods sold in the road markets are covered in a thick layer of dust. We make a stop for a moment once we reach the city center, thinking if should move on because we have no desire to stay here. While my thoughts are fighting, failing to find an answer, Darius decides to move on and I have absolutely no objections to this plan.
Following our plan, which is arranged day after day, we next go to the capital city, Phnom Penh. We notice a huge black cloud hanging above the city as we approach it. We start wondering if that is a cloud of rain or smog? When we finally reach the city, we find it hard to believe that it is actually all smog and dust! Suburban streets are unpaved, while the traffic is extremely intensive. We fly the dusty gravel roads, as if racing with passing trucks and other motorcycles. The fruit, clothes and other goods sold in the road markets are covered in a thick layer of dust. We make a stop for a moment once we reach the city center, thinking if should move on because we have no desire to stay here. While my thoughts are fighting, failing to find an answer, Darius decides to move on and I have absolutely no objections to this plan.
We reach another city after the sunset, feeling very tired. We stay over here for several days to go around to see the area, local market, have a conversation with other travelers and local people. The same in the next town… And in yet another one. We observe people living their lives, trying to perceive the culture, try different local meals and of course looking for an answer to the big question: what is the secret to this happiness of locals? What, how and why makes them smile so much?
We arrive to a town called Siem Reap which is famous for the lost city/temple of Angkor Wat. The temple ruins spread over an incredibly vast area. Magnificent is the word that you have in your mind, looking at the buildings erected by the Khmer Empire.
We arrive to a town called Siem Reap which is famous for the lost city/temple of Angkor Wat. The temple ruins spread over an incredibly vast area. Magnificent is the word that you have in your mind, looking at the buildings erected by the Khmer Empire.
We fall in love with this town and its residents. We develop an every morning's ritual to go for coffee in the local market. We go around checking the suburban areas. In a guide book we find an address of a children's hospital along with an invitation to donate blood, so we don't miss chance to contribute to the well-being of these wonderful people. As a thank you gift we get t-shirts and a bunch of smiles. We are over the moon:)
As our wanderings in Cambodia reach an end, we finally find an answer to the big question on happiness. As trite as it may sound, happiness actually is not in riches but in people's hearts. We got proven of it after a trip around one of the poorest countries in the whole world.
As our wanderings in Cambodia reach an end, we finally find an answer to the big question on happiness. As trite as it may sound, happiness actually is not in riches but in people's hearts. We got proven of it after a trip around one of the poorest countries in the whole world.