Today we packed up to leave Siem Reap. We got a notice from the hotel that they were fumigating for insects during the morning. We packed what we could and then rode a tuk tuk around town for an hour.
When Rob picked up our laundry several days ago, he did not get our laundry bags so we stopped by to see if they still had them. Rob was skeptical. They did not speak English but I looked around and, sure enough, the bags were waiting for me. Always ask!!
Next our driver took us to a handicap village where those who are victims of landmines or were affected by polio or have been born with a handicap are able to work as craftsmen. We saw paintings, wood and stone carvings, seamtresses, weavers, etc. They had a little shop to showcase their talents.
One of the straps on my laundry bag was broken. I asked if one of the seamstresses could fix it. I was delighted, and so was she with a little extra money.
We were taken back to our hotel where a car was waiting to take us to Battambang. This was a long trip over really bumpy roads which are the norm in Cambodia despite much construction. They all laugh and call it a Cambodian Road Massage.
Our driver was different in that he blew the horn every time he passed a car or motorbike or bicycle…and there were a lot of them as he drove really fast. Needless to say, it was not a restful ride!! Here is a video for you to experience ten seconds of our three hour ride which might be called an ordeal.
However, we arrived at Battambang to a charming guest house called Sangker Villa operated by a Swiss couple. They spoke mainly French and most of the guests were French. (Where does Rob find these places?) There are quite a few French travelers since Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos previously known as Indochina were a French colony.
Our receptionist’s name was YaYa. That is what our triplet daughters called their older sister!!! Wow! A connection halfway around the world.
The pool was quite lovely and we swam a lot. We heard an unusual noise like a child’s sqeaky toy. We weren’t sure if it was a bird or not. Rob was able to find on the Internet that it was a gecko. Watch this video to hear the sound:
We have started taking our malaria pills and just in time. There must have been 25 mosquitos on this window…and I am a real mosquito magnet.
We didn’t see any mosquitos on the window the next morning. We learned the geckos like to camp out near the light to catch insects. There were two small geckos perched up there last night. I imagine that they are bigger today!
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