KAMPOT & SAMLOEM, Cambodia

'Kampot'

Going south from Battambang through Phnom Penh to Kampot with the bus and Taxi was a little tricky because of the time of the day. However, we managed to arrive in Kampot at around 10pm and found a central located place. Unfortunately I lost, or better to say, I forgot my best heat in the taxi which I was trying to get back by calling the bus agency to get me the number from the person which could manage to get hold on the taxi driver, but without any luck.

Arrived in Kampot and looked around the city at an early morning walk I figured that that city is nothing much interesting for me. But as there are interesting places outside of town we stick around and went off to different places. We again rented some bikes and also meet Pauline from Bagan. The girl with the forgotten passport. We went to see the Ghost Casino on top of the hills with an amazing view overlooking the sea, the salt fields, the city of Kampot and more of the coast. We went to see the cave temple where we were climbing through this super dark cave for about 30 min to reach the other end of it but it was worth while doing it. Alone the fact of seeing roots coming down from somewhere and reaching some dirt where they can life from was incredible. Further we have taken some dirt roads to the lake which was man made for regulation of the flooding. And accidently we found a sign for the Pepper plantage where we wanted to go. Not particularly to this but it turned out that we were very lucky with that place because the guy could tell us a lot of his place and his work.  Starling farm Pepper is his place called. If you see some of it, get it. It’s worthwhile it and you support some good men. Not Cambodian but hard working and he have lots of employers.

We went for Christmas dinner, Stefan, Pauline, kajsdfl and me before Stefan and I went further to Sihanoukville to catch the Ferry to Koh Rong Samloem. Just arrived at the bus station Miriam and Rene came round to book the Ferry to somewhere as well. What a coincidence. As this worked out so well with very little contact and ending up at the same tourist station they booked the same ferry and came with us to the Island. As ‘Koh Rong’ is a very well-known Party island, we decided to go to ‘Koh Rong Samloem’.

‘Koh Rong Samloem’

As we arrived we didn’t really like it in the little town we ended up.  It was too expensive as well and there was no proper beach and everything which was beach was dirty. We spend one night there because it was evening when we arrived and the next day we went for a walk to the other side of the bay where a little privet resort where located. As we were so lucky, they had one more 4bed Bungalow for us left and after one night we managed to extend our stay until after New Year’s Eve. We had a few plans to do but not all of them became reality. But to be honest for a lonely Island we did lots of things. We had an hour breakfast, we had everyday buffet of delicious food and we had great dinner and after that form time to time we enjoyed some of their self-mixed cocktails. We went to bed early most of the times and up early most of the times. And what we really did was reading and hanging in the Hammock most mornings after breakfast, playing beach volleyball, repairing the beach volleyball net to a professional one, slack lining on the beach and over the water, we had a einsiedler kebs race, some snorkelling, build a fireplace for the New Year and much much more.

Last day with an hangover on the boat where my bag broke and in the water fell, I after the bag jumped with my jeans, leather shoes and my jumper on, to late realized that I had my phone in my pocket, the speed boat not the best noises made because of the massif waves the wind and his speed, the drinks from the day before in my stomach and the decision of staying one more night in Sihanoukville or quickly splitting up because the bus would have left in 5 min to Phnom Penh for Stefan and me, was not as enjoyable as the other few last days with my friends which whom I have spent my last days of the year of 2014 and eventually some of my last days of my travel for the next time.

Thank you.