PHNOM PENH #3

Tuesday, 4 April

Today, we decided to go further to the South of Phnom Penh: Takeo, to check out Tonle Bati and Ta Prohm. Wan Nak told us if we were to go to Phnom Chisor, which was the initial plan, it would be too far away to go by tuk tuk and we had to hire a car instead. By hiring a car, we would need 2 cars as we could not fit 6 people in one car, even if the Cambodians can do it but, looking at our sizes, I doubt we could. Not willing to fork out extra money for transport, we settled for shorter distance trip – Tonle Bati and Ta Prohm, Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum for USD25.

Since Tonle Bati and Ta Prohm are 35 kms away from Phnom Penh, we thought it would be like from Selayang to Puchong, which would take us about 30 minutes drive. I forgot that we were riding a tuk tuk and not a car. Going at 30 kmph, we reached Ta Phrom in an hour!! Wan Nak was smart enough to stop by a local market and bought each of us a face mask.

The way to Takeo was dusty due to the dry weather. We could feel our hair and faces coated with dust and sand. We don’t even need to put on face foundation as the dust is reddish brown in color! It was a good thing I brought along my pink scarf and I tied it around my head and face, leaving only my bespectacled eyes. In fact, most of the locals on the road also did the same - most of them have cloth to cover their faces due to the dusty road.

The ride to Takeo was totally uncomfortable with the 6 of us cramped into one tuk tuk and red dust sticking onto our faces. But the scenery along the way was interesting enough to keep our patience in check. We could see pick up trucks with loads of people in it and on it (the roof of the pick up truck!), animals stacking up on motorbikes, people sitting on stacked gunny sacks on moving motorcycle!!, etc. It was a waste that Cambodians do not make acrobatics as a living. They are seriously skilled in balancing people and heavy things!!

The one hour journey was worth it. Ta Prohm is beautiful! Unfortunately, when we reached Ta Prohm, hordes of children came running to us as if they had seen a boat after being stranded in an island for far too long. I was shocked when the children shoved lotus and joss sticks into my face, calling me “Sister! Sister!”. I guess not many visitors come to this place and they were hungry for money. I pitied them and I started to fork out a dollar at a time… and it was a serious mistake. The children followed me around the temple offering me flowers, it was really hard for me to concentrate on taking pictures!!! I totally regretted that no one was in sight to take my pics while being there!

Ta Prohm

I was lured into shrine upon shrine and was given more joss sticks.. and I had to pay more money for doing so. My cousin sister, looking at the gullible me, dragged me from the claws of the children and the elderly people (Really lah, they really know how to squeeze money from me) and nagged me not to pay anymore money! We gave the kids some Mentos instead, and they were really happy. Even Wan Nak was not spared! The kids followed him everywhere and he was made to pay for the lotus and joss sticks as well.

Due to popular demand, here's Wan Nak, relaxing in Ta Prohm

We spent less than 20 minutes here, considering they were so pushy and tried to take more money from us! We decided to split as they are really annoying. I wished I had brought more cookies or chocolates to keep them busy while I take pictures!

We hopped into the tuk tuk and bid farewell to the kids. Poor children. They are just trying to make a living. It was a Tuesday and they were not in school. Yet, they tried to con us by telling us they needed money to buy books and they have no parents.. I wonder what they have said is the truth?

Tonle Bati

Tonle Bati was just a river with some nice little straw huts on its river bank, cater for picnics – I think. We have to pay USD3 to enter to Tonle Bati, but it comes with a free drink. Nothing much to be seen here apart from a few little kids running around naked in the hot sun. We gave some sweets to the kids as well. Wan Nak must be thinking we were mad to come this far for some little straw huts and the 13th century old temple ruins. But I guess, the experience is quite cool.

The journey back to Phnom Penh was shorter than we thought it would be. Probably we already could gauge how long it is gonna take. We went to Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. The journey there was also very dusty and some road works were underway so, there were lorries everywhere. We screamed whenever a lorry drove past us as sometimes, muddy water would just sprinkled off the lorries into our tuk tuk. Fortunately, Wan Nak was quite a skillful driver and he always managed to steer away whenever a lorry comes near. It takes courage of steel to drive in Phnom Penh! The road were also filled with pot holes, so you could imagine how taxing it is for a tuk tuk to go to the Killing Fields and to make the matter worse, there were 6 of us in one tuk tuk… we decided to pay Wan Nak more towards the end of the day to fix his tuk tuk.

(Pic of me in pink scarf , the overcrowded truck and Wan Nak in Ta Prohm were taken by Chubby)

.. to be continued....