Cambodia Log 08 May, 2006

08 May, 2006
1025 Depart House in Surin Thailand. I leave a day early on the request of my Cambodian connection, declaring it to be a more auspicious day to travel.
1130 Arrive Kap Choeng at the Thai border. Meet Heang my Cambodian connection and cross the border to Osmach, Oddar Meanchey province on the Cambodian side. Fill out paperwork and pay 1,000. Baht for visa, cross street and fill out departure card and stamp Into Cambodia. Meet my driver Buntern, load vehicle a white Toyota Camry that is slightly jacked up with larger tires to handle the Cambodian roads. These seem to be the major type of car In Cambodia.
1210 Depart Osmach and descend the Dangrek range Into the basin of the great lake passing the Halo de-mining Camp at Opak. The road Is dirt and has some wash boarding and occasional potholes but not too bad. Average speeds are between 60-80 kph. There are many small huts and farms, scrub brush, medium sized trees and tall grass. This area was heavily mined and is recently being recovered with efforts by the Halo Trust, http://www.halotrust.org/introduction.html and Zoa Refugee Care, http://www.zoaweb.org/Page/sp908/Index.html.
1300 Arrive Anlong Veng. We stop and Buntern points out a lake with dead trees sticking out. An eerie sight to be sure but I’m not sure what he means, as he speaks no English or Thai. I take it to be connected with the Khmer Rouge. I take some infrared shots with my EOS 1 but not sure how they will turn out as I had the ASA set at 25. After Anlong Veng the road turns south and more of the same scrub brush and huts with subsistence farming.
1500 Pass Phnom Kulen the sacred mountain where the road becomes paved.
1530 Pass Banteay Srei temple.
1615 Arrive Siem Reap. Check into Chao Say Guesthouse for $15. a night with air conditioning and right across the street from the Psar Chaa market. I shower then stroll around town. I find a massage place opt for a 1-hr 4-hand (2 ladies) massage for $10. Just a bit pricier than the equivalent 2hr Thai massages at $2.60 an hr. Later in the evening I have a marvelous Steak dinner with a blue cheese and a mustard sauce at Tigre de Papier restaurant/bar. I wash it all down with a large bottle of Angkor beer while watching the people go by.
2035 I go back to the Hotel and turn in.