Cambodia the second

At the moment I stay in Ban Lung which is situated in the north eastern part of Cambodia. I planned to do here a trek in the National Park, but was really disappointed when I found out that they are not only chopping the trees outside the National Park but inside as well. Instead I decided to look for a nice quiet place and spend some more time on my yogapraxis. I found this place and I can tell you it's hard getting away from here!

What happened before I arrived in Ban Lung.....


First I went to Kampong Cham, which itself is quite a dull place...really nothing to do...but more to see and do around town. I Visited some temples, the Man and Woman Hill, an Island and have been drinking coffee and eating muesli ;-) About the Man and Woman hill goes a lovely story, which is too long to tell you now but the essence is that women are more clever than men and that's why there hill is a little bit higher :-) 
People love to play beach volleyball along the Mekong and they are really good in doing this. Next stop Kratie...for some Irrawaddy dolphin watching. I already bought my busticket to Kratie but than a tuktukdriver a met a day before asked me if I wasn't interested in a drive by jeep. Well my first reaction was...noway I'm a low budget traveller...way too expensive. But he said, well it's not that expensive because this men has to go anyway to pick someone up in Kratie and bring this person back to Kampong Cham. All I had to pay was the ferry to cross the Mekong and a bit for the driver. And so I cancelled my busticket, or actually he did, and had an amazing trip along the Mekong from Kampong Cham to Kratie. Would have love to do this by boat, but since the roads improved and buses are cheaper there are no boats anymore that make this trip.

In Kratie I met Emily, Nathan, some funny Spanish guys and a lot more travelers. Emily, Nathan and I went to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins together with just an amazing sunset! The Dolphins where quite far away but the atmosphere was so relaxed that it was all worth it to stay here one night. 

Nathen, Emily and I went the next day together in a mini van for a 6 hours trip to Ban Lung. These Minivan's are just hilarious....13 Seats....and by the end filled with 26 people! Unbelievable the just can't say no...and they find always a way to take someone more. We had to stop a couple of times to check if the chickens at the back were still there :-) All arrived full with orange dust in Ban Lung.

That's what Ban Lung is....orange....there are hardly paved roads, so you' re just the whole day orange. Emily and I stayed here...Nathan went the next day to Vietnam. Emily wanted to do a trek, I decided not to....but Emily never did....and we spent almost one week together with a lot of bicycle fun! Emily hadn't been on a bicycle for at least 10 to 15 years....and it's so amazing how something so natural for one person can be such a crime and horror for someone else. For her it was training, hard physical training....for me mental training...I could test my motivating skills and had a change to be patience. We both trained our laugh-muscles as well! After two cycle days we hired a motorbike to see some more waterfalls. This was something new for me, cause they don't have automatic motors here...well Carry... there you go...we survived and I leveled my driving experience to half automatic now!


And we just loved our bungalow in Tree Top. I met nice people here. Unfortunately 2 lovely danish girls got reallty ill and one of them had to go back to the hospital in Phnom Penh. I hope she is doing better by now. Tree Top, please check this place if you ever plan to come up here. See the pictures. 

Now I'm alone again....Emily left this morning. In a couple of days I'm going to Laos but first I will enjoy my stay here in Ban Lung, doing Yoga, drinking my coffee at the Dutch couple (yes they are dutch and the only ones with a coffee machine in town ;-)) meeting some foreigners at the dutch couple who work here and on Monday I'm invited to spend a morning at a Cambodian  primary school in a village nearby. The teacher already asked me if I want to give English classes....well first the visit and then we will see....Volunteering is still really into my mind!

What I miss most at the moment?....physical contact. Oli where are you at the moment for a great big hug!


love carry