Kim and Lou's adventures in Kompong Cham.

Well, I think we were baptized in Southeast Asia travel. These last two nights we slept in a $6 a night room. While it had a balcony - OK, that is about it for the upside - it also had no shower, was filthy dirty, a mattress that was ancient, worn out, 4" foam and the bathroom - that was IN the bedroom - stank to high hell. Luckily, there were lots of things to do that allowed us to only use the room for sleep.

After settling in and scouting out the town our first night, on the morning of our second day we rented bicycles ($1.50 each for the day) and rode across the bamboo bridge to Koh Paen and on to tour the island. Again, the construction of the bridge is just the most awesome construction thing I have ever seen.

The island is very beautiful, lush, largely farmland, and lacking the plastic litter that characterizes the rest of Cambodia. The island is populated by Cham people who were wonderfully friendly. Some of the roads ( cart paths ) we explored dwindled to narrow paths that led to homes; we basicly wandered up to some strangers front doors. Without exception, the folks we met this way welcomed us as if we were long lost relations. Every child were pasted gleefully called out "Hello, what's your name? Goodbye". We spent about 3 hours riding around the island and pretty much went down ever road, lane and path.

Kim went on a few other wanders through town, we sat on our balcony watching the world go by, we are some really great, super cheap meals from street venders and found any distraction which delay our eturning to the shit hole which was our room.

Today we are travelling to Kratie, if we survive the driving of Steve fricking McQueen at the wheel of our minivan. 17 people in a 12 seater.