Monday, January 19th, 2004 – Day 335 to Tuesday, January 20th, 2004 – Day 336

Monday, January 19th, 2004 – Day 335

I was up at 7.00am and headed to the bus station. It is a 15 minute walk and it as still a bit dark. I passed some monks collecting alms along the way. Once there, I located the number 14 bus that goes to the border. It was only 2000 for the two hour journey. it was a cramped full bus. When we arrived I gave the driver another 1000 Kip as my rucksack was taking up another seat. It mentioned having to pay to get your passport stamped at the Laos and Thai ends but no charges were made. A bus will take you across the bridge to the Thai side for 1000 Kip. There, you have to take a Tuk tuk into the Nong Khai bus station for 20 Baht. once there a bus was heading to Khorat for 165 Baht (.3.35 Eur). It was 9.15am and it was 3.00pm before we reached there. It was an air-con bus so it was comfortable. They showed Face off (john Woo) in Thai on the bus TV.

Once I arrived there, I headed straight to the bus counter to buy a ticket to Surin for 115 Baht. it was expensive but it was a VIP bus (compared to regular and air-con buses). It had a trans-gender stewardess (a boy dressed as a woman/acted as a woman). They showed one of the worst films of 2003 called Ride or Die.

Anyway it took 4.5 hours to get to Surin on the Cambodian border. Once there I took a rickshaw to Pirom’s House for 20 baht. Its very close and if I had a Map I would have walked it. there are lots of canals here and the whole town was full of mosquitoes. I booked a room for 100 baht (2 Euro). Its a basic place with small beds with mosquitoes nets but there is a nice lady running the place. She had excellent English and made me feel at home. As I had not eaten anything substantial I headed back to town to visit the Night Market. there are ATM machines here to withdraw currency.

The night market was excellent and very large. Dozens of vendors under roof with great food. I had two dinners with rice/meat/egg etc. for 20 baht (.40 cent) each. I had a nice time walking about. The only thing is the mossies but the guest house said there was no Malaria in town.

I read the Bangkok Post in the Guest house while having a nice Thai beer. I was in bed before 11.00am as I am up early. Its the first time I have used a Mosquito trip this trip. Very necessary here. The Liverpool Hooligan also worried me last night as he was taking anti-malaria tablets EVERY day for the full year. that cant be good for him.

Tuesday, January 20th, 2004 – Day 336

The guesthouse owner had given me a list of times of the buses to the border. They start at 5.30am and there are about a dozen until 4.00pm. I was up a bit late at 6.18am and was surprised to see it very bright outside. It was different from Laos. anyway, the lady had woken me with when she got up. I walked directly to the bus station but was late so I paid a motto-driver 10 baht to take me half the way (the end half). I was in time to take the 6.50am bus for 30 baht. You can take a mini-bus for 100 baht which goes directly there. There is called Chong Jom. It is approximately 80km from Surin.

It took over two hours to get there but there were few stops and starts. The last bus stop is the border itself and you only have 15 yards to get checked out of Thailand. as ever, the Thai border authorities are pleasant and efficient. Now for the notorious Cambodian officials.

It was 9.15am. When I crossed over there were about 4 cocky teenagers with old older guy in this twenties to welcome me to Cambodia. They all had pretty good English and were keen to direct me to the official waiting 10 yards away. This was a clean, efficient bunch who actually worn their uniforms with pride in contract to the slack jawed yokels down in Koh Kong wearing string vests. The guy who gave me the VISA wanted 1100 Baht and even when I told him I only had 20 US, he didn’t believe me. They are meant to take US only but get a good cut out of baht. I gave him 1000 Bahr and he was happy. The guys down in Koh Kong start at 1400 Baht as there usually half a dozen of them to keep happy as they swarm around you.

The second official who stamps you in said he would do it for 100 baht. I smiled and didn’t pay. He didn’t press the issue.

Next was how to get to Anlong Veng. Its about 80km away along a bad dusty road. The areas around the road have yet to be cleared of land mines. The cocky lands (who had moto bikes) started at 7000 but after a chat would not go below 400 baht. I told them I would check out the Taxis and get something to eat at the Duty free market which is a 7 minute walk towards Anglong Veng. At that they said they would meet me down there. They went dir4ectly to the taxi guys (I could see them) and now the taxi price was 600 baht. I went to the market and the boys waited outside.

The market was busy and is a good place to eat. There are moto drivers all over the place for the local routes. I went to a group where there was one English speaker. I mentioned 300 Baht as an opening (far too high) and three lads jumped at the chance. I picked a shy looking chap with a new bike. He had no English and seemed too shy to speak Khmer. He went off for a helmet. I reckon these guys would do the trip for 200 Baht. Off we went as a hell of a pace. A few minutes in and the driver looks around at a beeping horn. Its like mad Max. Hot our trail was the older guy in a taxi (passenger seat) following us along with two of his buddies on bikes. They stopped us and had words with me and me driver.

My driver didn’t say one word (told you he was shy) and the older guy wanted 50 baht from me because he waited for me and another guy wanted 100 baht because he helped me at the immigration post (he lent me his pen). I told them no with a smile and they sulked off.

It was meant to take two hours but this guy was a speed merchant bar none. too bloody fast on bad roads. Every time we hit a pot hole, I rose off the back seat, creaking my neck and hurting my bum. It was a red dusty road and every time an oncoming truck passed us, we were devoured by dust. It took only 1.5 hours to get to Anglong Veng. It was 11.30am. When I was paying him he made it look like he wanted 400 baht. The boys from the border must have told him he was been cheated and the foreigner price was 400 baht. He wasn’t that sort though and accepted the 300 baht with a smile.

It is a tiny one street down full of dust and land mine warnings. I saw many newly discovered mines and unexploded ordinances (UXO) on the road to anglong Veng. They have a sign saying mine and they put stakes and red tape around the object. I saw at least 20 such mines Identified just beside the road we were traveling. There is no way any sane person would walk off the road to go for a piss or to take a photo.

There were also teams of Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and military carrying out slash, burn and mine search along the road.

Today CMAC is a national institution with close to 3,000 trained personnel implementing de-mining activities in accordance with international standards.

They were cutting down all vegetation about 15 meters in from both sides of the road and were using detectors to search for mines. The worrying thing was that they were searching for mines ON the road as well.

Anyway there are three guesthouses in town. They have set a 3 US price which they wont budge from. I tried the centre one but it was dank and dark. The third one on the way out of town was called border Success and it was nice. they accepted 100 baht for a second floor room. it has a big bed, big window and mosquito net. You can swing on a hammock in the balcony and have a beer.

it was noon and I asked a moto driver to take me to see Pol Pots cremation site. He started with 10 US but took 4 US without argument. It only took 1.5 hours round trip. it was interesting and I am glad I took this trip.

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Anlong Veng – Not much of a town (20-01-2004)

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Anlong Veng – Halfway up to the Pol Pot site is the Ta Mok roundabout. This former checkpoint and monument to the Khmer Rouge has received proper respect. The heads have all been shot off. (20-01-2004)

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Anlong Veng – Pol Pots cremation site (20-01-2004)

Click on the picture to see it in its original size

Anlong Veng – Landmine found. you can actually see it. (20-01-2004)

The rest of the day was uneventful. I watched some lads play volleyball for an hour and I sat down at a stall and drank 4 cans of Angkor Beer. I purchased 2 more to drink on my hammock back at the guesthouse. A can of beer was 20 baht. They all use Thai Baht here instead of Cambodian Riel.

I went to get a bite to eat. I saw a lady selling eggs. I purchased two. When I cracked open the first on the stall table, I knew these were no ordinary eggs. Half the egg was half and mushy and the other half was yellow yolk. A third part was hard marrow. I knew it must be Chicken or Duck Foetus. I had it finished now and with the aid of the stall owners lemon and pepper, it was quite good. When I cracked open the second, I was a bit shocked. Instead of the above mix, it was a full duck chick foestus with peak, legs, and light feather. It was too far gone before harvested, and could not eat it like this. The lady was nice and good natured. It was 20 Baht for the two.

Balut – a fertilized egg with a partially developed duckling, which is eaten boiled. Believe it or not, in certain parts of the world, it’s a custom to eat soft-boiled eggs containing partially developed duck embryos. Filipinos call them “balut.” – also known as the “treat with feet” and the “eggs with legs”. Vietnamese can also be found chowing them down with the help of some salt, pepper, and a couple of beers. Nothing quite braces you for the first time you crack open a balut egg. As you dig into the yolky mess, you discover a miniature duck inside, complete with feathers and a beak! The egg has been incubated 17 days and removed for boiling and consumption. It is considered a delicacy and is highly nutritious.

LINKS

Educational development: The Anlong Veng Project
The Final Chapter: A Cambodia Daily story on the final years of the Khmer Rouge
Nate Thayer’s story of Pol Pot’s show trial and story on the interview
Two stories relating to Anlong Veng. Courtesy Save the Children Norway.
The Cambodian Genocide Program at Yale University.

I was in bed by 11.00pm was I was very sure. My bum was killing me from the journey. When all the bump and friction I had skinned my behind and had to sleep on my stomach. My back was sore because I wore my day pack on my back during the journey.