Then we took the minibus that we had organised to Phnom Pehn. It all took around 4 hours, and was a pretty smooth trip. The entire road (it feels like) from Battambang to Phnom Penh is lined with stalls selling everything under the sun. We compete for the road with bikes carrying school children, rotorvators, motor bikes (with all sorts of adaptations) horse and cart, vans, lorries buses (etc). Some are laden down with people or goods like a balancing act. Most worryingly, toddlers (the kids of the shop sellers) play by the side of the road. What is the fatality rate? From time to time we see the poshest Range Rover known to man - there are some very very rich Cambodians interspersed with the middle class and the 3 dollars a day class.
To be fair people drive quite considerately. There are NO rules whatsoever at junctions or rounder bouts. As the country gets richer gridlock will occur. But for now everyone just negotiates their path like a sophisticated dance.
The road got busier as we got close to Phnom Penh and we hit a bit of gridlock. Phnom Penh is, as you would expect very busy, loads and loads of cars (there were relatively few in Battambang - just motorbikes).
Found our way to The Billabong hotel.
We are due to meet a friend of Nics for an evening meal who works for a NGO out here tonight. Hopefully she can point us toward good beach for a couple of days time.
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