Chapter 6 –Déjà vu……It’s Travelling Again!

Our first escapade after a month plus keeping under the wraps in the outskirts was Lake Tekapo. This place is a famous tourist attraction, popular for its turquoise-coloured lake and breath-taking view. I thought it should be a pleasant and relaxing place to hang out, but the strong wind really blew it away. It was really tough to stand on your feet when the force of the wind kept shoving you away. It was even more difficult to open your eyes when the wind was hitting hard with the all the hair messed up and slapping on your face. As it was not a big place, we finished our visit within a few hours, after snapping a few shots of the lake and stopping over at the Church of Good Shepherd and the Dog Statue. The very next day, we took off to Mount Cook Village and dropped by at the scenic lookout of Lake Pukaki en route. This lake was superlatively better than its counterpart, Lake Tekapo, as the colour of the former was even more outstanding and superbly well-defined, overlooking Mt Cook. Upon arrival at Mt Cook, we were greeted by icy drizzle. The weather was so cold that the rain turned into ice as soon as it fell from the sky! It was definitely a surprise nonetheless. There were a few short walks and trails that tourists can take to have a better look at the surrounding area and vicinity such as the Kea Point, Hooker Valley and Tasman Valley. However as aforementioned, the weather was brutally cold and we did have our limitations in surviving through the chillness. Eventually, the idea was called off. We checked into Omarama on the very same day and departed early the next morning as we had to travel over 400 km to the glaciers region in the West Coast. 

After traversing through numerous creeks, bluffs, rivers, one lane bridges and the winding roads across the hills, under a non-stop drizzling condition, we finally arrived at Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier townships. As the tour fee for the Fox Glacier was cheaper, we decided to opt for the “Fox Trot Half Day Trip” option, which was a 4-hr guided tour across the glaciers. As the van drove us to the glacier, all we can see was lush greeneries, just like a typical rainforest. Who would have imagined there are glaciers forming within this vegetation? The van dropped us off, and we started trekking along the rocky terrains. The company provided a pair of leather boots, woollen socks and raincoat. As we moved nearer to the glaciers, we were asked to fasten up the crampons that will enable us to grip on the ice as we walked. However, walking with the crampons was not as easy as it seemed, descending was even more difficult than ascending. However, it was nevertheless a wonderful experience to be able to set our foot on the icy surfaces, although it’s quite throbbing at first to see our hard-earned money being burnt away with just a swipe of a card!! We were pretty grateful that the weather turned out very fine, as rain was pouring away when we arrived the day before. 

 

On the next day, en route to Grey district, we stopped by at Hokitika – the home of the Greenstone, also known as pounamu (jade), which are used to make jewelleries, accessories and for carving purposes. Black jade from Australia, gold, silver and NZ’s very own Paua shells were also available. Upon reaching Greymouth, we checked into Noah Ark’s Backpackers, a very unique animal-themed hostel. It was previously a presbytery before the occurrence of a big quake. Each of the rooms was decorated with one type of animal, be it kiwi, penguin, panda, cow, pig, dog, cat, sheep, bear, tiger, leopard etc, it simply feels like living in a safari. Thereafter, we travelled up north about 45 km to Punakaiki, which is famous for its spectacular Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. The formation of those rocks was dated back 35 million years ago, caused by the uplift of the sea bed, which were majorly deposits of marine organisms. However, the formation of the layers remained a mystery till today. The blowholes were best seen during high tides. That was when the forces of the waves will cause the expulsion of water out through the hole, creating a stunning and magnificent view. Our next station was Hanmer Spring, a place famous for thermal pool and spa. But as usual, it was expensive for us, and none of us had swimwear, so it was another day timing-out at the backpacker cottage.

The next day started off our journey to Kaikoura, which is prominent for divers to catch their own fish, crayfish, lobster, mussels and Paua shells. However, they must adhere to certain rules and regulations imposed by the Government. There are also a few seal colonies around the peninsula with high chances to spot on those animals especially during low tides. It was best not to disturb those wild animals as they can be very defensive. One of them that laid right before my eyes “coughed” so loud that it almost gave me a shock……=.=||| While there were activities catered for tourists, none of them attracted us. As we headed towards the beach, we saw lots of shells and clams glued to the stones. To our surprise, they were actually abalones, well, small and cheap ones, in abundance. At first, we were kind of baffled on how to actually remove them from the stones. By chance, one of us managed to figure out the technique and so very fortunately, we had some free seafood for dinner that night! Haha….While we tried to search for mussels, all efforts went in vain. So, we decided to buy some from supermarket to satisfy our cravings on the very next night. In Kaikoura alone, we actually had one of the few great meals that we ever had. There were some “free food” left by other backpackers, and most of the time, they will still be left there until expired. In order not to “waste” the food, we took a “salvation” on it. All I can say, it was food fiesta like never before!! :) :)

We arrived in Blenheim after spending two nights in Kaikoura. The most memorable occasion here was the opportunity to savour some of NZ’s finest wine for free. We headed towards Renwick where most of the vineyards and wineries are situated. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rosé and Merlot are some of the varietal mostly sold here. That was definitely one awesome wine trail we had ever experienced. Not only we got some free wine tasting, our knowledge on wine facts has widened as well. Our stay in a backpacker hostel owned by a Korean couple was nevertheless unforgettable too. The elderly couple were very friendly people and greeted us cordially with their infectious smile although at times it was quite difficult trying to comprehend what they wished to convey. After disconnected with the outside world for such a long time, we were finally receiving free, unlimited access of wifi in the hostel. So, most of the time, it was like……well……surf internet, eat, continue surfing, take a shower, surf again, eat, surf non-stop until finally midnight rose - time to sleep. Seriously a bunch of internet fanatics! But of course the best gift of all was the delicious homemade Korean sushi that was prepared by the lady owner exclusively for us before checking out of the place! Slurp…Yummy!

The distance between Blenheim and Nelson was about an hour and a half away. So, we reached Nelson quite early and decided to look around the city centre before checking into the hostel. We strolled towards the Sunday market where lots of recycled clothing, food, fruits and vegetables were on sale, and went on walking on the streets before searching our way to the hostel. After checking in and having our lunch, we headed towards the place where “the centre of NZ” was located. We were supposed to hike our way up the hill, but halfway through, we were too lethargic as the slope was quite steep (Not much exercise after owning the car…LOL), and there was no clear signpost showing the direction. Consequently, we tramped down as it started to drizzle too. Then we walked to the city centre again to have a taste on the famous and award-winning gelato/ice-cream – Penguino. It was pretty good actually, but I guess it was always good to have some food to relish especially on half-full or empty stomachs no matter what. Isn’t it? @@. The hostel we stayed in has free wifi and complimentary cake served during the evening. That’s what we were particularly fond of, but nightmare began as soon as night fell. The reason – we were sharing the same dorm with guys. There were six beds in the dorm, five were taken by us and the remaining was taken by another person. Three nights, two different guys, but both shared the same habit of snoring. The first was still bearable. However, the second, an old man, was having his loud snore sweeping across the whole room! Damn! I mean this was not the first time that we shared the same room with guys, but this time was the most horrible ever! Amidst the noise, I dozed off still as tiredness set in.

Our hunt for jobs kicked off again as apple and kiwi harvest seasons were about to begin. We went up to the northern Tasman region (Motueka and Riwaka) where most of the apple orchards/packhouses were located. However, to our dismay, most of them were either no vacancy left or they will only start hiring workers in March, when the apple season begin. So, we went on with Plan B, hoping to catch some luck in the North Island. That day, we headed to Kaiteriteri and stopover at Split Apple Rock, a rare formation of the rock which shaped exactly like a “split apple” emerging on the Tasman Sea. We hanged around on the beach for quite some time, enthralled by the astounding panoramic sea view, and exploring some mysterious shell-bearing mussel-like species attached on the rocks.

Chapter 5 – Getaways and Celebrations

There was no work available especially near holiday time (Christmas and New Year). So, we decided to set forth to Dunedin on Christmas Eve to give ourselves a big break after a fortnight of hard work, concurrently to have a look at the celebration in the city. To our surprise, there wasn’t really a festivity, especially on the Christmas Day itself. The streets were so barren that it looked like a “dead city”. Maybe they are fond of spending quality time together with family members instead of heading out. By the way, New Zealand is a country with very high percentage of elderly people staying around, while the youngsters build their careers elsewhere. So, it’s not an uncommon scene where some of the streets, especially in the outskirts are only crowded with grey-haired uncles and aunties on weekdays. LOL! 

 

The only thing that we treasured a lot in Dunedin was the easily accessible free wifi. Being in the suburbs for too a long time made us hunger for the chance to hook up with our families and friends back at home. Other than that, there weren’t really any interesting places for sightseeing though, except for the steepest street in the world, known as Baldwin St. Another noteworthy place to take a look at would be the University of Otago. It centred on a very large ground area, but the faculties were scattered everywhere, among other shop lots and houses. I’m not sure if this applies for other universities as well, but it was truly an eye-opener. The rest of them are just buildings, old buildings such as the Taieki Gorge Railway Station and the First Church, while places like Cadbury Chocolate Factory imposed tour charges. And finally, we gorged up a satiated meal of all-you-can-eat buffet at the price of $13.80/pax (plus public holiday charges) before we left Dunedin. 

When the holiday season was over, so were the cherries. The latter could last probably the most 6 weeks. Towards the end, our work load began to decrease too. Very often, we would work only for half a day and off for 3 days during the weekends. That’s pretty much a sad state of affair, and soon we will have to pack our bags and search for new jobs again, keeping our fingers cross again next time around. 

 

Since it was another long break for the weekends, so off we go once more for another daytrip to Queenstown. It was about a 100km from Alexandra, but the road was pretty winding and treacherous at times. Hence, we cautiously drove our way there in about an hour and half. Queenstown is the most happening town in the southern island and a must-go for the bold, adventurous people. Bungy jump, skydive, parasail, paraglide and jetboating are just some of the many adrenalin-pumping activities available here. If you are a thrill-seeker and are wandering how to spend your tons of money, please do not hesitate to come here. You would thank me for that! Due to the terrifically exorbitant prices, we only managed to engage in one slightly moderate and not-so-extreme activity – The Luge. The objective is to sprint down the winding and slightly inclined tracks in the sledge. Although it lasted about 2 minutes, we had a great time there, and were definitely worth it. Another memorable thing in Queenstown was the gigantic burgers that we had for lunch. Seriously BIG!!! We then had a scenic walk around the harbour at Lake Wakatipu overlooking The Remarkables. On our returning trip that evening, we made a short stop at a nearby town, called Arrowtown, where it used to be a gold mining area. Just like a typical small town, there was nothing much to see, and it’s another barren town especially after working and visiting hours. We took a stroll in the Chinese Settlement Garden before heading back to Alexandra. 

First time ever, we had to celebrate Chinese New Year far away from home. We had a simple 3-dish reunion lunch on the eve. No sumptuous food, but that sufficed. We were given an “off” day by our employer on the first day of CNY. Hahaha!! Do you really think we had such a great boss? This was just a sign of our D-day, and it fell exactly on the second day of CNY. The end of cherry season marked the end of our working days. Darn! But come to think of it, it wasn’t really that bad. At least the days of having to stay in an uncomfortable cabin that bring lots of inconveniences, plus the discomfort of having to use filthy amenities were finally over. On top of that, we were officially “liberated” from the uncertain days of the unreliable work, and we could start up on our voyage again. Lesson learnt: Be optimistic.

Chapter 4 - All in a Day's Work

Cherry picking/packing started two weeks before Christmas Day, in order to meet the season’s demand. This orchard is run as a family business, and it is not as commercialized as others. They require workers to manually sort the cherries according to sizes that fulfil export and local market criteria. On the contrary, bigger orchards have machines to do the work, whilst they only require seasonal workers to help them choose and remove the spoilt cherries. We expected to be given a proper training on how to sort the cherries before work commences, but ridiculously, there was none!! So, it ended up pretty much a lame work on our first day of work. Sorting cherries count wages as per bucket, which means more buckets, more income. Slower people will be sent to do packing/filling in the boxes job, and the wages will be counted as per hour. And that’s how I ended up doing the latter. But, it was better than getting fired. Some orchards actually did that for not hitting the target amount! Seriously pathetic! Logically, you can’t get quality without compromising quantity and vice versa. *sigh*

 

                                         

It had never come across my mind that working with “mat salleh” can be such a pain in the neck. The management was so horrible that we could see no practical system or standard procedures at all. The staffs seemed like they weren’t trained to handle chaotic situations. In the first place, there shouldn’t be such disarray, more like an aftermath disaster, as this is a well-established orchard/packing house. Frankly speaking, we did feel a sense of discrimination from some of staffs there, and their attitudes were simply despicable. Luckily, not all of them were behaving as such, which otherwise would have us working in hell!! Sorting cherries wasn’t an easy job. Packing the cherries into the boxes was neither. But they were two different jobs with their distinctive job scopes for sure. However, the manager sucked pretty much in telling apart between them. It’s a long story anyway......

Despite that, we still have our feel good moments too! We could just simply grab those cherries and eat them anytime we want to, even during work. No worries, we were already given the green light to do so. Hahaha! Besides cherries, there were peaches, apricots, nectarines and apples. Spoilt, cracked or fallen ones were being thrown away into the bins as food waste to feed the sheep (Yikes, those damn lucky ones!). But often, you can actually find the good and big ones were also being disposed. So, once a while, we rummaged through the waste for the fine ones to make peach and cherry jams during weekends. But most of the time, we pocketed away those large and juicy cherries that cost a bomb back to our quarters! Shhhh……….

        

 

Chapter 3 – It’s Summertime (Well…………Almost >.<)

Summer is coming, and that’s also the sign of cherries harvesting season. We had previously asked for seasonal orchard work through the net and finally it pays off. An orchard owner decided to take in five of us for cherry packing job….Woohoo!! After spending for so many days, our pockets almost dried up. But we did not squander all our money. Half of them still are being kept safely in the bank. In fact, we have been so frugal in our expenditures by opting for the cheapest supermarket to get our groceries, and selecting only the cheapest brands at the most economical prices. The most lavish meal we had so far was at McD – burgers and fries….Darn! Eating out in NZ is utterly expensive, so most of the time, we cooked ourselves. Pastas, breads, instant noodles and biscuits became our staple foods. Rice is slightly pricey, so we had it once in a while. Of course, they weren’t as tasty and scrumptious as that of diners’ standard, but we were glad and thankful enough to be able to stick together, and have food laid on top of the table to fill our empty stomachs. Omitorhood _/\_

From Oamaru, we drove to Alexandra and prepared ourselves for the new challenges ahead. Cherries harvesting period depends very much on the weather, so we will have to wait for the owner to call us when the time comes. Meanwhile, we just laze around in Alexandra, reluctant to travel far as the petrol is damn costly, and it gets costlier down south. Travelling from one town/city to another took several tens to hundreds of kilometres. Our wagon averagely runs at 19 ₵/km and one full tank costs over a whopping $100, which is equivalent to RM 250!! *swt*. So, we only visited several nearby places like Clyde and Cromwell. Other times, we just hung around at our hostels, watching dramas/movies, eating and sleeping. Haha…Bunch of lazy pigs!! It was kind of difficult to get free wifi in small towns and countryside area, which otherwise would have us surfing the net whole day long. This is in contrast to big cities like Christchurch, where free wifi can be obtained at the public libraries and several hotspots in the city. Otherwise, we will have to pay to use the service. The cheapest would be $2/hr and again it gets costlier down south, and in remote areas. 

The weather was not set at all for the cherry season. Cherries need full blast of sunshine to ramp up their ripening process and to increase their sweetness as well. But it was freezing cold and windy for most of the time, especially from dusk till the break of dawn, and the lowest temperature recorded so far was 6^oC. At other times on the contrary, the weather was intensely hot and stuffy. Highest temperature reached up to a whopping 31^oC!!! Darn! We had been shrouding ourselves from the hot weather and not wanting to travel to other places for almost a week. Alas, we could no longer withstand any more of the sheer boredom. So, we head off to a town slightly further away from here – Wanaka. The one place that one would never miss out when step foot on Wanaka, is the infamous Stuart Landsborough’s Puzzling World. So, what’s so spectacular about this place? As the name tells it, it encompasses several eccentric illusions and puzzles that will dazzle and bewilder your mind. For $15, we obtained passes for the combo package (includes maze garden and illusion rooms). It’s pretty embarrassing to say that we were on the verge of giving up when we got “trapped” in the labyrinth. Fortunately, we still managed to flounder our way out eventually. Anyway, that almost got us spending the whole afternoon immersing in the bizarre world. Next on, we took a breath-taking view at the Lake Wanaka and had a long walk down one of the streets, to and fro, before leaving Wanaka.

Chapter 2 – Encounter on a Stranger’s Land

After some 10 hours flight, we finally arrived at Christchurch. Although the pickup van turned up quite late at the airport, we managed to embrace ourselves through the incessant cold wind that almost got us frozen up. Phew! This city was severely damaged by the quake and it was kind of a waste that many of the places were barricaded. But we were lucky enough that the Cathedral Square was partially re-opened to the public despite the main city centre area still being cordoned off for safety. 

For the first few days, we had the longest walks that we ever had. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island, so getting from one place to another on foot was really strenuous. The effect was even more significant under the hot and cold weather. Yup, the sun was scorching hot especially in the noon and yet when there’s that gust of wind, you’ll just get the chill down to spine!! Just make sure you have some real thick clothes, jacket, socks and gloves. Snug into your cosy blanket and don’t get into the streets when the sun sets……We haven’t got the opportunity to actually check out the sea and mountain views of Christchurch as we were in a hurry to get to another place, but we will be back soon…….Some recommended places are the Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park and Canterbury Museum. The reason: because they are free of charge!! 

After we got our Subaru Legacy 1994 at the price of $1800, we left Christchurch to our next destination – Akaroa. It was a beautiful, quaint village which was previously a French settlement area. The French bay was simply an awesome sight, with crystal clear blue water spanning across the Banks Peninsula. There were some ongoing activities there like swimming with dolphins, penguins viewing, wildlife cruises, sailing and kayaking, but you’ll need to pay some hefty amount for that. As backpackers, that’s a big no-no. So, after spending two nights there, off we go heading towards the south with our next stop at Oamaru. The route to Oamaru took about 4 hours. Driving in New Zealand is so much different compare to that in Malaysia. The state highway allows speed limit of 100 km/h, but in the city, only 50 km/h is allowed. Back in Malaysia with that speed, I’ll be cursed to hell. =.= By the way, being a pedestrian in NZ makes you feel like a king…Hell ya!! 

Oamaru is well known as home for the blue and yellow-eyed penguins, and it’s a must do to catch a glimpse at those cuties. One can choose to pay to view the penguin colony, but there’s a better option of not having to pay a cent for it. We got on to the Waterfront Rd and waited till dusk set in; the blue penguins eventually climbed up to the shore and crossed the road to get back to their colony in the woods. These blue penguins are the smallest in the world. As such, they move in a flock, two members at least. They are afraid of the lights, so it’s advisable not to use flash when capturing them. The next day, we headed down to Moeraki village and made our way through to the Kaitaki point near the lighthouse. Guess what? Several yellow-eyed penguins and fur seals “greeted” us…Haha! It’s just about timing, seriously good timing. We saw some dolphins too, but they were really far off, so it was merely a glance, but hey, that’s better than nothing!! Prior to that, we stopped by at the Moeraki Boulders to catch a few snapshots on the remarkable sphere-shaped stones formed due to geological effects several million years ago. It was another fruitful day. Another not-to-be-missed place is the Oamaru Public Gardens. The landscapes of the garden were beautifully crafted and the bountiful flowers in various shapes and sizes have filled the air with freshness. 

Chapter 1 – Working……….Holiday?

It wasn’t really a hasty decision, as I’ve mulled it over several times before clicking on the “Apply” button. So here I am in New Zealand – the Land under the Wind, under the working holiday scheme, along with another four girlfriends. So, what’s working holiday? Well, I didn’t know about this either, not until two years ago. But the name speaks for itself. It is an offer for not-so-wealthy people like me who cannot afford to go for long holidays that will cost RM XX00 ++. This scheme provides a work visa that allows the holder to legally work and earn money to cover the holiday expenses, there and then. This is nothing new, many have applied before, and many more will be applying. The vacancies are limited, so it’s on a first come first serve basis. New Zealand would be the easiest to obtain, others I’m not sure, but some will have to go through interviews. Several weeks prior to departure, there was a mishmash of feelings – fear and excitement. Despite that, now five of us will embark on a brand new journey on a stranger’s land, not knowing what will be ahead of us for the next few months but it will definitely turn over new pages in our lives.

From Temple to Temple (17 - 26 May 2011)

Cambodia is one of the few countries that does not fall short on temples (or in the Khmer language: Wat/Prasat), around the town and more in the outskirt. So, when six of my friends and I finally took off to this Kingdom of Wonder, with an itinerary obtained from a Cambodian tour agent in our hands, it was well anticipated that this would be a 庙庙trip (temple-temple trip).
 

After taking an hour flight from PIA to LCCT, and hung around for a sleepless five-hour there, fast forward two hours later, we finally touched down at Siem Reap International Airport. Surprisingly, we were greeted by some drizzles which ended as soon as it began. #_# Anyway, looked right through that, our tour guide Mr. Kong sent us to Thun Borey Hotel to check in and we were allowed to rest for at least two hours before the start of our 9-day expedition.

The first pit stop was at the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the most popular entry point to the Great City, noticeable by the lining up of statues on both sides of the bridge leading to the gate. There, our tour guide started to explain some historical stories, but soon enough, the humidity began to rise and I completely lost my patience in listening to his incessant narration. That was when I hushed myself into finding some shady area. Okay, the start was real bad and soon after, we realized that he's a long-winded and talkative person in nature as for every stop we made, he would rambled out some stories which went from the ancient Khmer Empire to the Khmer Culture to his personal life!! OMG!! 

 

From top left (Clockwise): South Gate of Angkor Thom; One of the Angkor Wat towers;

Bayon Temple; Sunset view at Phnom Bakheng

After purchasing a three-day entrance pass, we proceeded to the Bayon Temple. Located right in the middle of Angkor Thom, this place houses the distinctive architecture of massive smiling faces on the towers. Another temple, Phimeanakas (need to climb up a rather steep wooden stairway), was our next destination before making our way to the infamous, Angkor Wat. This temple complex which is also an emblem on the Cambodian national flag, is famous for its detailed bas relief carvings (some people find it interesting, while others – people like me, uh……well, I’m not that arty kind of person), the well-preserved architecture, the temple towers and the steep stairways (again!). It was not the walking and climbing that got us into difficulty, it was the heat, the IMMENSE HEAT under the SCORCHING SUN which sucked up every last bit of energy left in our bodies. If that was not enough, the temple blocks radiated the heat back, giving an insulate-like effect that really suffocates!! So, thanks to that, it completely destroyed my enthusiasm in exploring this place……Duh!! The last attraction for the day (oh…finally!) was another climb up the hill terrains and a flight of steep steps (third for the day =.=), in order to reach the top of Phnom Bakheng (Phnom means hill/mountain) where a temple was built. There, we waited for at least an hour before getting a glimpse of the sunset view. Throughout that night, believe it or not, I had one of the best sleep in my entire life……………………………………

Angkor Wat

The second day kicked off with an ancient jungle temple, Preah Khan (preah means sacred), which has the ruins surrounded by trees and columns. According to Mr. Kong, the walls of the temple were actually embedded with gemstones, but were eventually stolen, which left the cavities/holes on the walls. Our next site of visit was Neak Pean, a sanctuary that hosted five ponds (Four smaller ponds surround the main one, with each side of the pond contains small vaulted chapels moored against the larger pond, and within the chapels holds different head statues including Horse, Human, Lion and Elephant, representing different elements). The water was believed to have curative powers, which earns its status as some sort of hospital. The evening was wrapped up with Pre Rup and Ta Prohm temples, in which the latter, another jungle temple, was a famous location for the filming of Tomb Raider. For the night, 7 of us amazingly squeezed into a tuk-tuk (4 adults to sit comfortably) for a ride around Siem Reap town.

From left: Cavities on walls; Trees grow from ruins; Columns in Preah Khan

From top left (Clockwise): Neak Pean; Tomb Raider shooting scene;

Trees grow from ruins in Ta Prohm; Pre Rup

As we advanced to the third day, more temples awaited us. Banteay Samre and Banteay Srei (The Citadel of Women) were the first two in the list (banteay means fortress/citadel). Frankly speaking, I haven’t got the faintest idea on how to differentiate these temples in terms of structures and architecture styles. In fact, they all look pretty the same, except maybe the color (sandstones and laterites give off reddish tone, while granite stones are gray). Each and every temple was constructed due to the advent of certain phenomenon/cause which I don’t think I’ll be able to comprehend for the rest of my life (Uh…It’s complicated. If you are interested, just Google it. It can tell you the whole bunch of these convoluted stories). Nevertheless, I was really impressed by how these temples were built with carvings of such extreme intricacies and finely decorated artworks when technology resources were a limit at those times. Our journey continued with several attractions at the Phnom Kulen National Park, which encompassed waterfalls (a popular bathing and picnic site for locals), Preah Ang Thom (large reclining Buddha statue) and river of 1000 lingas (phallic symbol of Hindu god Shiva – a symbol for fertility). The lingas were carved on the river bed stretched across a long distance. But I would like to stress that this is one place that was not worth the pay as entry for foreigners cost a whopping $20 (Double that amount, I can get another 3-day pass for Angkor Wat……WTH) while the locals pay only 25 cents, and there was nothing much to see. Not only that, to get there, we have to wind our way up a steep dirt road which had us bumping through for at least three hours, to and fro. Yikes……… The last temple that we visited in Siem Reap was the Rolous Group consists of Lolei, Bakong and Preah Ko. Again, for the history, just Google it.

From top left (Clockwise): Banteay Samre; Phnom Kulen waterfall; 
River of 1000 Lingas; Banteay Srei

After three days of temple walks, we found ourselves taking a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake (one of the largest freshwater lake in Asia) to a floating village on the fourth day. Here, the residents are mainly the Viets, living in wooden houses on stilts but in dilapidated conditions. They rely heavily on fishing and selling cold drinks etc to tourist in order to make a living. The dark side amidst the spectaculars of this Kingdom is that most of the people in Cambodia are still living in hardcore poverty as they have to endure the hardships that inundate them every day. Children begging tourists to buy souvenirs from them is a common phenomenon around Siem Reap. Sometimes, I do pity them very much, but on the other hand, the practice of utilizing innocent children to steal compassion from the tourists actually irks me lot. After the ride, we headed to the Cambodian cultural village where we managed to visit a wax museum and witnessed some traditional performances including dances, sketches, wedding ceremony and acrobatic show. The performers were quite amusing at times, but generally the shows were lackluster and tactless as they were performed in the Khmer language. While the locals seemed to enjoy it, I almost fell asleep throughout one of the show – Peacock dancing. Lame!!!

Floating village (above); A floating church and house (below)

The next morning, we departed from Siem Reap to Battambang, the second-largest city in Cambodia after Phnom Penh. It took about three hours, sitting in a van with not-so-function-able air-conditioners, travelling at 60 km/h!! That’s horrible! We arrived here around noon, just in time for lunch before heading to the Khemara Hotel for a rest. We headed for our first attraction in Battambang, which was Prasat Ek Phnom, another Angkorian ruins. Constructed next to it is a rather modern temple known as Wat Ek Phnom, where a giant Buddha statue sits right outside of it. Our next destination was a monastery, but I have no idea what was the name of it. I guessed it should be Wat something…@@ The next day, we had a quick stop at the Provincial Museum (omit this, it is a complete worthless) before heading to the capital city, Phnom Penh. To get there, we travelled for about six hours, using the same van, under the same conditions...damn pathetic-lah!! And soon after we reached Phnom Penh, checked into Pacific Hotel and loitered at Surya Supermarket (seriously nothing to do), we had to call it a day.

From top left (Clockwise): Prasat Ek Phnom; Buddha statue; Wat Ek Phnom

Day 7 started with a climb up Phnom Chisor, a hill that offers a panoramic view of surrounding countryside plains and a temple, known as Suryagiri, which belonged to another Angkorian ruins. After so many days of “chilling out” plus the hot weather at that moment, the effect of climbing up the huge steps started to take its toll. I didn’t calculate how many steps available, but according to internet sources, that’s 461 steps! Whoa……time to sweat, again! Our next stop was at Tonle Bati, a small lake famous for picnic. Several bamboo shacks were seen built over the waters and we had our lunch in one of those. Although dishing up of the food took quite a long time, nevertheless, it did offer a unique kind of experience. However, brace yourself for the pricey food and hidden charges though. Pretty soon after our lunch, it started to rain heavily. So, we have a quick stopover at Ta Prohm (identical name with that of Siem Reap) before travelling towards the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. The latter has a Buddhist stupa, which houses human bones and skulls, and mass graves which once contained thousands of human bodies annihilated during the Khmer Rouge regime. Our tour ended with visits to the Central and Russian markets, which are havens for souvenirs. Remarks: Cambodians in general have very high “melting points”. My sweat was oozing out and trickling down incessantly like broken water valves and could hardly get a breather in that hot and stuffy Central Market, yet some of these people were wearing jackets and long-sleeves shirts…………*faint* *faint* *faint*……>.<

From top left (Clockwise): Steps to Phnom Chisor; Surrounding plains;
Suryagiri temple; Tonle Bati; Bamboo shacks on water

On the very next day, we had an approximately three-hour ride down south towards Sihanoukville province to Ochheuteal (how to pronounce?) beach and Kbal-Chhay waterfall. This was actually an ad hoc trip that was not arranged prior by the tour company. The reason was due to our itinerary which was too sparsely arranged, leaving us with plenty of “free time”. In the end, we found ourselves submerging in places where Malaysia is surrounded with, has in abundance and even better still – beaches and waterfalls…@@ And each of us end up paying $20 for this…Cynical isn’t it? But you’ll never know until you try. XD

From left: Beach chairs; Water-sport activities at Ochheuteal Beach; 
Kbal-Chhay Waterfall

The last day of our journey in Cambodia started off with a visit to the Royal Palace, which made up of several buildings, structures and gardens such as the Royal Throne Hall (where official functions and duties were performed), the Silver Pagoda (which houses national treasures such as gold, silver, Buddha statues, gems etc, and has silver tiles laid all over the floor of its interior), the Moonlight Pavilion (where dance conservatory and stage performances were held), stupas (memorials for the King and Queen) and lots more. After that, we scurried off to take a cruise along Mekong River before arriving at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a place to commemorate those victims involved in the imprisonment and massacring by the notorious KR regime. It was pretty eerie just by looking at the gruesome photos and torturing equipment. The part of the story that still lingered in my mind was that “children and infants were killed by having their heads bashed against the trunks of trees”. I couldn’t bear myself to see it and even shunned thinking about it again…………………ever.

 

From top left (Clockwise): Royal Throne Hall; View of a Stupa from Sliver Pagoda;
Sala tree (associated with the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha);
Garden; Moonlight Pavilion

From top left (Clockwise): Cruise ferries; Mekong river (captured from ferry); 
Royal Palace facing the river

Ever wonder why I did not mention anything about cuisines in Cambodia? Because we had a tour guide that only has a particular craving for 空心菜, also known locally as Kangkung. I’ve made a simple search through the net and found that it actually has plenty of names: Ipomoea aquatic, Water Convolvulus, Water Spinach, Hollow Spinach, Water Morning Glory, Ong-Choy, Swamp Cabbage and in Khmer language, Trawkoon. So, that’s one particular dish he kept seeking for, and sometimes we had to follow suit……@@ Other than that, due to our strict budget, we had no choice but to find cheaper food that cost no more than $3 per pax. Another reason was none of us dared to attempt the food stalls by the roadside, which lacked hygiene. But still there were several Khmer dishes we got to savour: Loc lac, Amok, Nom Korm, Cambodian sour soup (Samlar machu) among to name. One thing for sure, fried rice and fried noodle are very common everywhere you go and all you need is to pick the choice of meat that you prefer. We had a buffet dinner which featured some Cambodian dance performances but I personally think that the taste for some of the food was pretty awful (I don’t usually make critics on food, but it was really bad). The staple food for Cambodians is rice, but baguette is also widespread there. For almost every breakfast, I had toasts with jam/butter and egg, which supposedly is a typical breakfast, served in whole Cambodia. Durians in Cambodia are different from that of Malaysia, the latter taste better because it is collected only when ripen and fallen to the ground. The former was neither aromatic nor pungent in smell, but it has an indescribable distinctive taste. Last but not least, a must try in Cambodia is their locally-brewed beer, the Angkor beer. The beer is sweet and light with a slightly stronger taste of malt yeast, and is best drunk in cold. I actually kind of like it, at least it was so much better than China beer…LOL 

This had been quite a pleasant tour, if not for the blazing sun and humid weather, it would have been better. Our tour guide, Mr. Kong (the Kangkung man) had kept us entertained with his witty jokes, and his jovial personality made this trip very much lively and amusing. He gave us plenty of treats and even footed some of our bills too. I’ve seen many tour guides, but not as altruistic and candid as him. Hats off!

Our journey had finally come to an end when we reached Phnom Penh International Airport. Lee-hye Cambodia!!

Thanks to all my friends who have made this trip possible and fun in every way. Aw-kun (ch'ran)!! 

At Phnom Penh International Airport (courtesy of TKH)