Well we rounded out our time in Kampot with more or less a bunch of short trips and lounging around. We spent one of the days going to the caves of Phnom Chhnork, although the photos I have seen of them in other places do not exactly match up with what we saw. So I'm not 100% positive that those were the caves we saw, although the entrance off the highway said it was so I am left utterly confused. The caves were quite impressive. We were the only ones there so there was quite a sense of isolation. Our guide was a kid who just hangs out there and waits for tourists and works on tips only. He took us around and saw things created by hundreds of years of crazy cave action. There were limestone formations of animals as well as stalactite and stalagmite formations that resembled elephants. After that we went to the next thing on our list of places to visit: Tek Chou Falls.
Fortunately that was back in the direction of our guesthouse. We got to an area that was crowded with huts where people would hound you to buy something from them in exchange for the use of their hut. I wanted to try to avoid that so we headed upriver a little bit more. We then ran into the complex of a new hydroelectric dam and I realized that our only option was the huts. We bought waters and then headed down the ledge to the water. There wasn't so much of a waterfall as there were rapids. We decided against swimming in it, and we walked a little bit down stream where we found a little wading pool covered in trees and cool calm water. We hung out there for a bit and then headed back to the guesthouse. Since the place we stayed was on the river there was a little floating dock to relax and jump off of. I dove in without issue, but Vilde was scared because I told her that I couldn't feel the bottom with my feet, which terrifies her apparently.
That was our last day in Kampot, and we forgot to do one thing while we were there: get the ribs that everyone talks about. I guess I'll have to get them the next time I come back. The next day we got up and wanted nothing more than to lounge around again but we had to check out. We reluctantly got ready and made the short 25 kilometer trip to Kep. Its a very quiet town with very little in way of activities, but that is what I'm looking for right now.
We are staying in a place called the Boat House. The main building is made up of the restaurant downstairs and a few rooms downstairs. Upstairs is two large rooms and a shared veranda with a lot of open space and a separate room that has a TV/DVD player and another little sitting area. The best part about it all? No one else is renting the other room so we have what could be the equivilent of a very nice rental without a kitchen for only 15 dollars a night. Not too bad.
We went to the beach this morning and for the first time in my life, it was too hot to stay. Even in the shade of a tree, the sun was too much. Going swimming didn't help much since the water was so hot. Yes I know I won't get any sympathy from anyone in colder climates, but warmer weather is on the way. Now we are back at the guesthouse and doing what is easiest, relaxing and not doing much of anything.
Well the time of the trip is winding down and so will the blog posts. There's only a few more days left in Kep, then we head back to Phnom Penh. I am spending a night with Phea (school staff) at his hometown in Takeo province and Vilde flies out on the 25th. Then I have another ten days of miscellaneous activities before I make my departure and head home, and that will conclude my time in Cambodia. For now at least.
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