TRAVEL: One day in Kampot.

A bit of a belated blog update, but three weekends ago I visited Kampot, a province in southern Cambodia.

A short report for a short visit…albeit a much needed one after having already lived for 3 weeks at the NGO.

Afternoon, Kampot.

*click photo's to enlarge*

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KAMPOT is situated a 5 hour journey from Phnom Penh by bus ($3.50)

The town is nothing special, in fact it is quite unattractive. The reason to go here is if you want to relax with some good food and see some nice scenery outside of the city.

The mountain’s around Kampot are beautiful and the sunset is one of the most profound I have seen - a very deep colour of orange.

Sunset in Kampot

This region used to be a huge supplier of pepper, something it’s still famous for – although not produced like it used to be. When the Khmer Rouge communist regime came to power in 1975 they stopped the production of pepper (most of which used to be transported to France) and instead they made the people grow rice.

While I was here, with my friend Amaia, we stayed at Belgian owned Olly’s Place. http://www.ollysplacekampot.com/ - an amazingly well priced accommodation right on the river which offered free water activities such as canoeing, windsurfing, paddle boarding etc. $5 a night. We spent some of the afternoon paddle boarding on the secluded river with the relaxing and stunning sights around us.

Olly's Place, Kampot

Paddle boarding, Kampot.

The next day we had a look around the town, where there is very little to see/ do, and not too many westerners around – we had many communication difficulties, which were actually rather fun. We were in search of a place that gave massages by blind people…a way for them to earn a living as there is not much, if any, support for blind people in Cambodia. 

We had no idea where this place was, so we kept going up to local people in shops/ their houses/ anywhere and asking if they knew. We looked like crazy people as we proceeded to put our hands over our eyes and then rub our shoulders while repeating, very slowly “BLIND MASSAGE”. We got some laughs and strange looks, I can assure you. Finally, a barely English speaking tuk-tuk driver was able to point us in the right direction.

–        And as for the massage, WOW. Those people make up for their lack of sight with the use of their hands. Incredible… painful, but incredible. If you ever visit look out for ‘healing hands massage – massages by the blind’ $4/1hr.

At the bridge, just after sunset.

Besos,

StevieG.x