Battambang and the Bamboo Train

So our final stop before returning to Phnom Penh was the city of Battambang. Unforunately, because I was sick, I didn't see much of it. I did, however, come to the conclusion that I am glad I will be living in Siem Reap and not Battambang, because the city pretty much dies after sunset. The streets are quiet, dark, and empty. Wouldn't want to walk around by myself at night. However I did venture out with some friends and got myself some hot tea and chicken soup. In the morning we visited an NGO, started by Khmers, that gives education and training to young people, including graphic arts, fine arts, music, and circus training! It's called Phare Ponleu Selpak and you can read all about it here.

Circus Training

Our final stop in Battambang was the bamboo train. Taken from BBC News, July 2006 - not much has changed...

"people in the north west of the country, near Cambodia's second city of Battambang, have taken matters into their own hands. They have created their own rail service using little more than pieces of bamboo. The locals call the vehicles "noris", or "lorries", but overseas visitors know them as "bamboo trains". A tiny electric generator engine provides the power, and the passenger accommodation is a bamboo platform that rests on top of two sets of wheels. A dried-grass mat to sit on counts as a luxury. It would be a white-knuckle ride - if there were actually anything to hold on to. The bamboo trains reach about 40km/h (25mph), with the track just a couple of inches below the passengers. Warped and broken rails make for a bone-shaking journey."

If one of the 'trains' is coming in the opposite direction, someone has to dismantle theirs and let the other pass...here is the reassembly:

And the view from the front, where I sat:

Tons of fun! Very hot. Weird tan lines.