Day 9 - Battambang

Took an 8 and a half boat ride from Siem Reap to Battambang today, 50 odd people packed into a boat which should probably carry 20. We sat on the roof as it 'raced' through Tomle Sap lake and then up river for an eternity in the blistering heat. We got stuck a couple of times in the sand because the rainy season hasn't got into full swing. The scenery was fantastic though, with paddy fields, farms, and countless floating villages and shacks built on stilts. I really got a sense that we were finally of the tour route and into the country. Battambang is navigable by foot, but still quite a dense, populous town. We splashed out for the first time on air conditioning after a day with the sun beating down on us, and it was very much welcomed, although it dented our wallets at 2.50 pounds each. We're off in a little while to a riverside bar which is supposedly Angelina Jolie's local watering hole, although I doubt her and Brad will be sitting across the bar later tonight... ANOTHER early start tomorrow, off to Kampot via Phnom Penh. Then maybe we can have a lie in and relax!