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Well, the train from Snookyville to Kampot is nothing if not entertaining. The two car train had no aircon coachs, but the fans and 35mph wind were adequate to stave off the 90+ F temps. It left only 5 minutes late which in Cambodia is unheard of. The locomotive, generator car and coachs looked to be from 30 to 60 years old. The inside of the coachs were semi redone, but not bad for the $3. trip. I equate it to a 3rd class train I took down the coast of Thailand many years ago. They handed out warm bottle of water free and you could buy instant cup-of-noodles. Lots of confusion on the part of the conductors, but its all new to them.

Two and a half hours was just enough time to get bored looking at the Cambodian countryside and dry, parched farms. Almost no one at the station in Kampot to meet the train, just a couple of tuk-tuks.

After arriving at the Kampot station I had about an hour and a half to kill before the train back to Snookyville was due. I grabbed a tuk-tuk down to the Rusty Keyhole in hopes of maybe some ribs or breakfast. When I got to the Keyhole, it was closed, but the new place across the street and over the water was open. (Fish Market Restaurant.) Since it was brand new it was clean, windy, and just a few customers. I ordered breakfast, some coffee and orange juice which the waitress took down on a tablet computer. About ten minutes later a waiter came over with another computer tablet to confirm my order (strange.) I asked to get my drinks first and about 5 minutes later had them. A few minutes later the waiter came over with a second orange juice. Looks like their computer system doesn't work very well.

After getting my drinks and setting there for an additional over 40 minutes I still had no food and no one seemed interested. (I was short of time for the train.) I got up, canceled by order, paid for my drinks and left. Give this place a pass. Too bad as its the only one downtown and over the water.

I walked outside and there was a tuk-tuk type vehicle made into a bread truck. Its the van for the Belgian Bakery. I got to talking to Patrick and Ann and bought some of their wonderful bread. I highly recommend it. (They are there from 8 to 12am and in the afternoon at the Daily Meat Markey opposite Divino Restaurant.)

Well I was out of time so headed back to the train station with my bread and doughnuts. (journey food.)

Back at the train station there seemed to be a few people catching the train to Snookyville. Lucky that there was some wind as the flies were very persistent. The train station in Snooky seemed to be somewhat cleaned up, but the one in Kampot was close to falling apart and neglected.

The train was over an hour late and the tuk-tuk driver said it was over three hours late the day before. When the train did arrive all the cars had aircon. I had a ticket for "A" car. I couldn't find my car and showed it to the conductor. He said that it was a ticket for the earlier train. I told him this was the one train that day and got a blank look. Well, he stuck me in the rear car and said he would sort it out later as the train was full. (he never did.) The car he stuck me in looked like Attila and the boys had been have lunch there. The seats were fore and aft along the wall, facing each other and you couldn't see out the windows very well. After everyone came back onboard the car, it was packed and everyone (but me) was eating. I recommend not traveling in this car as you can see almost nothing outside.

The train had traveled about twenty minutes when the couple across from me pulled out a bag of durian and became to chow-down. The Cambodia railway people need to do like the Thai trains and have signs saying "NO DURIAN!" Also the aircon in the car could not keep up with the mass of people and even though it was turned on, it must have been on low. I noticed a door in the back of the car that I thought led to the toilet. Between the durian, the non-aircon and the numerous children running around I figured anything was better and fled the car.

There was a hallway with open windows, a room on the right for the workers, an open door at the back (kind of dangerous) and the toilet. I decided to stand by one of the open windows for the air coming in. A very nice Cambodian gentleman was seated in a plastic chair by the window and through hand signs he showed that he was going back to his family and I could have the plastic chair. The view was great, but the wind wasn't very much and I was in a hallway workers had to use and right by the look, but it beat durian and non-working aircon. It ended up with a bunch of people standingin the hallway. Guess they didn't like the non-aircon, aircon car either.

All and all it was a nice, cheap adventure and if they decide to run it a lot I will probably take it to spend a few days in (clean) Kampot to get away from garbage littered Snookyville. If Kampot had a beach in town I would probably move there as its much cleaner than Snookyville.

this pic looks like a waiting room >
wonder why they dont have cute girls walking up an down selling Angkor beer and peanuts? surely would make $$

Nice trip report Sailorman!

sailorman

Ugh...the thick stench of durian in a warm, airless railcar. They should definitley ban pungent food on the train. Sounds awful. I hope they get their act together, but i won't be surprised when the passenger rail service is cancelled.