Stung Treng – the “big bang”.

Stung Treng – the “big bang”.

So 20th March we arrived in  Stung Treng by bus for a week’s placement visit after a journey from Kampong Cham of 7 hours. It was a pleasant journey seeing more of rural Cambodia – many rubber plantations and Paddy fields.The bus especially the outside luggage bays was very full and our bags got pulled out and placed on the ground every stop then got brought onto the bus seats.It was off the bus and straight on with the crash helmets to travel by moto to the guest house with our huge bags balanced on the petrol tank.

We are staying the week in a small guest house which is small but nice and costs $5 per night for the room.

Outside Guest house with VSO bikes for getting around on.

 For breakfast we were taken at 7.15am to the local market for breakfast of rice, spicy pork, egg and veg.

In the market for breakfast 7.15am

and our first taste of the famous Stung Treng coffee-strong and chocolaty.

The coffee is lovely and very thick

We then had our first look at Stung Treng referral hospital where Angela will be working for the next two years. The maternity section is in a newer building and there are 10 beds on the maternity ward.

Outside the hospital

Lunchtime we cycled along the banks of the river out of the centre along a flat dirt road.

The river from the road we cycled along

Chris got a spectacular blow out on the front wheel- tyre and inner tube both ripped; these were soon replaced at a local workshop for under $5 and within 10 mins.

The old tyre and tube

In the afternoon we viewed 3 properties for rent and we are beginning to get an idea of the layout and construction of houses in Stung Treng the main priorities being trying to keep cool and keeping the mossies out.