rolling by the river

I'm in Kompoong Cham now. Prey Veng was the smallest big city I think I've ever been in. So far the roads are good, the bugs are huge, and you can still get some pretty nice sugar cane juice. I'm such an addict now. I think because it is cold and sweet and they add salt to it, so it is probably like the sports drinks but tastes sooooo much better.
The villages are very friendly but in one, the kids didn't quite get the concept of begging. They knew they were supposed to ask for money, but they just didn't quite get it. They would yell Hello!Dollar!Hello! while waving. They didn't even try to get near.
It isn't the same green as Vietnam, and the scars of war are still visible, and sometimes they are still bleeding. But there is hope, the road is very new, and I see a re-forestation project (the shade was so very very welcome.)
With the new road, there is no longer boat service to Kratie, or Strung Treng, but that is ok. Although, I was kinda hoping that the road from Kratie would be too terrible and I would have to take a boat. The highway 7 going up from here is the long way, and it doesn't follow the Mekong, so I asked at one of the travel places, and there is a road that follows the river. But.....
it is very bad. And there is no place to stop. And my only fear really is that I won't find a place to stay before it gets dark.
So the highway it is. The road to here had no shoulder to speak of, but that was ok, because there was no traffic to speak of. Most of the traffic are these vans that serve as long distance buses.
They are so packed that you have 10 people more than is comfortable in the van, and about 20 more people on top of the van. I think the top would be a bit more comfortable, if only for the wind.
Till I post again, be good, be happy, and have fun.