16th October, 2015. After a uneventful and unscheduled stop over at Pursat.
A noisy and chaotic small town located along the National Highway 5.
I can’t wait to set off by first light to Stung Treng, the closet town to the southern border of Laos, Veum Kham.
After that rough and dispiriting ride through the Phnum Samkoh Wildlife Sanctuary.
This wet slippery muddy, pot-holed roads are a pathway to Nirvana.
I stumbled upon a strange looking red-brick worm-like structure along the way.
The colors suggest to me it may be from Champa era, but the details indicates otherwise.
Curiosity gets the best of me and I left the road to get close to investigate.
Broken clay pottery and bricks was scattered within, with a chimney right in the center and air-inlet on the sides of this worm.
Every evidence suggest it is a kiln (originally pronounced as ‘kill’ with the ‘n’ silent)
But there isn’t any workshop nearby and it is situated right at the edge of padi fields.
The daylight is coming to an end when I reach Stung Treng.
I ride into the first hotel I can find,had a quick meal and spent a peaceful night getting a deserved rest.
Except for a small section of night market near the hotel, there isn’t much activity in this small town.
I shall see tomorrow…
Just like a typical small town you find in South-East Asia.
The morning market are bustling with life, dusty, wet and noisy.
Just the sights, sounds and smells I came to adsorb.
I exchange my unused Cambodia Riel for USD, leaving enough just for petrol, which is a mistake.
Except for the custom officers (wink!) , the only toll and the entry to sights in Laos accept only Kip (Laos currency)
and with this.. Laos here I come.
