This week we have commenced a road rip around the South of Cambodia in an effort to assess land prices, and the possibilities of expanding the COF concept to other areas of Cambodia.

Out first stop has been Battambang a three hour drive around the Tonle Sap lake. The town itself has little to offer a tourist. It is a big market town and regional capital situated on a large river, but the river frontage has yet to be developed and is currently a series of small shops and workshops. There are no decent restaurants and bars to speak of on the riverfront and the town itself is pretty much closed from 8pm. The possibilities of tourism here are some years away and rely on the railway being rebuilt. This should commence in December, and the shanty town dwellers who now live on the line have been advised they are to be evicted.

Poverty is not immediately oblivious though during a lunchtime stop at a market stall, one little girl appeared and begged the already eaten chicken bones from our plate, knawing at them vigorously to remove any meat we may have missed. We thought about buying her a meal but noticed other children watching from the shadows. However the stall holder out of pity, or to impress us invited her to sit and put a basic meal and drink in front of her delighted face.

Onwards the next day towards the coast and finally after a long seven hour journey we reached Sihanoukville, a popular seaside resort with a thriving modern centre. There are a number of beaches around here the ones that are furthest away being the best. It is also a gateway to some highly rated islands which are already under threat of major development. The main island off the coast Phu Quoc, was taken by Vietnam during the civil war, it is now under major development.

Snooky was a lot less developed than I had imagined and Serenity beach where I based has a run down charm. Sadly coastal erosion and the recent Typhoon has removed most of the beach and the shacks which contain the bars are now propped up with sandbags, making a walk along the bars at night treacherous. The other main beach is owned by a major hotel chain although is accessible.

Poverty is very definantly on the other side of the old railway tracks, where again a big shanty town has sprung up. I did notice however a number of kids hanging around as if waiting for a train, odd as passenger services stopped a number of years ago. However as we arrived an engine and some carriages came into view and were being shunted to attach to some freight traffic, inside these carriages some families have made their homes.

Meanwhile back on the beach there is quite an active music scene each night, I ended up at a shack which seemed to host a combination of locals, blending with ex pats from Manchester, and a DJ reviving hits from the 70’s with classic rock. I ended up back at my hotel at 3am very wet from the walk home.