Tonle Sap to Battambang

We piled our bikes on the top of the double decker long boat and squeezed downstairs among locals and tourists for the 6 hour river journey. I was on guard duty, holding a spare seat for Tom who was packing our 8 pannier bags in the bow. I NVC'ed my way out of an altercation with a stroppy French tourist, Who almost sat on me as I guarded my lover's seat with dog-like loyalty. It was all ok, cool was kept and in the end there was seating for all! Tom and I ditched for the roof of the boat and had a panoramic view of river life all the way at the risk of a technicolor tan. Shanty thrown up houses of sticks and plastic housing families, chickens, fishing nets and woven trap baskets, dotted all along the brown and marshy edge. These people look like they shift up and down the shore, seasonally fishing the waters. I remember reading somewhere that land can be bought in Cambodia but rivers will always be public.