We had our own personal cruise boat in Vietnam but in Cambodia you can have your own personal train, a trip we would heartily recommend although we hear it will only be running for another year or so.
Getting our train onto the tracks
A ride on the bamboo train
After the horror of the Khmer Rouge (If you don't know, you should - look it up or see 'The Killing Fields') transport was a bit of an issue so the Bamboo Train was born. It did run about 140km from the Thai boarder to about 30km south of Battenbang in north west Cambodia however as the roads have improved the line is now only about 30km long.
The bamboo train has also solved the real issue of single track lines - what to do when two trains going in opposite directions meet. Answer - the lighter is picked up, put on the side of the line and then the other drives through.
We hear that the line is due a full overhaul which means that proper trains are to be put back into service..... which is obviously good news for everyone except those who run the current service.... We enjoyed spending the $10 it cost us for our own train for a couple of hours and don't think we'll ever have the chance to do it again.
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