Bamboo Train and Bats in Cambodia (by Maggie)

Do you know what the Bamboo Train is? Well if you don't, I'll tell you right now. The Bamboo Train is in Battambang, Cambodia. The train is actually a little bamboo platform about 8 feet wide and 10 feet long with a motor attached.  It is how the locals used to get around before big trains were there. The train goes pretty fast and since you are sitting outside, it seems even faster! There is only one track so when the trains are coming in two different directions, the train with less people has to remove their train from the track. It is easy because the bamboo platform is just sitting on two axles, so they lift each part up separately, and the train with more people stops to help, too. If the Train has a moped on it, the other train has to move off the track. The ride lasted about 20 minutes each way, and it was a little bit scary because there are no walls at all, so you aren't going to fall out, but sometimes it feels like it.  If you ever want to ride on it, you should go soon, because the government is probably getting rid of it to put in a real train.

 

After we rode the Bamboo Train, we went to go see bats come out of a cave. They think that there are at least ten million bats, and they are flying out for 30 straight minutes. Then they separate into little groups and go fly out to sea using echolocation to find their food.  This happens every single night. We had no idea how beautiful the bats could be with the sunset. It was amazing, the bats came out of their cave like little Batmans.  It was stunning.  If you go to Battambang, Cambodia, that is a must see!