Cambodia

We tried updating the blog in Cambodia, but internet access was problematic! :) We have moved though Cambodia via bus and are now spending out first night in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh) ready to start our volunteer stint with the Oz-Quest group tomorrow. (already scoped out our meeting point - Being the intreppid exploreres we are, we found it without needing a map!!) All very exciting!

I guess the Cambodia story starts from the early morning in Bangkok. Up at 6 to get to the Travel agents office for the 7am bus to Siem Riep (Cambodia). At 7:15 with no sign of a bus we knocked on the door and asked when the bus was likely to be there. "The Bus isnt until 9am" was the reply.

We didnt even get an apology when we showed them our hand written reciept that said 7am. (not to mention we confirmed it the previous day!) So we waited around some more (as we have got used to) and come 9:15 and no sign of a bus still, enquired again. They said they would make some enquiries and at 10:00 we were told. "Sorry - the bus was at 7:00 we just forgot to organise the shuttle to the bus terminal for you."
...right...
Recommendation for this agent..... NOT!

We then pretty much had two options: Stay another night in Bangkok (which we had already had enough of, and catch the 7am bus the next morning), so when we told them we would rather not we were pretty much handed 1800 Baht (~$70) (which was the price of the tickets - and didnt include the agents fees that were added on the top) and told to make our own way! :o/

So since we are going back to Bangkok to fly out we couldnt be bothered arguing any more at that point, took the money and found the nearest taxi to the public Bus terminal. No-one really spoke english and the booth we were ushered to listed a town we couldnt find anywhere on any of our maps. When assured it went to Cambodia we decided to jump on and pray it was the right one! I followed the major highway numbers which seemed to be right until we turned off, went about 2 kms off the highway and stopped at another terminal of which we couldnt find on our maps either! The ticket collector from the bus told us to sit and wait here. What for we didnt know. Eventually another bus came, she told us to get on that and we headed off towards the border. YAY! :)

We needed a Tuk-Tuk ride from the final bus station to the border check point - and he diverted us twice! We said the border, but he took us first to another travel agent! After strongly insisting we wanted the border and nothing else! he took us almost to the border - through all these markets, then dumped us at the end. We had to walk back through all the markets, then no probs walking through the checkpoints to Cambodia.

The instant we were there we both noticed how much more genuinely friendly everyone seemed. (Thailand was generally friendly, but usually it seemed a bit forced - understandable I guess with the numbers of tourists they see every day.) We jumped on a bus to Siem Reip which was about 120kms away. 6 hours down a very bumpy gravel road (with potholes half the size of the bus at times) and tacked together bridges that you would be scared to walk across! Was still more fun than the night busses around Thailand as we could see the countryside!

Siem Reip had two main attactions that were both fantastic. The temple ruins (build in the 10-13th centuries) around the "Ankor Wat" area were impressive enough, but it would have been mindblowing to see then when they were new! Almost every wall is intricately decorated with carvings and statues. And the buildings are huge! The main temple "Ankor Wat" has surrounding corridore wings of almost a kilometer square and the centre towers about the size of an eight storey building! We spent a whole day and saw about 10 temples. - Less than 1/4 of all the ones built in the 20 km square area. We even wandered around the one hidden amongst the jungle that they used in Tomb Taider and Indianna Jones! Fitness was pushed with the amount of climbing we did.




So Kai (?dont know the spelling) our Tuk-Tuk driver for the day. Couldnt speak a lot of english but had the most contagious and wonderful smile and was very friendly. Helped make the day even better.




As much as you can see in one photo of the kind of decorations all along the surrounding corridors of Ankor Wat. (3m tall carving in the walls!)

Below is the main "Ankor Wat" from the third floor of the central area. You can see the surrounding corridors in the distance after the interior lawns/gardens!



The second main attraction was the floating village. About 1000 families (mainly fishing people) all with their own house boats - but more impressively - supporting floating schools, shops and even things like basket ball courts! They shift the whole town around the massive lake depending on the seasonal water levels and fishing conditions.

Had to include the cute little kid who was paddling around the tourist boats begging for money ...in his wash basin! When we first saw him he was at the big cuise ship in the back ground - about 300m off shore!


Continued on to the capital Phnom Penh. The guesthouse we stayed at for the last two of the three nights (TAT guesthouse) was a wonderful atmosphere owned and run by an extended family. Really good food and you felt so at home with the little kids and the cute dog and puppy! this also helped make the Cambodia experience a wonderful time.

We saw the infamous Khmer Rouge "S-21" security prison and interrogation grounds - now turned into a museum about Cambodias not so distant dark past. Didnt take any photos as you dont want to remember it in too much graphic detail. It wasnt a pleasant experience - but we were there for the history and deepening of understanding - not the Disney theme park.

Just two pictures of Phnom Penh to show how good the price of fuel in Perth is.... and how good it is to have road rules! :)


*pssshhhht* Over and out from Tim and Renee!