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Published: January 7th 2007
Well, I've arrived safely in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Since Ko Lanta I spent a few days in Bangkok. I ended up meeting someone from my travels each day I was there. The first day I met my Thai friend JJ. Her and I went out to the movies at the MBK shopping mall. We saw Night at the Museum, which was alright for a laugh. The next day I met this Canadian guy who I met on Ko Pha Ngan, can't think of his name, but a cool guy. We went out to a few clubs on Khao San road. One was a total disaster, where we made a fuss over drink prices, then moments later I had my beer knocked out of my hand, smashing it everywhere. We checked out this other Irish bar, which always has some cool music from a Thai cover band (AC/DC, Guns and Roses, and other cool rock). Then, we hit the streets, walking around having retarded conversations about nothing with people. The next day I stocked up on supplies, met a buddy who had just been to Cambodia, another who was just going and that night (The night before leaving for Cambodia) I met up and partied with my friend Deer who is in some pictures from my earlier blogs. After that club ended (about 1 am) I met some peeps outside who were really really cool. We ended up sitting around on Khao San far far far far too late. Then I slept. Two hours later I awoke and got on a bus to Cambodia. The Cambodian border was only 5 hours away. I played my cards well and caught some shut eye on this relatively empty bus. I was able to stretch out over a few seats, which was nice. Then we made it to the border...well, almost.
First, we had to stay at this littel eatery about 10 minutes away. Whatta scam. They wanted us to pre-get out visas for Cambodia. There were two people I had been talking to on the bus who had made the trip over the border before, and told me I should just wait until I arrive, pay 800 baht for the Visa, plus an extra 300 baht bribe to push it through quickly. I was sold on this plan, until I learned that the two of them were turning right around, not going into Cambodia, and the two were leaving the eatery 15 minutes before we were. So, after resisiting for a while, I bought my Visa at this resturaunt. Which actually turned out to be the better idea...because my Passport isn't in the best shape, I forgot to fill out my departure card...and it just wouldn't have been a bigger hassle/challage to get my visa done there and to attempt a bribe.
I had some expectation about the Thai/Cambodian border. Mainly armed guards searching through your bags and pushing you through the border with the barrels of their guns. No one even looked at me twice, and only long lines stalled my movement over one border to the next. However, at the second visa check area....I had an...ummm...scary, yeah, scary experiance. I had been talking to this one older gentleman *in his 60's* about Badminton (I picked up that he played by his Yonex bag and Victor shoes). He said he is a coach in Vietnam and that he was learning new coaching skills in Thailand. The guy seemed a little odd, but nice enough for sure. Oh, and he had hurt his knee, so he had a crutch under his left arm. Well, the two of us made it up to the Visa check windows at the same time, and after about 30 seconds, he slowly turns and looks at me. First, all the color drains from his face. Then his head begins to wobble. Then he collapses. Just in time I'm able to snag enough of his arm, or maybe the material on his shirt, to prevent his head from imploding on impact with the floor, but he takes a nasty cut to the head in the process. I lean down to see if he's alright, but he's not moving, and his eyes are closed. Finally, after some attempts to speak to him, he comes through, looking quite rough. Another guy and myself help him up, and one of the border guards gives him some sniffing salts, but the buddy collapses again. Luckily we are holding him this time, and we lower him down to sit in a nearby bench. The guy was okay in the end, maybe heat stroke? Not sure, but definately one of the more scary experiences....
Which reminded me of another very very scary experience that happened on my travels, one never blogged about. I was on Ko Pha Ngan with Sarah and we were walking back from the beach late at night back to our guesthouse. When we reached the dark path leading to our bungalow we head a "UNGH UNGH" and a bit more grunting. Then some movement, then "UNGH UNGH". At this point we started to pick up our pace, and it sounded like something was walking behind us. To be perfectly honest. I think it was some sort of large primate. Haha, while the man collapsing prompted me to think about this. I't wasn't until later that day, when I was looking at the pictures on my camera, and because I had my memory card out and was accidentally in internal memory, that I treuly remembered this story. I have a 15 second video of Sarah and myself freaking out and discussing the crazy experience, moments after we made it into our bungalow and locked the doors.
OKay, so we make it over the border, even the old guy, and we pack onto this bus. Now, I've heard stories about the road to Cambodia. The buses are terrible, they say and the roads, horrendus (and kept that way, apparently, to keep people flying in rather than driving). Well, again, as often, I was lucky and got the only area in the bus with two empty seats. But before the journey, we stopped in Poi Pet, which is righ at the border. My senses were overwhelmed, as everything smelled like fish, and sights such as naked, alone babies are crying and reaching for me on the sides of the roads. Soon after we leave Poi Pet and are on the road. We're not more than a mile away when (from right behind me, because I'm at the back seat of the bus), myself and the buddy beside me notice that the bus is being filled with smoke. "EVERYONE OUT" we yell. "THERE'S A FIRE". Only to have people slowly meander their way out of the bus. There was a lot of "I'm not getting back on this bus" and "This is totally expected", a lot of negativey and whatnot, but I, personally, was loving it. Halarious, it was, that all the expectations of the journey were happening. I was in a good mood, cracking jokes like, 'Ï'll make sure I pick up some marshmellows at the next stop". Well, the driver opened the engine area, quickly closed it, and said "okay, is good, back on bus." Quickly I hoped on, followed by some reluctant others, and we were back on the road. "Maybe we should practice our fire drill?" I quiped, before managing to fall into an in-and-out sluber for the next hour and a half.
To be honest, I was expecting the worst from the road from the border to Siem Reap. But, I don't know, maybe it's because I slept at the rights times on the bus, or because I was interested in observing the country side, or listening to my music, the ride was actually quite nice. One thing, is that the road from the border to Siem Reap is barren. It reminded me of pictures I've seen from Africa. Dirt roads, no mountains, very few trees. Dry, yellow grass along the sides of the roads. Every 20 minutes or so you'd see a little shanty, constructed from tin and some wood, next to a pool of mud with a little ramp down to it (earlier in the day I saw some people bathing in this). This trend went on almost the whole way. Then....about an hour outside of Siem Reap, after not seeing a single shanty for like 20 minutes. We drive past, slowly enough to capture the scene, this large tented well lit area. Under the tent is about 100 cambodias, dancing with more energy than I've ever seen people dance before. They weren't just doing your typical hip hop club dancing, these people, and I mean like every single one of them, were leaping in the air and just feeling their music. Remember the scene in the Matrix, yeah, the Matrix, when Neo is in Xion and there's that huge dance party? Well, that was pretty much the vibe and scene. Anyway, I'm glad I saw that, because entering Siam Reap I was given many different impressions of the country and the people.
So, after travelling 200km of barren, desolate land, I arrive in Siam Reap. First thing you notice is that the archatecture influenced quite strongly by the french. Which is quite nice, but seems a bit odd against the unpaved roads that lead into the city. Then you hit Siem Reap proper. 5 star hotels line the streets (and I mean for like 5-10 minutes of driving they line the streets). This was something that made me chuckle and appreciate my means of arriving. Imagine the amount of misunderstanding you might cultivate flying directly into the town. Well, we finally reached our desination, which was just some random guesthouse in some random area of town. There was a few lonely planet who pointed us in the right direction (the right direction for me is the budget direction), but the guy at the guesthouse protested "If you go there, there will be many parties, and many people!".....After this comment I was a little unsure whether he was trying to get us to stay at his place, or if he wanted us to leave. So, we asked a tuk-tuk driver if he could take us to Happy Place. He said yes, and told us it would be 4 american dollars to get there (Right, they run on a combination of American dollars and the Cambodian Riel. (But, despite what the tour guide says helping you into Cambodia, you don't get a better deal using Riel, in fact, they usually just make up some exchange rate price on the spot, which ends up costing you more.). Also, most of the prices are done in American dollars anyway, so mental conversion becmoes a pain in the arse. So this driver says befeore we go "I know this place where you can stay, 7 american dollars"....no, we respond, we just wanna go to Happy Place. So, he agrees and we start driving (6 people in a tuk-tuk, powered by a 100 cc motorbike, haha). So, after about 3 minutes of driving we stop. He gets out, comes to the back and says "So, we can go to the guesthouse I know, good price"....a little confused at his tactics, we again inform him that we just wanna go to Happy Place Guesthouse. He agrees and takes us there. As we approach, the area seems lively enough. They only want 5 dollars for the room. It had a fan, a double bed, some towells and a bathroom. Good enough for me, and apparently everyone else who is in the Tuk-Tuk. So we check in, and about a half hour later, I meet up with a few of the others and we go for a beer. First thing we noticed. The people look a whole lot meaner than Thai people. Also, there are so many girls in their teens working at all the shops (it was like 12 at night.) I mean, this actually makes some sense I think. The girl I was with said that Cambodia has an amazingly high percentage of young people due to the genocide that occured about 20 years ago. So, we ordered some food, which was okay, got offered some warm cans of beer, which were declined and upgraded to large bottles of cold beer. And the three of us sat around and talked about our travels for a little bit. When the bill came. The waiter wrote what we owed him down on a napkin, discussing over, and a little dissagreement over the bill occured, but the large bottle of Ankor beer was kicking in and we settled the matter fairly quickly. I felt a little odd walking back, kinda heavy (maybe I had put on some pounds from the beer or food), but yeah...maybe it was the beer or mild drunkness. However, despite that I slept for a while on the bus that day. Last night I slept for like 12 hours and woke up at 1. When I awoke, I kinda had that same heavy feeling. Not sure, but I did just start taking my anti-malarial pills a few days ago. Maybe this is a side effect, maybe not. So, I bet most people fquickly made their way to Ankor Wat today, but I actually only have like 20 US dollars and a few rial. So, I'm gomnna go have to find a bank machine soon (which I''ve been told is often out of money) and then tommorow morning I'll start my three days of Temple exploring. This will also give me some time to read up and them. I've already done a bit of research. Some of these temples are over a thousand years old. There's a lot of them, each from different periods, and they seem like they'll be very interesting.
I've also been managing some reading lately. In 2 months I read 120 pages of this one book I had. I picked up a couple on Khao San Road, and the one I'm reading now I read 120 pages in 2 hours. So, today, I'll probably just get my money, read a bit, try out some of the local cuisine and attempt to get a good rest.
From Cambodia......take care.
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Dad & Donna
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wow...quite the update..............
Hey Brodie.......... that was a very detailed update on your travels....you are very good at keeping us all informed on where you are and what you are up to.Very interesting reading.Sounds like the Halloween hero strikes again................that guy was very lucky you were there to help him out.....so glad everything turned out okay.Keep up the good work!!!Well I am back to reality and work after our two great holidays...Just got the Christmas lights down yesterday......miss you and your visits but sure enjoy reading about your travels......You astound me with your great writing.....always looking forward to the next one.......Untill then we love you...........stay safe......... Dad & Donna