Day 11 - Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap

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We had some free time before our afternoon flight to Cambodia, so we went back to the market for an hour after breakfast to pick up some last minute items. Weight more than space was becoming an issue, so purchases were going to have to be made carefully.

We went off to the airport, and joined a short line of people waiting to check in for the hour long flight. We were pleasantly surprised to get the seats just behind business class which gave us loads of leg room. we touched down and the pilot announced the outside temperature was 30deg at 5pm - hooray! It's the only airport terminal building i've been to where it was so nice it merited a photograph! After a lot of form filling for immigration and customs, and paying for a visa we made it outside and were greeted by the guide and driver. He turned out not to be our actual guide, which was a good job as his English was poor, but our guide had been delayed in the capital. He called our guide who explained that due to the Water Festival he was going to be late, but our driver would take us to the resturant for the welcome dinner, and we should watch for lights on the river. The Water Festival was on the final day of the 2 day festival in Siem Reap, but it meant that the town was more busy than usual. In the capital Phnom Penh it lasts for 3 days, and there was still a full days dragon boat racing left. We arrived at the hotel, which was not the one in the itinerary, but very nice nevertheless. We investigated and found the pool on the roof and went to have a drink up there before going to get changed for dinner. The meal was a set menu and very nice, in a lovely setting with plenty of tour groups also using the same place. Our driver had told us how to get back to the hotel, so we started walking. As we neared the hotel, fireworks started to go off which sounded more like artillary shells, and there was a huge crowd of people watching and gathered along the riverbank. In the water we could see boats coming along, like dragon boat racing, but it was too dark to see them properly. The fireworks continued, and we were getting rained on by the debris from them, so we crossed over the bridge and walked along the other side. All along the river there were lights floating down, and upon closer inspection these were being made at the side of the river and sold and were in all sorts of designs like boats, lotus leaves, dragons, flowers and even houses. The people were writing on them and then handing them to small boys who were swimming out into the river to set them off.

After crossing back over the river further down, we stopped at the bar next to the hotel where the local beer was $1 - bargain. We retired to bed knowing that the following day was going to be a hot one on the bikes around the Ankor Wat temple complex.

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Comments

[auntie liz]

i've been following your blog with interest. you all seem to be having a brilliant time and it's great to be able to share your experiances and see through your photos places i will probably never see! it truly looks amazing. it was a shame about your dads camera. hope you didn't lose too many photos. although knowing our peter there was probably quite a few.but at least no one was hurt. i look forward to your next installment. lots of love to you all. continue having a brilliant time. xx