Day Eight - Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

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Day Eight - Khmer Kung Fu, Karaoke and Bartering over 50p

As we had our tickets waiting, we were able to go for a leisurely breakfast. However, the chef was pushing mañana to a completely new level. Throwing the delicious banana pancakes down our necks we got finished in time for our minibus to arrive. As we weaved through the already crazy streets we chanced upon a road accident - a van had hit a crazy moped rider. After much waving of arms, the lad on the ground was up and away again. As we moved past it, a young girl nipped in front of our bus to block it on her scooter so she could get across the road and down a side street. I am amazed any of them get there alive but it really summed up the bonkers SE Asian drivers.

The bus itself was grand although the decor and choice of movies were ‘interesting’. 2 hours of Khmer karaoke were followed by a kung fu film that could only be described as ‘shite’. You didn’t need to speak Khmer to understand it as it was overacted within an inch of its life. Everytime we stopped to let someone off or on, the bus would rise to peek around him or her, daring not to miss a second of this nonsense. It was followed by a movie that was a Streetfighter rip off - this time instead of just fighting, they played poker as they fought. It quickly stole the title of the worst film I’d ever seen from the kung fu one. Again the bus was in raptures, roaring with laughter and cheering on their favourites. Jesus, somewhere, wept.

The journey was a proper experience too. Might is Right is the rule on the road in Cambodia and the bus driver ploughed up the middle weaving in and out blaring his horn for 6 hours. Yes 6 hours to go 150 miles. The two breaks were much welcomed though.

On arrival, our guesthouse sent two tuk tuks for us which was a godsend. We hopped on board and were ferried into Siem Reap proper. Leanne had begged for a tuk tuk ride in Phnom Penh but it was only a short hop back to our hotel after dinner - this was a proper 15 minute ride. The breeze as we coasted along was a great remedy for the bus’ aircon.

When we got to the Bou Savvy Guest House, the girls got the room on the upper floor to satiate Angela’s worries so we were left with the worse room. It was dead on but the girls was soooo much better. That aside, the place was lovely and the same two tuk tuk drivers took us into town for dinner and we agreed to hire them for the next day to get around Angkor.

We hit the night market area and went directly for some dinner in the Red Piano, getting a great table overlooking the crowds. It was here that Angelina Jolie inaugurated a cocktail - the Tomb Raider - so Angela ordered one. It was bloody lovely but a few more and you’d know all about it. Dinner was great, I had a local dish, Lam Lok, which was sliced beef in a ginger and onion sauce.

Dinner done we hit the market and Angela got into full swing bartering for dresses and scarves for the girls. They got themselves the comfy Khmer trousers (I wish I got a pair but they are really only for women) and Shannon got a lovely dress. With a load of scarves too, it all came to very little - def a place I’d encourage them to shop...

All that done, we stopped for a drink on ‘Pub Street’ before getting a tuk tuk back to the house. I was on a timescale as Everton were playing xxx and I wanted to watch it on the girl’s TV (they got 100 satellite channels, we got 3 Khmer...). With everyone falling asleep around me (9pm ish) I struggled to keep awake through a pretty dull match but after the second goal went in, I got Angela up and we headed down to ours. I was in the room about 2 minutes before I was snoring my head off.

Today’s Highlights Banana pancakes, all four of them; a big three points; and a step closer to Angkor...

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