Day Seven - KL to Phom Penh

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Day Seven - Bribes & Promenading Pachyderms

The bus dropped us off in KL at around 4am opposite a 24hr McDonalds. We went straight in avoiding the taxi touts and got some coffee and juice before getting a taxi to KL Sentral. We decided to give the bus to KLIA a miss and just took the Expres train. When I was last here it didn’t exist and the airport was totally remote. Now it is much more built up all the way.

As our bags were checked in from the train station through to Phnom Penh it was fairly easy getting through the airport and we had enough time for a snooze before boarding. The flight was with Malaysian Airlines and their breakfast of curry and cakes was much needed.

Arriving in Phnom Penh was much as expected - corruption and disorder. There was no clear sign of how to get through the immigration process (probably on purpose) and they tried to lift a few dodgy payments out of us. They got $5 for Leanne’s visa but when they tried it on with all of us, I played dumb and spoke loudly. It worked and we had our visas. At immigration, they made us go up separately and when Leanne was asked the usual currency questions (‘Have you more than $10000’ etc), she told him not much, just some Christmas money!

We got a cab into town and it was well worth the $9 for 30 mins of demolition derby crossed with the cannonball run. People drove on any side they wanted and obeyed no known road laws. It was hair raising but damned good fun.

The Indochine 2 was a great place. We checked in, they booked us on a bus to Siem Reap the next day and we hit the town. We walked along the riverside in searing heat and visited the King’s Palace/temple complex.

It was a stunning place and very impressive although starkly contrasted with the poverty evident in the city. The Silver Pagoda is named for its silver tiled floor; the main pavilion was dripping in gold and crystal.

After this, we headed up to the hotel for a change of clothes, stopping for an Angkor beer on the way (60p a glass) and on the way saw the most stunning sight - an elephant was walking down the middle of the road. Everyone was driving round it and not passing it a glance so this wasn’t an unusual occurrence.

For dinner, we headed to the FCC - The Foreign Correspondent’s Club - which was a delightful indulgence. Sitting overlooking the Mekong River, it was tremendous. Heading home and tumbling into bed was welcome - it was a long long day...

Today’s Highlights Leanne with the custom fella; the Pavilion in Phnom Penh; and the elephant taking a stroll.

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