Dash from LP to Siem Reap for the New Year and 'Wat'not

---

My original itinerary call for my travels to take me further west and north into Laos and then back around to the east. I hadn't even considered Cambodia as a destination this time around. All this changed after a chat with a friend who suggested I could go to Angkor Wat (Siem Reap, Cambodia) - for New Year's Celebrations and watch the first sunrise over the ancient city for the first time in 2013. This change in plan required me to travel back to Luang Prabang for a 1.5hr flight to Siem Reap.

In LP I stayed in the same accommodation that I'd stayed at the first time through. The few hours I had in town before the flight I went exploring to the town further afield... much to my surprise I bumped into a German couple I'd met in Nong Khiaw. We shared a coffee and chatted about those random topics that one would chat about with a German in Loas - e.g. BMW, Ford, photography, northern winter xmas vs non xmas in warm/hot laos and who could forget them passionately going on and on about the elephant village and taking the elephants for a bath in the river (I was shown 50 photos of these travellers in their swimming gear washing elephants...) their passion/interest in the elephants was contagious and the next time I passed through LP I went to the village - though I decided bathing the elephants was my thing.

The flight was uneventful and the landscape quickly changed to an arid and virtually flat surface.

I arrived around 4pm in Siem Reap and after a quick transition through immigration was thrust into the extremely muggy taxi rank. My accommodation was supposed to meet me at the airport, however after a 15 minute wait they were a no show; which was lucky as I found my transport/guide for the next two days - Mr. Khy (sounded like Kay)... the best cab driver in the world (more about him later) - if anyone does need a driver in Siem Reap he can be contacted at Tel: [phone] or [e-mail] - I highly recommend him.

I checked into my accommodation that was owned and operated by an odd Italian, who had his ancient mother living with him. The mother spoke little/no English or Cambodian and seemed to pass the day by watching Italian TV game shows (via satellite) during the day - she got a little smile when I wished her goodbye with a little "ciao bella". After checking in I made my way to the famous Pub Street - the heart/centre of all tourist activities. I had gone in the matter of a few hours from laid back and backwater laos to a buzzing mini Time Square meets Bangkok. My batch of Cambodian postcards were written this evening.

---

Photos

Traffic to airport was typical SE Asia fun
I asked about right-of-way... no one could give me a clear explanation on who gives way to whom.

LP International Airport
Flight was at 2:30pm and I arrived at about noon. The tuk tuk driver pulled a common scam. We agreed fare to the airport, however once we got there he explained he didn't have enough change for my low demonination bills - he walked away with the same fare as I would have paid a a regular cab - i.e. he got an extra $2 from me.

Lake with Islands as seen from 10k feet.
Lake Nam Ngum, Laos.

Vientiane (capitol of Laos)
If you look closely you can see the golden Buddhist temple Pha That Luang (near the lower center of the photo). This is the spiritual centre of Laos.

Interesting town plan
I've not been able to find this town on a map anywhere - would love to know what it is. I think it is in Thialand close to the Cambodia boarder.

Siem Reap and the West Baray Lake
The man made lake was formed in in the 11th c., and was 8km long by 2.2km wide and 7m deep (about 22 feet). Later a temple was built in the centre of the lake.
YOu can also see a golfcourse in the foreground... I think siem reap has 5 or 6 professional courses to cater to all the tourists that come to visit.

Siem Reap Airport terminal
Unlike Luang Prabang Siem Reap has done everything up for tourists in the last 10 years, including the airport. Very modern on the inside and effecient processing of passports/visas - there were about 10 different officials seated around a cresent shaped reception table. You handed your passport and money to the first person and they would check, stamp or doodle something as part of their process and slide the document to their left for the next person to complete their task - this was done 10 times and at the end you collected your passport with a shinny new visa.

Siem Reap traffic vrom the airport
Just as crazy as Laos. Note that their redlights also have a countdown so that you can be ready to step on the gas a fraction of a second before the light changes... hopefully the people coming from the other direction are conversly breaking a fraction of a second earlier.

Pub Street - Where all the action is
Bars, cafes, restuarants, massage parlours, internet cafes, hole in the wall retail shops, night markets and street vendors - the five or six blocks in this area was buzzing with life and energy.

Dinner Sampler in Siem Reap
Some of you received postcards and I think I mentioned that I would take a photo of the moment... well here you are (postcards to the right).

Night Markets
A block away from Pub Street. You could find almost anything you could dream of in these markets and you could have spent hours here exploring and still not seen all the offerings.