Advertisement
Published: March 2nd 2009
While I'm now in Nepal, a brief note to anyone contemplating the Siem Reap to Bangkok trip by land. The bus ride was relatively easy, and I did not find the road conditions particularly bad, although there are of course unpaved sections (just don't sit above the wheel well as your knees will get pretty cramped!). The scenery along the way is not the most exciting, but you do get to see a fair bit of the country and can note the differences between Cambodia and Thailand - for example the change in the number and distribution of power lines is pretty significant. I know that many people buy a ticket only to the border and then figure out ongoing travel from there. However, I bought a ticket straight through (only $13) and had the luxury of someone from the travel company showing you the path through the two custom offices and not having to search for ticket agencies or bus depots at the border, which are a farther walk away. I think the only downside of booking straight through is that you may have to wait a few hours for the next bus, but there is seating and food/water in shaded areas, so its really not a problem unless you're in a rush.
Being in Nepal is fantastic! The trip over was very easy (lets just say, after one too many meals at street stalls, thank goodness for Imodium!) and I'm rapidly filling my passport with cool stamps and visas. Jampa met me at the airport, after a friend of his walked me through all the official processes inside - it was like being a diplomat with preferential treatment! The weather here is so much better, 60s to 70s during the day, although much colder in the morning and night. On the way to Jampa's family's house we stopped for a visit with a few other relatives and I met the youngest member of the family, Jampa's 18 month old nephew, who is adorable.
I'm staying in a Tibetan community/compound in Kathmandu. Its a great atmosphere, where everyone knows and greets each other. On my second day here, about 35-40 people, mainly related, went on a pilgrimage. The family rented a minibus, it comes with driver and "director" who, because of the narrow streets and amount of traffic, often sits on top and hits the roof to indicate whether the bus has room to move over, back up, etc. The site was about a 3 hr drive away, probably about 2/3s on paved road, the last bit was particularly bumpy on the way back. Once there, we spent a few hours walking around the holy sites and then recongregated for a picnic lunch, with food, plates, etc. brought from home. I'm really glad that I arrived in time for the trip and, in hindsight, happy that I did not rush to get here in time for Tibetan New Years, as most Tibetans elected not to celebrate it this year, as an act of mourning about events last year in Tibet (the NY Times wrote about this a few days ago). In addition, March 10th is the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising and the Dali Lama's move into exile. Since I've arrived, I've seen Nepalese police in the village on several occasions, as Nepal is hoping to discourage (apparently with China's encouragement) any demonstrations on the 10th. Based on all this, I'm guessing that there won't be any visas for Tibet issued until at least mid-March.
Travel around Nepal, or at least Kathmandu as that is what I've seen so far, is mainly by motorcycles, although there are a fair number of cars as well. Yesterday was my first excursion as a passenger on a motorcycle (minus one outing in college). Its actually much easier to stay on/less difficult than I had imagined, which suggests that the person I rode with in college was a pretty bad driver as left turns with him were harrowing. While the traffic system seems less chaotic than Cambodia, there is still some ambiguity regarding lanes, particularly for motorcycles, and occasional use of the other direction lanes when convenient. (Crossing the street also remains difficult.) Despite this, my eyes have been open 99.99 percent of the time while riding (partly to spot potholes so I can make sure I'm ready) and I keep the occasional commentary very quiet so as not to disturb Jampa (and mom, don't worry, he is a good driver!) Interestingly, I've only seen one driver of a a bike without a helmet, but not a single passenger with one, there must be a law that creates this dynamic. Today was my second day out and I am now okay with dirt roads as well as paved.
I'm sorry that I haven't been able to respond to everyone's messages individually yet, they are appreciated, but the opportunity to use the internet is somewhat limited. This is in part because Kathmandu is currently subject to scheduled blackouts (i.e., no electricity) for about 12-14 hours a day. (Before I arrived the blackouts were longer, about 16 hours a day). The electricity is often on at the less useful times of midnight until 4 a.m.. Jampa's family has a system to provide some lighting even without the electricity, which is great since sunset is around 6. Even more difficult for folks here is the water shortage, which is pretty extreme. People collect water daily from local or main wells and try to store it; those closer to the end of a water line often don't get any water from it when the electricity is one as its all pumped out by upstream users.
Finally, for those who were worried, my taste for chocolate has returned!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.256s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 9; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0575s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Kevin
non-member comment
Bus
"your knees will get pretty cramped" YOUR knees got pretty cramped!? I think i will avoid that bus entirely (should the opportunity arise).