Hi Guys,
Oh what a Mission! Sorry we have been trying to update you but the email in Cambodia didn't work last night and Foreigners arn't allowed to buy phone cards.
Run down on whats happened since-its been a long two days!
Hotel we stayed at on Khao San Rd was as noisy as being in the Bar! We were doing Thai Karaoke in our sleep.
Our last day in Bangkok was awesome. We were walking down the street looking for a market and two ladies came over and asked us if we needed help. They ended up giving us all these tips and getting us on a govt Tuk Tuk and telling the driver where he must take us and that the whole afternoon would just cost $40 Baht ($1.80).
So for the next four hours the driver just took us to places and waited for us. He took us to amazing temples and we met friendly locals that told us the history of each buddha (apparently the one we were staring at arrived in bangkok in 1800 on a boat that didn't have anyone driving it! The burmese then invaded and tried to destroy the buddha and lit the temple on fire-but the buddha would not burn.)
The friendly local also informed us that the govt had made petrol free for Tuk Tuks to try and encourage tourism for the day-thus why the driver didn't mind driving us around all afternoon!
Yesterday we got up at 6 am and caught a mini van to the cambodian border. 4 hour drive. When we got close to the border the driver stopped and made us wait 1.5 hours so we would buy food at this place and buy their version of the Cambodian visa. Me and Guy declined having read about this practice but the rest of the vans bought into it! They ended up spending an extra $10 US.
Anyhoo a long hot day got worse when we got to the Cambodia border. Imagine a hot market of dirty crims and everyone trying to make a buck and unfriendly authority people everywhere. Got to first check point and I was told I couldn't go any further coz I didn't have a Thai Deaparture card. I was like well Im departing can you give me one? The lady just said no-I freaked out but luckily found a little recipt in my bag that was it -I am so greatful it wasn't chucked! No one told me it was soo bloody impt!
Anyhoo thinking the ordeal was over we walk in the sum for a bit through the crowds and find the next check point-The Cambodian Visa check. It was quite scary trying to avoid not saying what my occupation was and we were with a New Zealand writer who also wanted to avoid listing that. Of course we ended up having to "bribe" the officer with a extra $200 Baht ($6)- but this was pretty standard and we weren't going to argue!
Phew that was over and we continue to walk thinking yay we are in Cambodia! But then we found ourselves in another room where they either let you into Cambodia or not. It had a tree growing out of it and was ridiculously hot. We Waited in line for ages, they took a photo of us and then eventually stamped us in!
And people at work complain about our reception!
Scariest thing we've done in a while but after that its been great.
We got in a shared taxi with a Holland guy and started the two hour journey to Siem Reap. It was amazing! Rice paddies as far as the eye could see. You could see where rain was in the distance and when you drove into it it was like a monsoon and then sun again.
The driver was lovely and told us a lot about the place.
We arrived at our $10 a night accomodation and its been fabulous. The room is air conditioned and had hot water. The staff and people are amazingly friendly and the food is great. Last night I had fresh spring rolls full of tomatoe and cucumber for $1.50. We hadn't eaten anything all day but a bag of chips.
Everyone wants to help you and no one pushes you into things like Bangkok. Here it seems no means no!
We went to the night market and bought up a storm-I think me and Guy are the toughest bargainers out-they are truly shocked by our offers and then we walk away and they accept the deal haha.
But yea Siem Reap is amazingly safe. We were walking in the dark dirty streets and no one bothered us, everyone is friendly and happy. The communists obviously do some things right!
Today we are going to the 8th Wonder of the world- Angkor Wat! It will take two days to see most of it so we should probably go and find sum fresh fruit for breakfast.
Miss you all and love you lots
xxxxx
