Siem Reap is a mess. Extremly messy town on the one hand and a very nice park and a bunch of very fancy looking Chinese hotels on the other. We stayed at a small guesthouse called the Two Dragons. It was probably owned by an American expat and his Thai wife, but who knows. The room we had was so-so, but the restaurant was excellent.
First day we joined another couple for a tour of the Tonle Sap lake. The floating villages and all that stuff. Beautiful day and probably more than 4 hours in a tuk-tuk. I'm not so sure that the stuff the guide told us about the floating villages were true. It seemed very rosy to me at least. In the evening we went to see the sunset over Angkor Wat. It was probably pretty, but the hordes of tourist made it all very unpleasant.
The next day we had a tuk-tuk drive us around to see a lot of temples. Angkor Wat at 5:30 for the sunrise and we ended the day at Ta Promh (The Toomb Raider temple) at around 17:20. Long day.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Day 11: To Siem Reap and Angkor Wat
This started out with the wildest border crossing I have ever done. Basically you have Aranyaprathet on the Thai side of the border and Poipet on the Cambodians. Poipet is like the wild east. There migth be a Sheriff in town, but he is probably drunk and his horse is dead. It is a casino, corruption and scam central. Al Capone would have felt right at home.
We were told before that this is the worst border crossing in south east asia. It is by far the worst I have tried. Luckily our guesthouse in Siem Reap had a contact in Poipet who, for a small commission, would help us get through. For first time visitors I definitely recommend something like this. We had a booking to border in a bus. When we got there they set us of about 800m before the Thai side and tried to sell us a ticket further. Plus help with the visa. We just walked away and suddenly we felt very much alone and out of place in the middle of nowhere. The distance up to the border itself was full of all sort of scary people, but we walked fast and got out of Thailand.
On the Cambodia side we walked even faster until we met out guide in the Cambodian immigration. His help and a small "commission" to the border police got us through in about an hour. It took 3 offices (health declaration, visa and arrival-office). Out guide then got us onboard the shuttle bus located among a number of casinos and it drove of right away with only the driver, our guide and us onboard.
After about 5 min we arrived at the taxi-central where a nondescript Toyota Camry awaited us. Ahead waited 2 hours drive to Siem Reap. It is a very strange feeling being two white people alone with a Cambodian driver for two hours of asphalt through the wasteland of western Cambodia. Although everything felt very surreal, it actually worked out alright and we got to destination on time.
We were told before that this is the worst border crossing in south east asia. It is by far the worst I have tried. Luckily our guesthouse in Siem Reap had a contact in Poipet who, for a small commission, would help us get through. For first time visitors I definitely recommend something like this. We had a booking to border in a bus. When we got there they set us of about 800m before the Thai side and tried to sell us a ticket further. Plus help with the visa. We just walked away and suddenly we felt very much alone and out of place in the middle of nowhere. The distance up to the border itself was full of all sort of scary people, but we walked fast and got out of Thailand.
On the Cambodia side we walked even faster until we met out guide in the Cambodian immigration. His help and a small "commission" to the border police got us through in about an hour. It took 3 offices (health declaration, visa and arrival-office). Out guide then got us onboard the shuttle bus located among a number of casinos and it drove of right away with only the driver, our guide and us onboard.
After about 5 min we arrived at the taxi-central where a nondescript Toyota Camry awaited us. Ahead waited 2 hours drive to Siem Reap. It is a very strange feeling being two white people alone with a Cambodian driver for two hours of asphalt through the wasteland of western Cambodia. Although everything felt very surreal, it actually worked out alright and we got to destination on time.
Day 10: Back in Bangkok
We left Chiang Mai and flew back to Bangkok. Pretty uneventful. The flight was fine and so was the bus ride back into Bangkok. We checked into a guesthouse near the Hua Lompong trainstation. A place called the Train Inn that we had found in Lonely Planet. That is -- by far -- the worst place I have stayed ever. I truly regret not just sleeping in the street. And it was kinda expensive too. This should teach me to always check the rooms before accepting a place to stay.
Worst part was that later we went out looking for internet access and found a place called "@ Hua Lompong", which was a very nice place, cheaper and just as conviently located for going with an early train next morning.
In the end we decided not to take the train. It was 3rd class only and didn't go beyond Aranyaprathet. Instead we took a bus recommended by the staff at the train station. Somewhat nervous about that since the busses leaving Khao San apparently is scam-central. How could we be sure that this was better?
In the bus' favor was that it was recommended not only the train station staff but also an american expat living in Cambodia that we met. It didn't seem like there were anything in it for any of them to lie. Still a bit scary though!
Worst part was that later we went out looking for internet access and found a place called "@ Hua Lompong", which was a very nice place, cheaper and just as conviently located for going with an early train next morning.
In the end we decided not to take the train. It was 3rd class only and didn't go beyond Aranyaprathet. Instead we took a bus recommended by the staff at the train station. Somewhat nervous about that since the busses leaving Khao San apparently is scam-central. How could we be sure that this was better?
In the bus' favor was that it was recommended not only the train station staff but also an american expat living in Cambodia that we met. It didn't seem like there were anything in it for any of them to lie. Still a bit scary though!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Day 7-8: Last night in Chiang Mai
Finally yesterday we manged to go on a tour out of this nice city. We did the standard kliche kinda thing. Ride an elephant, swim under a (very cold) waterfall and do some rafting on a river. Great fun even if not too original. We were only 6 people on the tour with me as the only non-american. That was great. Jasmina traded business cards with everybody probably assuming the trip was just for networking.Today we visitied a temple and went to the day market. Great fun too. We are a little sad though. We really like Chiang Mai.
Tomorrow we fly to Bangkok. We don't have a hotel or guesthouse reservation there, but I hope it will work out anyway. Sunday we will try to make it to Cambodia. It sounds like quite the challenge.
However, the driver made a detour to a travel agency, which is one of the visa scam places. I already had an e-visa (http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/e-visa/vindex.aspx), which I would recommend to avoid the hassle at the border. The salesman at the travel agency wanted me to go into his office to talk to him and asked to see my passport. I refused to hand him my passport and the tuk-tuk driver drove me away quickly when I told other travellers not to get their visa at that place, but to get it from Cambodian immigration at the border, where it will cost less.Still I look forward to the adventure. Even if it scares the shit out of me.
In Chiang Mai we have really enjoyed the free wifi provided by our hotel. We probably won't have that for the entire trip (especially not in Bangkok), but I hope we will have it Cambodia. On paper we have reservation for places with wifi. You can follow my google buzz-stream here.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Day 1-6: Bangkok to Chiang Mai
So we arrived in Bangkok and took a taxi to our hotel. It was located about a 10 min. walk south of Khao San road, which apparently is where all the backpackers hang out. The immediate neighborhood was aweful. Spend the first day resting and exploring the streets close to the hotel.
Second day we went walking for real. We went to the train station to buy tickets for Chiang Mai and continued on to Siam Square and the huge department store called MKD (or something similar). Strange that we should end up spending our first full day in Bangkok exploring bookstores! Other than that, there is not that much to tell from Bangkok, which seems to be a really big, hot, noicy city. Unpleasent.
The train trip up to Chiang Mai was fun. 12 hours with reasonable good food onboard and an unexpected change of trains in the middle of nowhere. Arrival in Chiang Mai was nice as our hotel here turned out to be really pleasant. Basically we have been walking around Chiang Mai for a couple of days, doing very little other than enjoying the weather and the food. Yesterday we took a boat cruise on the nearby Ping river. That was pleasant as well.
Our plans for the next couple of days are uncertain as well. Probably go f or a tour somewhere and head back to Bangkok on Saturday. Then on to Siam Reap in Cambodia.
Second day we went walking for real. We went to the train station to buy tickets for Chiang Mai and continued on to Siam Square and the huge department store called MKD (or something similar). Strange that we should end up spending our first full day in Bangkok exploring bookstores! Other than that, there is not that much to tell from Bangkok, which seems to be a really big, hot, noicy city. Unpleasent.
The train trip up to Chiang Mai was fun. 12 hours with reasonable good food onboard and an unexpected change of trains in the middle of nowhere. Arrival in Chiang Mai was nice as our hotel here turned out to be really pleasant. Basically we have been walking around Chiang Mai for a couple of days, doing very little other than enjoying the weather and the food. Yesterday we took a boat cruise on the nearby Ping river. That was pleasant as well.
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