Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

25-08-09

The mini-bus was late picking me up – so what’s new? We picked up several more along the way until we were full and then we picked up three more! The big bus set off on time then stopped round the corner to wait for some late (local) passengers.

There was a stop after about two hours in order to get something to eat. I’ve said before that noodles are not my perfect breakfast but I found an American-owned café just down the road from the bus stop and had a nice chicken sandwich which came with fries and salad. I was hungry so I ate the lot.

Arriving at Phnom Penh we were met by the usual hoard of tuk-tuk drivers. The one I chose told me he was Ken and he was the world champion tuk-tuk driver! He actually took me to the address I’d asked for – Number 9 Sisters. They had a room with fan and bathroom for $5 so I took it. Then he said he would move me to another room as the rain was coming and the room leaked! He let it out to someone else later though. Anyway, the guesthouse looked like beach huts except they were all joined together and had orchids growing up each side of the walkway. There was a seating area overlooking the lake where you could get meals and drinks – mosquitoes came free during the evening!!! It was a nice setting for all that.

I took a walk into the centre but as it was rush hour, the traffic was horrendous so I didn’t bother trying to cross the road. There were plenty restaurants around the guest house so I chose one that gave a free beer if your order was more than $3.

26-08-09

Up nice and early, had breakfast then set off for the Vietnamese embassy to get my visa. It was quite a long walk and when I got there I was told it was $35 for the visa and to pick it up at 16:30 that day. I wasn’t too impressed by this as some people I’d been talking to the day before had got one of the travel agencies to get theirs and it had only cost them $30 each and they hadn’t had to walk anywhere!

I went to the Russian market while I was waiting for the visa. It wasn’t too impressive. I had decided to get something to eat when the heavens opened and it bounced down for two solid hours. I found an internet café after that so spent more time sheltering from the rain.

I got something to eat when I got back and had another early night as I was tired after all the walking.

27-08-09

I had decided to go to the Killing Fields and museum so when the guesthouse owner said he would take me for $10 it seemed reasonable as the site was quite a long way out. It was very moving, especially the signs above the excavated graves and the stupa with shelves and shelves of skulls and bones. They had a video show as well telling the story of the Killing Fields and saying that they were all over Cambodia and not just at Phnom Penh.

Whilst in the souvenir shop an Australian heard my accent and asked where I came from. He was a salesman, originally from Oldham and he chatted for ages, telling me he played the guitar and his next door neighbour was Hank Marvin of the Shadows. He was also a big fan of George Formby – I certainly bump into some characters!

I got back in the tuk-tuk and suddenly realised I was nearly back at the guesthouse.

Me: “I thought you were taking me to the museum”?

Driver: “No madam, I asked you and you said you didn’t want to go”.

Me: “No you didn’t and I wouldn’t say no. You have cheated me”.

Driver: “Madam you are old and you forget”!

I will not write down my reply but you can imagine there were a few choice words of Anglo-Saxon origin!!

I stamped off in high dudgeon then and went into town. I found a shopping centre that had second-hand books for $2. I keep swapping books after I’ve read them but I was getting a bit low so treated myself to a couple.

After lunch I went to the Royal Palace. Luckily I’d read in the Lonely Planet that you can not go in unless you arms are covered and I had a polo shirt with me. There was a lot of the palace closed off to visitors but there was enough open to tire me out once again. As I was walking through the photographic exhibition, a monkey came strolling in off the street. Unfortunately by the time I’d realised, he had disappeared but when I got to the main street, there was an elephant being walked along by his keeper – you don’t get that in Preston town centre!

I went down to Tonle Sap to see how much the river trips were but as they wanted $10 for one hour I decided against it. I was approached by a man in his thirties and asked if I spoke English. Apparently he’d been on the bus from Siem Reap and had fallen asleep. Someone had helped themselves to his wallet and credit cards but it was too late for him to get money transferred from home and meanwhile could I possibly let him have a couple of dollars? I gave him $5 because he told a good story and like my Mum always says ‘It’s only money’.

I then beat the tuk-tuk driver down to $1 for the ride back home but gave him extra because I’d got it at my price!

I booked my boat ticket to Chau Doc in Vietnam for the next morning.