Thailand - Cambodia

In Cambodia now after an interesting journey to get here, Siam Reap,
where the Angkor Wat temples are.

I set off from Bangkok yesterday lunch and took the government run
bus, a suggestion from an internet site so that you avoid getting
scammed on the tourist buses. It was a smooth 5 hour ride. We got
stopped at the police check point and they took 2 guys off the bus as
they didn't show any ID. Not sure if they were Thais or Cambodians
but apparently they get annoyed if they find a Cambodian in their
country without a visa, even if he is on his way back to Cambodia....

Arrived in Aranyaprathet which was very small and took a tuk tuk with
a Norwegian couple to the hotel. Then we went for dinner at the night market, I had thai green curry something, really not sure what is was but touch wood I haven't seen it again!!! The they gave us dessert which was white and milky and sweet with some small round soft fruits in it, nice, but again, no idea what it was!

We arranged to meet at 7am the next morning to go to the border together. I got up at5.30am thinking it was 6.30am so was downstairs for 6am and had to read my book for an hour as I'd already handed my key in at reception - do'h!!!

The border crossing wasn't too bad, loads ot Thais and Cambodians
passing back and forth, but glad I wasn't on my own! You arrive
in Poipet which is a dodgy lawless town apparently and it stinks. I was almost sick with the smell! We went to the taxi depot (a
1km walk as we didn't see the free transfer buses) and we shared a
taxi to here. $40 between 3 for a 3 hour trip....

However, the road leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, it wasn't
really a road, just a dirt track with a lot of pot holes for 3 hours and our driver drove at about 70mph all the way there, beeping so that all the bikes would get out of the way. Having said that,glad we paid a bit extra for a taxi rather than the bus becuase now I would have a really sore arse instead of ust a slightly sore arse!

I also have myfirst friendship bracelet that is uniform for all travellers - I bought it off a little Cambodian girl when we stopped to use the loo!

So, now staying at the Popular Guesthouse, I have a room with a bed
and a fan. The "wet room" is next door and is shared but at leat it
has a proper toilet and not a squat as they take a bit of getting used to!! I'm paying $3 a night, which is about 1.75GBP.

1GBP = 100bhat. The last room I had in Aranyaprathet cost 30bhat....

Tomorrow I am going to chill and wander around a bit and see the Land Mine museum. I can't see that there is an awful lot to see though and again, there are no real roads, just dirt tracks! Not sure how safe it is to wonder around the town at night either so might have to have an early night tonight.

I hope that after a bit I will stop pointing out what they don't have in SE Asia and only talking about the good things but at the moment it's such a big big difference to anything that I am used to that it's taking a while to adapt!