Cambodia

The New World Lodge, Bangkok. Our home after leaving the Viengtai for the last time (it's weird how we actually felt attached to it having stayed there so many times!) It was only 5mins down the road, but not knowing that we grabbed a taxi and agreed to a really low price of 20baht (about 30p). Got taken round the houses with a brochure of things to do in the city in or laps (the whole damn place seems to just run off commission from Tuk-Tuks & Taxis) for just over 25mins. He told us about the zoo, the palace, a water park, concerts, shopping, and allsorts. Even after trying desperately to tell him we had spent so much time in Bangkok and done so much there, and the brutal fact that we left at 0630 the following day so couldn't possibly go with him allover the city. He seemed very annoyed and tried to argue that we had to pay him more than we agreed. Pillock. Considering that their culture demonstrates honesty and honor so strongly, it is weird how they try and rip off tourists. I'm so used to it now though. Tanzania, SEA... if you're white - you're rich and stupid. I'm sure not rich, and not so stupid. But I was the one who got in the taxi... meh.

Right! So, in the hotel. Read the sign from our new tour leader: Bo. (*Selecta*) Sorry. He cracked the joke before I did and any other brit. The usual stuff, a few spelling mistakes and warnings of the scamming Tuk-tuks that are the supposed inherent evil in Bangkok. And the list of names on the trip. #1: Tom. Of course, why wouldn't I be number 1...
It continued...
Lou, Jess, Jess, Naomi, Rachel, Meredith, Carrie, Kelly, Anne, Annabel, Donna.

Shit.

As cool as girls are, guys are just better. (whack! Lou actually just hit me...) You know what I mean. Guys hang out with guys, girls with girls, or at least a good mix! If there had been at least one guy... (yes, Bo is a guy, but also our tour leader so busy quite a lot)

We met them, and they too were shocked at the lack of testosterone in 11 of us. Bo thought it was hilarious, but as an outrageously bad flirt (but weirdly good at it with Cambodian women) was not complaining! I feel like I'm giving a bad impression of him, which I really hope I'm not, because he's a legend!

Anyway...

0600 - that bloody annoying thing I call 'Alarm'. It wakes me up, screaming at me. Not my friend.

Up, dressed, and breakfast. I had rice and pork, with egg and potato. Come on: live with the locals, eat like the locals (and get the squits like the westerners) Then, after talking with the others to get to know the enemy... (whack). We got on the bus. (grrr).

In the 4 hours to the border at Poipet, everyone was asleep but me. I played my gameboy. He-he. I'm such a child. Then border control. Leave Thailand, and go into Cambodia. The first time that foreigners got the short queue! (There was a funky foreigner queue and a Cambodian one. Score!!!)
Neat stamps into the passport (it's looking really good now with the new Cambodian visa). And onwards.

It was incredible to see the obvious difference from Thailand immediately over the border! Casinos (a break from the illegal gambling laws), dirt road, peasants and beggars everywhere. It was quite a shock how different the two places really are!

But one thing that the journey showed, was how beautiful Cambodia really is. The miles of soaking rice paddies, the blue skies, the lack of pollution in the country.

And fond memories of what it is like to be in a 3rd world country where not all roads are, well, roads! Dancing road! Crazy for 3.5hrs! Bouncing, rocking, splashing, and just about every type of motion a vehicle can do. The lack of aircon, the lack of oxygen, the bruises, the sick girls. Paradise on Earth... I played game boy...

After the slog, we were there. Civilization in Cambodia. Siem Reap. The flg of the nation based on the local temples at Angkor. The constant images of Tomb Raider style of scenery (it was filmed here). The place was new. Yes!

I loved Thailand, but I needed a new adventure, a new place to get to know and to explore. And I was here. Cambodia. Bring it on.

The land of the Cambodians, The Khmer. A history most people don't know about - both ancient and modern. The most amazing, is how recent their modern history really is...

I have a lot to see, & I can't wait!!!