Cambodia Trip

[ChiangMai noon]

Bump

Ndjesi.
Are you ever going to finish this?

[ceburat]

Very good.

[DrAndy]

who did that?

[njdesi]

Damn, now I feel pressure to write this well. Don't give me shit if it sucks. I'll write it sometime this weekend.

[Bruce]

Yep, well there goes the plan to take the bus to Siem Reap.
What if we had our own 4WD - would that be the go, or would the Cambodians sting us for some ridiculous vehicle import tax?

Think I might just save up and fly. We like hiking and 4WDriving, but there's a limit to the number of pocket-pinching kids I can stomach in a day.

[stroller]

Making a Thai exercise.

Never take a Thai sightseeing, if it involves any kind of physical activity, other than boarding a bus or sipping a soft drink through a straw.
I had the bright idea to take my gf and daughter to Sukhothai, past capital and prominent part of their heritage (well, I wanted to see it).
Bought them straw-hats, because it was 'too hot', then hired bycicles for the 3 of us. Couldn't get them through the entrance gate: "Old, destroyed buildings, farang want to see?" was the conclusion. Daughter disappeared to eat ice-cream, I cycled around taking pics, and Mrs. Stroller:

[t.s]

its moto-dop. not moto op.

[Bobk_nyc]

does anyone know how long it takes to bus from BKK to Angkor wat?

[themook]

You can fly to Siem Reap from BKK in about an hour.
I wouldn't want to bus it for a tenth of the price.
Bangkok Airways has a lock on the route so it will
set you back a bit of baht.

[keda]

Yep, well there goes the plan to take the bus to Siem Reap.
What if we had our own 4WD - would that be the go, or would the Cambodians sting us for some ridiculous vehicle import tax?

Think I might just save up and fly. We like hiking and 4WDriving, but there's a limit to the number of pocket-pinching kids I can stomach in a day.

No source.

So many absurd things happen in Thailand that it's easy to become desensitised to some of the amazing stories we hear, on what at times seems like a daily basis.

The following story would never appear in the local English language press, though it did happen and shows just how absurd some things are in this part of the world.

A group of Westerners decided to drive from Bangkok, where they were based, up to Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, and back. After preparing the exhaustive list of paperwork required by the Thais to take a vehicle out of the country, they drove to the border at Poipet.

They were cleared through the Thai side and stamped out of the country, but then prevented from entering Cambodia. They were told that they could enter the country, but not with the car, which would have to be returned to the Thai side, after which the Cambodian immigration authorities could arrange a taxi to take them to Angkor Wat, at a cost of course.

They tried to bribe the Cambodian border officials but amazingly, and if you know this part of the world, amazing is an understatement, they were unsuccessful.

Bugger it, they decided to leave Cambodia on principle, and return to Thailand. So, they were stamped out of Cambodia in record time, and stamped back into Thailand.

Now, there are a number of casinos in the no man's land between Thailand and Cambodia, so they took the car back to the Thai side of no man's land, parked it, and then returned back to the casino area.

Here they played at the casinos until late, and decided to stay overnight in the adjoining hotel, which apparently has very nice rooms for a mere 800 baht.

Next morning, and time to return to Bangkok.

They returned to the border point, but were denied entry into Thailand! Apparently, the Cambodian exit stamp in their passport was from the previous day, and they could not enter Thailand unless the Cambodian exit stamp was of the same day they wished to enter Thailand.

This meant, to keep the paperwork in order, they would need to re-enter Cambodia, having just received their exit stamps, and then re-exit, thereby producing a valid exit stamp, after which they would be welcomed by the Thai authorities.

Back to the Cambodian border point they walked, where they were told that for a mere 500 baht apiece, their exit stamps could be changed to today's date, which would enable them to get back into Thailand. Agreed; no surprise there, since they really had little choice!

So, they gave their passports with accompanying 500 baht notes to the official, and off he went, returning a few minutes later with the passports, whose exit stamps had been changed with liquid white-out and the current day's date written!

Back to Thai immigration, who accepted this, and back into Thailand they came. The moral of this story?

Carry a bottle of white-out with you at all times!

[Phuketrichard]

great story, I have heard tales like this before. Guess your gf is not that into travel.

I have taken my gf to Nepal/Bali/Singapore and she always loved it.
Some thais love to travel and adapt some.... same as all countries.

But the story was great, Batt is not on the list of places i have visited in Cambodia, now i know why :-)

[kitesailor]

I have been stoked to go to Cambodia until I read this story. I have been going to Thailand for over 20 years and have never been to Cambodia. I have been much more interested in exploring the islands like Koh Rong / Rung.

In my travels in Thailand the "fly factor" varies tremendously from intense to almost non existant (Trang), but like you mentioned the Thais make at least a small effort to keep them away from food. Has your experience in Cambodia with flies been countrywide?

I have heard that there is a Visa available that covers Thailand and Cambodia. If you have one of these Visas, would it make the transition through the border easier (possibly no hasstle over the price coming in)?

Keep the travel story coming. Great Job!

[BobbyTits]

Outstanding writing !

[zipcode]

great story, I have heard tales like this before. Guess your gf is not that into travel.

I have taken my gf to Nepal/Bali/Singapore and she always loved it.
Some thais love to travel and adapt some.... same as all countries.

But the story was great, Batt is not on the list of places i have visited in Cambodia, now i know why :-)

A good Traveler is one who does not know where he is going to,
and a perfect Traveler does not know where he came from.

And a lost Traveler does not know where he is

[smeden]

nice pics enjoyed loking and read your post a big smiley from me

[njdesi]

I have been stoked to go to Cambodia until I read this story.

Go to Cambodia. Although the duel pricing and little rip-offs can be annoying, it is one of the most fascinating countries to visit.

[Told Stool]

I have been stoked to go to Cambodia until I read this story.

Go to Cambodia. Although the duel pricing and little rip-offs can be annoying, it is one of the most fascinating countries to visit.

I agree. I lived there for a couple of months. It's real laid-back and one of the best things going for it is that it doesn't have a Wall Street imitation stock market.

[Phuketrichard]

i agree, go. Its a great country and if u combine a trip to Thailand as well u get the best of both worlds.

Also on another note for all those film makers and those who enjoy good independent films out there, i am helping out with the 2nd Annual Cambodian Film Festival this year,

check it out CAMBOFEST: Film and Video Festival of Cambodia

[Marmite the Dog]

check it out CAMBOFEST: Film and Video Festival of Cambodia

I did.

Where's this year's schedule?

Also, do you have any idea where I can get a copy of Sleepwalking Through the Mekong by by John Pirozzi?

[Phuketrichard]

It will be held in June and possibly Dec. after the Rainy season in Siem Rep mid Dec.

See ya there, looks to be a good one this year

[meow]

Got abandoned by my ride going from Siem Reap to Poipet and ended up getting in one of these, Khmer style!

Not something I would repeat again, but an experience nonetheless. They were passing round a large container of red liquid and urged me to try some. It went down smooth enough but then I couldn't feel me legs and thought I was going to pass out. Apparently they mix ethanol and shit like that into it so it was basically chemical based moonshine. Needless to say they had a good laugh at my expense.

Ended up jumping off after an hour and flagged down a bettered Toyota Camri filled with Koreans heading to the border. Poor buggers have to spend hours everyday traveling like that !

[Mr Pot]

Really Good blog, great read. Probably my favourite country I've been travelling.

I took my Thai wife to Snooky and she loved it, the food and khmers. I'd took her to Phillipines before and she fucking hated it so I was pleasantly suprised when she liked the Cambodge.

[colourful-era]

most of the Thais I've met seem very scornful of the place - not that they've ever been there of course.

[mad_dog]

The Broken Bricks is the best bar in PP.

[colourful-era]

^It looks quite cool from the outside - will have to check it out sometime.

do you get many girls hanging out there?