At last, I’ve arrived in Siem Reap. The mentality that I’m still travelling in Thailand lingers even when I step into Cambodia, most Cambodian thought I’m Thai and begin to converse in Thai with me. No matter what, I can't shake off my Thai identity. That’s why I feel so close to Thailand.
Initially, I was apprehensive as I’ve read online all the visa scam from crossing the borders from Thailand to Cambodia and how crafty they can be. However, as an experienced traveler, I’m glad to say that I manage to get through without a sense of rip-off. I first started taking a bus from Lumphini Park to Aranyaprathet. It’s a casino express bus from Thailand to Poi Pet Casino in Cambodia which usually most people will get to Aranyaprathet from the Northern Bus Terminal, Mo Chit. Once I reach the border and exit myself from Thailand, I’ve to walk 800m to the Cambodia immigration hall which I’ve to fill in the arrival card before getting a stamp. The officer in the immigration hall is very dodgy, I’ve seen earlier a Thai lady offering 100 Baht bribe for a smooth transition. But when it comes to my turn, the officer took his own sweet time, waiting for me to offer him a bribe which I pretend not to notice. About 5mins or so, I started to ask him in English “Is there any problem?” which I can tell he couldn’t understand so I irritate him further till he stamp my passport and let me go. I seriously cannot tolerate corruption, not in my passport.
I left the immigration hall with a few drivers pestering me to take their car to Siem Reap. I took the tourist shuttle bus to a shop which sells the bus ticket to Siem Reap only to find out that the previous 9am bus had left. The next bus will be in 3.30pm which is 5 hours away so I decided to take a taxi instead which is USD $5 more but the catch is I’ve to wait for 3 more passengers. After waiting for an hour or so, an old white man which I happen to know later, Andrew from Scotland got in the cab, I guess he must have booked the whole taxi without realizing there is one passenger in the car, on the way we pick up one more passenger which turns out to be the driver’s sister, Miss. We’ve an interesting chat, got to know a little bit more about Cambodian culture. Andrew drops off at a tuk tuk stand while the driver is kind enough to send me directly to my guest house.
The ambient of the guest house wasn’t that bad except I was disappointed that the Wi-Fi is not working for the whole month till to the Cambodian New Year; at least that’s what the receptionist said.
After I checked in, I decided to explore the town. I begin with the old market where most of the stuff seems to be imported from Thailand.
Siem Reap is a sandy town (I keep eating sand); infants are everywhere, bare naked running around, and children selling whatever you can think of from bracelets to books. Nicely decorated café and restaurant clustering in the old market catering in US dollars. At night, turning one of the streets into Pub Street for foreigners entertainment.
Initially, I was apprehensive as I’ve read online all the visa scam from crossing the borders from Thailand to Cambodia and how crafty they can be. However, as an experienced traveler, I’m glad to say that I manage to get through without a sense of rip-off. I first started taking a bus from Lumphini Park to Aranyaprathet. It’s a casino express bus from Thailand to Poi Pet Casino in Cambodia which usually most people will get to Aranyaprathet from the Northern Bus Terminal, Mo Chit. Once I reach the border and exit myself from Thailand, I’ve to walk 800m to the Cambodia immigration hall which I’ve to fill in the arrival card before getting a stamp. The officer in the immigration hall is very dodgy, I’ve seen earlier a Thai lady offering 100 Baht bribe for a smooth transition. But when it comes to my turn, the officer took his own sweet time, waiting for me to offer him a bribe which I pretend not to notice. About 5mins or so, I started to ask him in English “Is there any problem?” which I can tell he couldn’t understand so I irritate him further till he stamp my passport and let me go. I seriously cannot tolerate corruption, not in my passport.
I left the immigration hall with a few drivers pestering me to take their car to Siem Reap. I took the tourist shuttle bus to a shop which sells the bus ticket to Siem Reap only to find out that the previous 9am bus had left. The next bus will be in 3.30pm which is 5 hours away so I decided to take a taxi instead which is USD $5 more but the catch is I’ve to wait for 3 more passengers. After waiting for an hour or so, an old white man which I happen to know later, Andrew from Scotland got in the cab, I guess he must have booked the whole taxi without realizing there is one passenger in the car, on the way we pick up one more passenger which turns out to be the driver’s sister, Miss. We’ve an interesting chat, got to know a little bit more about Cambodian culture. Andrew drops off at a tuk tuk stand while the driver is kind enough to send me directly to my guest house.
The ambient of the guest house wasn’t that bad except I was disappointed that the Wi-Fi is not working for the whole month till to the Cambodian New Year; at least that’s what the receptionist said.
After I checked in, I decided to explore the town. I begin with the old market where most of the stuff seems to be imported from Thailand.
Siem Reap is a sandy town (I keep eating sand); infants are everywhere, bare naked running around, and children selling whatever you can think of from bracelets to books. Nicely decorated café and restaurant clustering in the old market catering in US dollars. At night, turning one of the streets into Pub Street for foreigners entertainment.
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