CAMBODIA

Hi Everyone,

I just got back from my big adventure to CAMBODIA!!!  Wow, what a great trip.  I really enjoyed Cambodia, wonderful world heritage sites like Angkor Wat, delicious food, like the national dish Amok, and the friendly people.

I went to Cambodia overland from Bangkok.  I set out at 6am by bus and reached the border town of Aranyaprathet about 5 hours later.  You have to pass through Thai customs where you get an exit stamp.  It's a short walk to the Cambodian border where you then have to go through Cambodian customs.

Cambodian customs was easy.  The line wasn't long and all you had to do was pay $20, get the visa and get your passport stamped.  I was in and out.  Of course my entry back into Thailand was another story, but that's a nightmare I'll share with you later...

Once I got through to the other side I was in Poipet Cambodia.  

I still had another 2 hour drive to get to Siem Reap but I split cab fare with another traveler who was also going to Siem Reap, so it wasn't bad.  The journey through the countryside was spectacular to see.  The verdant fields of rice rippled in the wind like silk. 

 The rice fields were so lush and beautiful it seemed that if I could just reach out and touch it, it would be like stroking velvet.

Yet even with all the beauty, the stark reality of how poor Cambodia truly is was pushed to the fore.

The juxtaposition between the beauty of the landscape with the realities of extreme poverty could be overwhelming at times.

  After 2 hours of driving through the countryside once inside Cambodia, it was nice to get to my hotel which was an oasis in the heart of Siem Reap.

The outside garden was very peaceful and a great welcome after the end of a 7 hour journey.

I met up with friends (we had prearranged to meet in Cambodia), and we ended up having a relaxing dinner before going out to enjoy the nightlife of Siem Reap.

The nightlife was great.  Great night markets...

lots of good restaurants...

and of course some great clubbing!  I had a great time dancing the night away with a couple of good friends.

But as much fun as I was having, after getting up at 4:30am to catch the bus, I decided at 2am it was time to call it quits so went back to the hotel to turn in.  After all, I was getting up in a few hours to go explore a world heritage site, Angkor Wat!  Unfortunately you will have to wait for the next installment to hear all about my adventures going back in time to the early 12th century!