#21: On to new temples

05.02.2020

Today we want to leave Thailand for now, because other countries also have beautiful places! We will go by Red Truck, airplane, airplane, and Tuk Tuk from Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia. There we want to visit the temples of Ankor among other things.

The day starts early. We quickly get ready, pack the last things and have breakfast quickly, because the flight leaves at 10:25 a.m. We take a Red Truck to the airport and look for the 'self check-in' where we can check in and print out our boarding passes. At the self check-in, surprisingly, two AirAsia employees are ready to take the 'self' off the check-in. At the 'normal' check-in counter, only one person would have checked us in.

After a short wait, we board the AirAsia flight on time and land in Bangkok around noon. There we have to wait a bit again until we can take the next flight to Siem Reap. Said and done, we finally land in Cambodia in the afternoon. Since the visa costs $30, we quickly have to go to the ATM. It should be noted that in Cambodia, the local currency Riel is not dispensed from ATMs, only US dollars. All authorities and shops above about $1 only accept US dollars. Only smaller amounts are paid in Riel. One Euro is equivalent to about 4,500 Riel or $0.90. So both currencies should always be kept on hand.

The visa issuance and passport control go smoothly. In general, it seems that the Thais and Khmer ('Cambodians') work according to the motto 'Many hands make light work', because at every even small task, at least three people are needed. Example: Visa processing: About 8 border officials sit at a long counter and process the incoming passports. The only task of the first official seems to be to accept the incoming passport and pass it on to the next person. The next person takes the passport, collects the money from the traveler, and passes the passport on to the next official. Then the passport goes through 5-6 other hands. The second to last official is only responsible for the stamp and passes the passport on to the last official, who hands it over to the traveler. Cost: $30. If you apply for the visa online and receive it by email, it also costs $30, but plus a $6 processing fee.

At the airport, we are already expected by a Tuk Tuk (a kind of rickshaw, pulled by a motor scooter) and driver. During the leisurely 15-minute ride, the differences to Thailand become apparent very quickly: traffic is back on the right and everything is even more chaotic. Apart from occasional luxury hotels, everything is much sparser and built in much simpler conditions.

We finally arrive at our hotel in the early evening. When booking, we were able to get several discounts through various offers, which is why we were able to stay very cheaply (cheaper than the previous hostels) at a 4-star hotel with breakfast, pool, and airport transfer for six nights. The hotel is located near the center of the old town, close to the most popular streets of Siem Reap.

Already in the high and bright lobby of the hotel, we feel a bit out of place as we are first served orange juice and towels to freshen up in the sitting area. After a few excursion tips from the concierge, we go to the room. We quickly put our things away and jump into the pool!

After refreshing ourselves, we quickly go to the city to get some dinner. Our destination is the 'very popular among backpackers from all over the world' Pubstreet, where we expect cool bars in a cozy atmosphere. Already near Pubstreet, we are somewhat shocked. It is obviously a party district in the style of Ballermann, where a big beer costs $0.5 and a cocktail $1.5. There is no shortage of loud music or neon lights, and there is even a professionally looking wrestling arena. That, and the masses of people and scooters, are quite overwhelming for the first evening, so we look for a nice street stall away from the hustle and bustle for dinner.

After the delicious, typical noodle dish, we quickly retreat to our hotel and end the day full and tired in dreamland.