The long journey to Siem Reap.....

The bus ride from Phnom Penh was the worst of the trip. I left the hotel at 7.15 to get the 7.30, 6 hour bus ride to Siem Reap and the Temples around Angkor Wat. I almost felt like royalty as I left the Diamond. All the staff stood in a line. Bowed and wished me luck.
The bus had no air conditioning (well, it did but it was blowing warm air rather than cool air) and it was a scorching day.
In addition, the driver seemed to be some sort of mission and didn't stop at all for the full 6 hours. That said the journey was spectacular. It was fairly obvious that there had been significant rain during the last few days. Most of the houses were on stilts but many were inaccessible due to the floodwater. No one appeared particularly bothered. Kids were swimming in it. Blokes were up to their waist, chest and on one occasion neck, casting out fishing nets. I suspect that was to feed themselves rather than for fun.

Siem Reap province of Cambodia, despite being the most visited, is the poorest province in Cambodia. That was apparent as we travelled through the countryside and villages.

It is clearly an agricultural area, flat as a pancake and paddy fields as far as the eye could see. Rice was out to dry on mats outside most houses.

As we neared Siem Reap, a chap with an ID badge got on the bus. He said the bus station was 6km outside the city centre and he was part of the bus company. He would arrange TukTuk transport free to our hotels as it was part of the price. On this ride there were quite a few westerners. I had not spoken to any of them given we hadn't stopped.
I did feel a 'sting' coming on. 'beware of wily strangers!'

Arriving at the bus station it was chaos. There must have been 100 moto and TukTuk drivers chasing the bus, knocking on the windows as it pulled up. Us westerners were told to get our luggage and follow the guy. Even then one opportunist said he was with the 'official'. He wasn't at all. In reality the official wasn't really an official of the bus company. I followed him, gave him the address and got in his TukTuk. That's when the fun starts. They take you to their hotel. I was having none of it and firmly told him where I wanted to go, and that I wanted to go straight there. Of course he touted for tours, massage, ladies and the whole shooting match. I did give him a couple of dollars just for his initiative as masquerading as an official.

The hotel was very smart, surprisingly, perhaps Sarah thinks if she gives me a nice hotel at the start and a nice hotel at the finish, I will forget the dives in-between. Ha ha.... I have a plan to play them at their own game!

This place even has a very nice pool. As we speak I am sitting by the pool sipping a Singapore sling. It's a bit like being on holiday!

Tomorrow I will visiting the temples of Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas.

Not sure what to do for the rest of the afternoon. May even have a swim!


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Location:NH 6,Siem Reap,Cambodia