A Day of Transportation
Trip Start
Oct 20, 2008
1
72
93
Trip End
Jan 31, 2009
Siem Reap,
Cambodia
Sunday, January 4, 2009
15 minutes later, I was in the middle of Cholon, the Chinatown of HCM City. It wasn't all that different from Central HCM, except for the red lanterns and the Chinese characters popping up here and there. My main purpose for coming here wasn't to visit pagodas, but to take some photographs. So I did; especially around the main market...
On the way back, I had a difficult time trying to find the bus stop. So, I had to walk back and forth for kilometers, thereby losing half of my H20 content.
Checked out of my sketchy guesthouse, which I still don't know the name of, grabbed my large backpack and started walking towards the bus station. It was exhausting with the extra 20 kilos.
On the airport bus, the hostess decided to charge me twice because I had luggage. This hadn't happened on my way from the airport. There were 2 other tourists on the bus who were at least as confused as I was. They refused to buy the 2nd ticket. In reaction, the driver stopped the bus and they had a short discussion, since they couldn't speak each other's language. Finally, I turned back and told the tourist couple that they were arguing over less than $2. Thank god, they paid.
We were at the airport in 30 minutes. After the tourist couple got off, the female one pathetically shouted "Fuck you two!" As much as the driver hated them, he loved me, because I didn't cause any trouble. He went as far as leaving the bus to get a trolley for me. All tourists should get used to the idea that they will always get ripped off. They should not speak up as long as the amount does not threaten their budget. This is my humble advice to all tourists out there seeking a peace of mind.
The international terminal was as impressive at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Also, the Vietnamese Airlines flight was short and comfortable. They even served fresh, ham sandwiches.
As the plane was descending, I felt like I was landing on somewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nature had gone wild; jungle was everywhere...
The Siem Reap International Airport is the cutest one I have ever seen. With minimal funds, they have constructed a wooden terminal true to their traditional architecture.
After getting some Cambodian Riels, I exited the terminal to meet my tuc tuc driver. Tuc tuc is basically a trolley attached to a motorbike. I had found a highly recommended hostel on Hostelworld.com and they had sent the tuc tuc to pick me up. It's a really fun and cheap way to get around.
As soon as I landed, I knew that the prevalent attitude towards tourists was different than the one in Vietnam. No taxi driver jumped onto me as I was leaving the terminal, for instance.
Cambodia is significantly poorer than Vietnam. The level of poverty in Siem Reap, which is a relatively well-off town due to tourism, is more intense than in any Vietnamese village that I have caught a glimpse of. Ironically, this makes my experience more pleasurable. Town plans are simple; there is no traffic and people are more laid-back. Cambodians are on the lower end of the income scale and they are very self-aware. On the other hand, the Vietnamese believe that they can get closer and closer to the center of the scale. As a result of this unrest, they are having a bit of an identity crisis, which produces ugly cities and more importantly, moral decay. I prefer the Khmer way of life, at least for now.
All of the Cambodians that I have seen so far have a darker complexion that the average Vietnamese. Plus, they really are as friendly as all guide books praise them to be.
The Siem Reap Hostel looked amazing. I had never seen such a luxurious hostel before. It even had a swimming pool! $8 per night.
After making use of the free internet access, I ordered a fresh fruit juice and a club sandwich, at the hostel's restaurant. The food was not only tasteless, but also pricey. $6.
When I went up to the dorm, I noticed that I had some roommates. 3 guys from Switzerland. Germany and South Africa. The Swiss guy was an accountant who had quit his job. He had been traveling for 2 months and his backpack had been stolen at a bus station in Australia. The German guy was just out of school. Finally, the South African guy had Indian ancestry and had a super exotic accent.
Even though the room was very comfortable, thanks to the new furniture and the AC, I couldn't sleep well due to my mosquito paranoia.
