Arrived in Phnom Penh
Trip Start
Oct 01, 2007
1
32
54
Trip End
Dec 20, 2007
Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The alarm is sounding and Weeble and Bob are not in the mood for an early morning packing session. Clothes still soaking from washing them the day before, and the torrential downpour meant the clothes would travel as they were. Inside a black bag in Weebles already full rucksack. Bob dashed downstairs to pay the bill while Weeble jumped up and down on the rucksack trying to compress everything. Weeble then lauched downstairs and out to try and stop the minibus from leaving outside STA Travel. Turns out the minibus only took us 30 secs round the corner to where the air-conditioned coach was waiting. Weeble and Bob were dripping with sweat at this point.
The coach jorney to the border was uneventful and pleasent. Weeble finding his seat could move into the aisle providing Bob with enough room to sleep. The border crossing was anything but pleasent! We arrived at the Vietnam border and was hearded off the coach into a hall full of foreigners. The Vietnamese went straight through, but we queued for at least 30 mins. After being allowed to leave Vietnam we boarded the coach and drove the 20 or so seconds to the Cambodia crossing. Those people who didn't have a Cambodian visa then had to depart the coach and purchase one. Doing this was pretty self explanitory. Fill in the form and attach a passport photo. No photo pay $22 for the visa. We provided photos and so only paid $20 for the visa. We then passed through passport control and had to under go a greuling medical. $1 later and the medical was signed off. We headed back out for the coach only to find that the coach had departed and we could use the motorbikes instead to reach the bus. $1 later and we had reached the coach 4 kilometers down the road.
The Cambodia side of things was different to say the least. After a slight misunderstanding and having to go and collect forgotten passports, we headed on tarmaced roads for an hour. Then the road dissappeared. Not washed away or blown up. The Cambodians simply haven't bothered building one to connect the boarder crossing to the capital. The coach (we feel sorry for the clutch and suspension) under went a road test across dirt tracks, pot holes, craters, ramps, banks, and a ferry crossing not designed for a coach as the suspension found out after making an almighty bang.
We made it to Phnom Penh alive and after a quick tuk-tuk ride arrived at the Pacific Hotel (recommended). Good room - bath, 2 beds, and a cool looking pillar for 10 pounds each a night. After hearing about a German couples experience with guesthouses this was paradise.
