We ummed and ahhed about flying to flying the route from Siem Reap to Bangkok as we had been told by more than one person that the bus journey on the Cambodian side was 6 hours of hell. But when we looked into it and realised it was a difference of paying $140 for a flight and $11 on the bus our budgeting won out. How bad can it be we said. It's only 6 hours of our lives, we'll be fine.
WELL, it all started when the supposed mini bus with A/C rounded the corner and pulled up outside the tour office to pick us and 18 others up. Without exaggeration this was the oldest looking bus I have ever seen with a windscreen which was broken in many places and held together with tape.... We all rushed to get on to try and secure the best seats but despite my best efforts I was shoved toward the back where I made my way to the only 2 neighbouring seats left on the bus. I soon realised why. The wheel arch not only restricted leg room, it took it all, so the floor was the same height as the seat. Needless to say I wasn't looking forward to sitting there for 6 hours. Still I didn't think I had a choice so I tried to squeeze in and couldn't even get my legs in...by this point I was shouting at Mik to grab the front passenger seat as there was no way he would have fitted in too. He managed to secure this and said that was another seat there too. I pushed my way to the front and found the spare seat next to him - a lovely little pull down seat, for emergencies only methinks - and once I sat on it I why as it was essentially a circle of steel with some material over it. I'm not sure I chose the best option, but anyway I was stuck with it now. Now, Mik actually had a fairly decent looking seat but spent the first 2 hours holding a plastic bag up above his head to catch the rain which was leaking in off the roof. Ah yes, forgot to mention that it was raining, and had been most of the night, so the roads were going to be in a great state.
So off we went, packed to the rafters. Obviously the bus had no aircon at all and had never pretended to. When we realise this I think Mik muttered something along the lines of "Lying b*stards". The road was actually not too bad and I settled down a bit. THEN we got to the bit where the road ends and becomes a dirt track. Due to heavy rainfall this dirt track was even more eroded than ever and so we consequently spent the next 4 1/2 hours literally bouncing about in our seats. The journey was in fact a mere 155km but it took a full 6 hours (including a quick break for lunch (thank god) after which our bus had to be given a push start - brilliant! Now this was probably the first time I have experienced anything quite to bone shaking and I'm surprised we weren't all sobbing but we made it through. Just. I sat there looking forward to the bridges which were flat and brought sweet relief for a least 3 seconds each time (if you could forget that they were made of a couple of planks which didn't look like they'd hold us) and thinking that it could be a lot worse. The whiny American we'd had on a previous bus journey wasn't there for example, no one was throwing up, there were no screaming babies on board - so all in all I suppose we had it good. Until that is you saw other westerners sailing past in their big aircon buses. B*gger - we'd chosen the wrong tour operator!
So, eventually we arrived at the Cambodian border town, numb bruised legs and sore backsides but still in one piece. We walked across the border and through no-mans lands, past a casino - go figure - but we didn't stop. Then got into Thailand and waited for our bus. we jokingly pointed to a nearly pickup truck and suggested that was our next mode of transport - ha, ha. Well the laugh was on us as we did have to get on it - but luckily not for long. It took us to a beautiful double decker aircon coach where we had 2 seats each and frilly curtains to boot. Luxury.
So finally after 12 hours of travelling we were in Bangkok. Grabbed another English couple, secured a taxi and went to track down a hotel room, had some dinner and slept like the dead under our first duvet since we've been away. It was all worth it. now I wasn't keen on staying long in Bangkok as I've been before and it's generally very hot, noisey and dirty. We also had a hotel not far from the Kao San Road which has such a bad reputation as the backpacker area. However, due to the need to get Mik's leg x-rayed - remember the fall through the wooden walkway in Vietnam 3 weeks ago? Mik will fill you in on this but don't worry all OK, and the fact that we couldn't get a flight out for 2 days we stayed a while. And I really enjoyed it. Walking up and down the Kao San Road was great fun despite the noise and tackiness of it all. Great clothes for sale at "it would be rude not to purchase it" prices, and people watching to keep you going all day!
I don't know if the heavy rainfall in Thailand made it to international news but after it rained for 10 hours solid one night and they had over 17cm of rain the roads were flooded so getting to the hospital was quite an escapade. This short video will show you more but basically there were small fish on the pavements, which we can only presume had been washed up the drains from the river. Mik did his bit for the environment but putting this fish back into the water in the gutter, where it would, in all probability, later get run over by a bus!
www.ourtravels.co.uk/photo_gallery/likeafishoutofwater.avi
(right click on this link and click 'save target as'. Save to your local machine and play with Windows Media Player.
Caution : File size approx. 20Mb, don't try if you use a dial up connection)
Anyways, a couple of days there and we got on our cheap flight up to Chiang Mai in the north where we find ourselves now. By the way we flew Air Asia, Asias version of a low cost carrier and I have to say they were pretty good. More legroom than a Lufthansa flight anyway!
Oh and if any of should happen to have been tracking our route on a map of S.E. Asia you may now be thinking we are going an arse about tit way round. This is true as we will soon be heading into northern Laos. All I can say is the best laid plans......!
Off to laze around the pool now so catch you later.
C x
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