One of these journeys

After one of these journeys you don't tend to forget, I made it to Cambodia. I would have loved to stay longer in Laos, as it was such a chilled out place, with very friendly and very laid back people. The words stress, hurry and worry don't seem to exist there - yet. Everything runs on Laos time, including the service in the restaurants for example. The only way you will enjoy it, is to get infected by their laid back attitude.. :-)

Anyways, on Tuesday I had to leave, if I wanted to make it in time to Siem Reap, Cambodia. (I'm flying out of here on Saturday, back to Kuala Lumpur). My last night in Laos was a bit of a nightmare, as my stomach decided to go funny, meaning that frequent and urgent visits to the bathroom were necessary. (my stomach had been weak already during previous days, but not to the same extend). So I was very anxious how I would deal with a 30 hours trip that consisted mainly of buses....- but in the end it turned out fine, thanks to antibiotics.

So at 13:30 the bus to Ventiane (Laos capital) was supposed to leave. But as the bus was overbooked, we were short of two seats. This meant that the two girls who had arrived last would have had to stand or sit on plastic stools. So they started debating and arguing for 40 minutes, while the rest of the people were waiting on the bus, sweating, and wanting to leave, as some of us had to catch the bus to Bangkok. After much debate and the crowd clapping once the girls had decided that they would sit on the stools, we were off to Ventiane. As it turned out the two girls were going to Bangkok too, so I had pleasure to experience their presence for another 12 hours. I think they had made it a point that they would ALWAYS be the last ones on the bus, because after every single stop we had to wait for them again. I was VERY close to walk up to them and tell them what I thought...

Anyways after a surpringly smooth ride, in a compfy bus, with the first decent movie I have seen on a bus on this trip, we were dropped off at the Ko San Road at 4. 15 am in the morning- 1.5 hours ahead of schedule. So we decided to have breakfast at the pub that is open 24 hours. After breakfast we took the taxi to the train station, as I had hoped to catch a train to the border, not a bus. Yet, I had missed the train by 45 minutes and I would have had to wait 5 hours for the next one, so I decided to take the bus to the Cambodian border instead. That meant that I had to go to the bus station, which is situated in the North of the city. So at 7am I board the city bus, hoping to be there at 8am latest. But I didn't take Bangkok traffic into account. It is INSANE!! It took my 2 hours to get to the bloody bus station- by then I was truly irritated. Luckily, there was a bus leaving soon, plus the 4 hour ride was pleasant, so that I had time to calm down before getting to the boarder. Up until now I never had encountered any problems, so I didn't expect any this time either. I had read in the Lonely Planet at some point that they would advise peole to get their visas beforehand, in order to not be overcharged at the boarder, when getting their visa on arrival. So I go through Thai emmigration, all good, and I get to the Cambodian visa on arrival office. There is a sign that says that the visa costs 20 US. Yet the guy at the counter tells me it is 20 US plus 200 Baht (7 dollars). So I tell him that the sign says 20 US and nothing about extra 200 Baht and that I'm not willing to pay the extra. The Dutch couple I had met on the way had in the meanwhile readily handed over their passports including the 200 Baht and gotten their visa within 3 minutes. So I hand the guy the 20 US and my passport, but not the extra. So he just looks at me with one of these smiles and tells me that my visa will take 3 hours(!). So I go and sit on some seats, thinking to myself, if you want to play that game, I'm willing to play. I was up for it. Yet I had agreed with the Dutch couple that I would share a taxi with them to the boarder to Siem Reap. So they were not impressed to be waiting for me, since it was already approaching 3pm in the afternoon and Siem Reap was still 3 hours taxi ride away. So it meant that if I would wait I would get my visa only at 5pm and I had to stay at the border town as the last bus would have left by then. And paying 50 US for a taxi all by myself was also not a very appealing thought either. So the Dutch guy goes over and asks one of these other guys (tourism authority) what needed to be done to speed up the process. I was convinced that now the price would rise to 400 baht, just to punish me, but luckily it turned out to be only 200. So I hand over my money, not meeting this guys eyes, fuming inside. For me it was not so about the money, as it was about the principle. I was so upset with myself and the system. Believe me, if I hadn't already booked my flight from Cambodia, I would have gone straight back to Thailand. After that many questions arised: Why did I give in? Why did I support the system? What must it be like for the people to live in a country like that where you need to buy your way everywhere? (it is a HUGE issue in Cambodia, as I learnt in the meanwhile)

I did get my visa within 3 minutes and once I finally got on the small trolley bus. Of couse we were again ripped off by the taxi company and as the Dutch didn't let me do the bargaining, so we ended up paying triple the price. By then I just had to tell myself to relax. And to not let myself be so much caught up in these things. I learnt my lessons- for sure. In the end I did make it to Siem Reap by 7pm. Tired, upset and yet glad to have made it.

The rest of my experience here I really enjoyed so far. The people here I have met are very kind and friendly, my hostel very cool, the temples of Ankor Wat impressive and the food excellent. I just make a point of staying away from officials.