Phnom penh here I come
Hello all, This is the next leg of my journey. CAMBODIA
I think my mom was most worried about me travelling here by my lonesome, but it's actually a really neat place.
My journey started by taking a cheap taxi (190 baht) at 5 am back to the brand new huge (and apparently already falling apart) Suvarnabhumi airport (pronounced : soo wana poom) to check into my flight that I had booked two days earlier at the TAT (thai authority of travel).
On my way to the airport, we drove by rows and rows of make shift stalls all lit up by candles, strings of lights and barebulbs illuminating the brightly coloured goods. It was an all-night baazar that was just finishing at 5.
Another thing happened of a less than savory nature along the same route which I feel I need to mention was, that I saw a man on a motorcycle that was killed by an accident. The image of his bloody mangled body will always be imprinted on my brain. Aweful, but people here never wear helmets and drive very fast, so it would've been a quick hit and death (hopefully). It made me sick as the image keeps recycling in my head all the way to the airport until I could be distracted by the craziness there.
My flight was interesting. As we boarded the plane, the stuartess said basically it's a free for all so get whatever seat you could. This prompted a shoving match for those wanting certain seats with certain people. I just jumped into the first seat I could see, so I wouldn't get trampled or punched, so I was near to the front. One american guy tore a strip out of the stuartess about the situation (yeah buddy, it's her fault!) It was only an hour and 15 minute ride so it wasn't a big deal.
The flight went quickly and soon I was desending the stairs to the tarmac in Phnom penh. Customs/Visa/Immigration took around 45 minutes total. I then walked out into the humid air of the parking lot. I hopped on the back of a small motorcycle to the city centre for 2 bucks US and went to the Spring Guesthouse (thanks to Jenni) to meet up with Emily and Fiona (friends from Canada) to hang out for the day before they left for Vietnam.
I got to their room and chilled out, reading, until they came back from breakfast. Emily wanted to go workout and they had found a hotel were you were allowed to pay for(8 bucks) a day pass and use the facilities and pool. So we headed to the hotel Cambodiana. Well this place was an enormas 5 star hotel, I felt so out of place but we went in and I swam in my underwear (the patagonia ones actually look like a swim suit) as the girls worked out in the hot excercise room.
We next went to get money changed over and head for the "Friends Cafe" also recommended by my friend Jenni, who had travelled here not a year earlier. On the way to the cafe I saw my first asian elephant walking along the street with her human companion, coming from her day of work at the local Wat. Elephants are incredible creatures of enormas proportion. I can't wait until my time in Chiang Mai, volunteering with the asian elephants, and spending time one on one with these amazing creatures.
Anyway the Friends restaurant was an amazing place to eat. The food was exquisite with flavour and it's a not for profit organization that promotes a healthy workforce amoung young adults here in Cambodia by teaching them all about the hospitality industry and training them to become successful individuals. Very progressive.
Afterwards we walked to the Night bazaar near the Hotel Cambodiana. This was a busy hangout for families and teens, much like a fair. Complete with squeeky, decreped rides that children clung to with glee, food stalls serving local favorites eaten in hammock tussocks, prize balloon darts and a popular roller rink where local khmer adolecents come to hone their blading skills while dressed in their best stylish outfits, much to the pleasure of the crowds surrounding.
Soon after walking one lap of the festivities we bolted out of there and headed back to the guesthouse in the glow of the moto drivers headlights.
Emily and Fiona left early this morning on the bus to the Vietnam leg of their journey. As for me I am starting to plan the Northern Thailand trip I will leave for in a couple days, and will hopefully get to go to the museum and the Russian market before I head out. I have a feeling that there will not be reliable internet up north, so this may be my last post for a week or so, but I'll see I guess Peace, More photos to come soon, I just forgot to bring my connector cord today. -J
I think my mom was most worried about me travelling here by my lonesome, but it's actually a really neat place.
My journey started by taking a cheap taxi (190 baht) at 5 am back to the brand new huge (and apparently already falling apart) Suvarnabhumi airport (pronounced : soo wana poom) to check into my flight that I had booked two days earlier at the TAT (thai authority of travel).
On my way to the airport, we drove by rows and rows of make shift stalls all lit up by candles, strings of lights and barebulbs illuminating the brightly coloured goods. It was an all-night baazar that was just finishing at 5.
Another thing happened of a less than savory nature along the same route which I feel I need to mention was, that I saw a man on a motorcycle that was killed by an accident. The image of his bloody mangled body will always be imprinted on my brain. Aweful, but people here never wear helmets and drive very fast, so it would've been a quick hit and death (hopefully). It made me sick as the image keeps recycling in my head all the way to the airport until I could be distracted by the craziness there.
My flight was interesting. As we boarded the plane, the stuartess said basically it's a free for all so get whatever seat you could. This prompted a shoving match for those wanting certain seats with certain people. I just jumped into the first seat I could see, so I wouldn't get trampled or punched, so I was near to the front. One american guy tore a strip out of the stuartess about the situation (yeah buddy, it's her fault!) It was only an hour and 15 minute ride so it wasn't a big deal.
The flight went quickly and soon I was desending the stairs to the tarmac in Phnom penh. Customs/Visa/Immigration took around 45 minutes total. I then walked out into the humid air of the parking lot. I hopped on the back of a small motorcycle to the city centre for 2 bucks US and went to the Spring Guesthouse (thanks to Jenni) to meet up with Emily and Fiona (friends from Canada) to hang out for the day before they left for Vietnam.
I got to their room and chilled out, reading, until they came back from breakfast. Emily wanted to go workout and they had found a hotel were you were allowed to pay for(8 bucks) a day pass and use the facilities and pool. So we headed to the hotel Cambodiana. Well this place was an enormas 5 star hotel, I felt so out of place but we went in and I swam in my underwear (the patagonia ones actually look like a swim suit) as the girls worked out in the hot excercise room.
We next went to get money changed over and head for the "Friends Cafe" also recommended by my friend Jenni, who had travelled here not a year earlier. On the way to the cafe I saw my first asian elephant walking along the street with her human companion, coming from her day of work at the local Wat. Elephants are incredible creatures of enormas proportion. I can't wait until my time in Chiang Mai, volunteering with the asian elephants, and spending time one on one with these amazing creatures.
Anyway the Friends restaurant was an amazing place to eat. The food was exquisite with flavour and it's a not for profit organization that promotes a healthy workforce amoung young adults here in Cambodia by teaching them all about the hospitality industry and training them to become successful individuals. Very progressive.
Afterwards we walked to the Night bazaar near the Hotel Cambodiana. This was a busy hangout for families and teens, much like a fair. Complete with squeeky, decreped rides that children clung to with glee, food stalls serving local favorites eaten in hammock tussocks, prize balloon darts and a popular roller rink where local khmer adolecents come to hone their blading skills while dressed in their best stylish outfits, much to the pleasure of the crowds surrounding.
Soon after walking one lap of the festivities we bolted out of there and headed back to the guesthouse in the glow of the moto drivers headlights.
Emily and Fiona left early this morning on the bus to the Vietnam leg of their journey. As for me I am starting to plan the Northern Thailand trip I will leave for in a couple days, and will hopefully get to go to the museum and the Russian market before I head out. I have a feeling that there will not be reliable internet up north, so this may be my last post for a week or so, but I'll see I guess Peace, More photos to come soon, I just forgot to bring my connector cord today. -J
posted by jannahsworld at 4:47 pm
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