Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Our last half day in Phnom Penh.  Woke up, with our little French breakfast, then off to a bakery for some treats for the seven hour ride to Siem Reap.  Of course the distance to the bakery was a lot further than we remembered.  Over an hour later, treats in hand, we made it back to the hotel to sit by the pool, finish our books (so we could leave them there), and get ready for the next leg.

Tonle Sap river.  Beautiful walk in the downtown area

Selling birds.  You want bird??

Picture of Wat Phen, the highest point in Phnom Penh.  Interesting huh?

Safety first!! No one blocking traffic and leaning the ladder on wires

Horny Bar sign, with children sitting in the front.  Classy?!

Biggest jackfruits we have seen yet

Setting up for meals at the local market.  Our stomachs are already feeling questionable, so no food here

 Not sure what is being served here, but looks yummy!!

THE TRIP to Siem Reap...

The word mortifying—you may be asking why I am using this now?  We Americans use this word a lot and I would have to say the majority of the time the word is used in exaggeration.  I now can say that we can use this word in its full meaning.  Our small van, seven hour ride with plastic seats in the aisle for extra passengers, was mortifying!!

Here is what we had to deal with, so try to keep up:

Broken road, narrowing of the road due to rain destroying the edges, deadly passing techniques both by our driver and others coming at us, motorbikes-lots of them weaving, people on bikes, bikes coming at you in the wrong direction, motorbikes pulling trailers, people pulling trailers, horses pulling trailers, trailers pulling trailers with an engine on the front, bikes pulling trailers, cows pulling trailers---Okay lots of trailers—kids crossing the street without looking, naked kids crossing street without looking, old people crossing without looking, cows crossing the street with no warning, motorbikes coming at you in the wrong direction, fires on the side of the road, a tour bus accident with a construction truck (did not look good), torrential rain, then super dry conditions with wind blowing dust, vendors no more than two inches from us, and dogs darting out in the street….ALL on a two lane decrepit road…**SIGH**?! 

Ten years older, anxiety like you cannot imagine, the trip was mortifying.  We made it and we still have another bus ride to Bangkok.  If one values their life here, they should fly.  Or if on a budget like us, do what the locals do.

We checked into the hotel in Siem Reap, walked around the Old Market with some ‘real’ artisans and some interesting restaurants.   Very bohemian here.   A few beers to calm the nerves and then pass out.

AAAHHHH, we needed this after that trip!!