We didn’t do an awful lot today, as we spent most of the day travelling to our next destination. When we originally booked this trip over a year ago, the plan had been for us to cross the border from Thailand into Cambodia by coach. However, in the last few months, there have been border disputes between the two countries accompanied by some fighting and missile-launching. The Foreign Office had therefore advised against all but essential travel to parts of Thailand and Cambodia, in particular 50km either side of the border.
We were convinced our holiday was going to be cancelled, but Newmarket Holidays contacted everyone and advised that we would be flying from Bangkok to Siem Reap, then travelling by coach to Battambang, in order for us to complete our planned itinerary. We had therefore received our flight tickets, and we saw that we were booked on the 10:55 Bangkok Airways flight, number PG905, which takes around one hour and 20 minutes to get there.
After enjoying a good breakfast, we packed up all our stuff and brought our cases down to the hotel foyer for them to be loaded into the coach. Then we settled the bar bill and awaited further instructions with the others. A few minutes later Aoi appeared and we all boarded the bus and set off for the airport.
The Sunday morning traffic wasn’t too bad, and it only took about half an hour to get to the airport. The coach pulled up and Aoi said she would come into the terminal with us to ensure we continued safely on our way. She had been an excellent guide, and we left a good tip for both Aoi and our driver.
Inside the airport, it didn’t take long to check in and receive our boarding passes, then it was time to go through security to the gate. Obviously Aoi couldn’t come with us, but she gave everyone a hug and wished us well as we thanked her for her help over the last three days.
Once airside, we pottered around a bit and looked around the shops. Then, when the announcement came for us to proceed to the departure gate, we made our way to where the aircraft was waiting on the tarmac. It was quite a small aeroplane with propellors under the wing; it had been ages since we’d flown on a turbo-prop. 🙂
As we ascended the stairs and entered the aircraft to find our seats, it seemed as if everything had ground to a halt, as no-one was moving. It transpired that there was one passenger who had an absolutely enormous suitcase that he was trying every way, and without success, to place in the overhead locker. This therefore meant he was holding everyone else up. It was ridiculous really; the case should have gone on the aircraft as checked baggage.
Presently one of the cabin crew squeezed along to see what was happening, and she took the case and wheeled it along to the galley, out of the way. Everyone started moving again and eventually we were all in our seats, seatbelts fastened in preparation for takeoff.
Once we were airborne it was a case of “bye bye Thailand”, and I took a photo out of the plane window. What a great three days we had had. 🙂
Not long afterwards, the cabin crew staff came around with tea, coffee and cold drinks, and we each enjoyed a Coke Zero. Then they started coming around with a meal for us; we weren’t really expecting the works on such a short flight, but we had a little Sunday dinner. There was chicken with gravy, roast potatoes, carrots and broccoli which was actually really good for in-flight food. I didn’t eat the dessert.
Soon it was time for the aircraft to begin its descent into Siem Reap, and we looked out of the window with interest as the pilot lined up with the runway and made a nice, smooth landing. Then we taxied to a halt at the airport building and the engines were switched off, the propellers slowly rotating to a halt.
When British travellers arrive in Cambodia, we have to purchase a visitor’s visa, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 30 days. We had been advised beforehand that this costs $30.00 each and to have the cash ready up front. It was therefore a painless experience to join the fast-moving queue to be ‘processed’, that is, have our photos and fingerprints taken, then complete the form and hand over our passports and the money. We then had to move to another window where we were given our passports back, as well as a receipt of the $30.00. A final window allowed us to have the visa sticker placed in our passport along with an entry stamp. Then we were all good to go, and it was just a matter of retrieving our suitcases from the luggage carousel. As it wasn’t a large aircraft, it didn’t take long at all. 🙂
In the Arrivals hall, we met our new guide who would be looking after us for the five nights we would be spending in Cambodia. He was a happy, smiley chap who told us his name was Moonie. As we all followed him to the waiting coach outside, he explained that we would be travelling to Battambang, a journey of about three hours, before spending the night in the Classy Hotel there, as well as doing some sightseeing in Battambang the next day.
It seemed daft to be flying into Siem Reap, then going to Battambang, then returning to Siem Reap and spending all that time on the coach, but Moonie explained that, had we been arriving in Cambodia from Thailand by coach as was the original plan, we should have been visiting Battambang first, on the way to Siem Reap. We had arrived in Siem Reap today simply because that was where the airport was.
One couple in our party were a bit disgruntled with this, and said they would prefer just to stay in Siem Reap and miss out Battambang. Moonie then had to contact the hotel we would be staying at in Siem Reap to see if he could arrange for them to arrive tonight, and stay an extra day.
Once this was all sorted out, we continued on our way, and Moonie said we would be making a stop for lunch along the route. Everyone looked at each other; hadn’t we already had lunch on the aircraft?
We were happy when the coach parked up as it gave us a chance for a short walk to the restaurant to stretch our legs. It was two o’clock and all we’d done so far was sit around; at the airport, on the plane and now on the coach. We arrived at the Chanrey Tree Khmer Restaurant and entered into air-conditioned bliss. Then I went to the loo and washed and sanitised my hands before taking my seat at the table. We each ordered a welcome, freezing cold bottle of ‘Angkor’ beer each, which we enjoyed as we perused the set menu.
It was funny, because we’d all believed that after our chicken dinner on the plane we wouldn’t want to eat again so soon, but reading the menu and smelling the appetising, savoury smells in the restaurant had made us hungry all over again. 🙂
The food was delicious. It used fragrant ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, chives, oyster and peanut sauces, and there were lots of fresh vegetables, seafood and meat. We were supposed to be booked into the hotel restaurant tonight for dinner, but I already knew I would be giving it a miss!
Once we were all fed and watered and raring to go again, we reboarded the bus and set off for the rest of the journey. Moonie had promised us another rest stop after the next couple of hours, so we just passed the time in whatever way we could. I dozed, read my book (I had started reading The Death Railway by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kappe, after our visit there yesterday) and looked out of the window while half-heartedly listening to Moonie’s animated commentary. He had a good sense of humour, and made us laugh a lot, especially when he came out with English idioms that had obviously been taught to him by previous British visitors. 🙂
One of these expressions came to the fore at our next comfort stop, when Moonie announced that the gentlemen on the coach would have the opportunity to “point Percy at the porcelain”. Everyone laughed heartily as we left the coach for our loo break, to stretch our legs and perhaps buy a soft drink or some small souvenir to take home.
Eventually, around 6.00pm, the coach pulled up outside a lovely looking hotel call the Classy Hotel & Spa, which boasted a rooftop restaurant with amazing views. Inside, we were offered a welcome drink in the incense-scented hotel lobby while our room keys were being sorted out, and our luggage given to the bellboys to take to our rooms.
I was absolutely jiggered by now and all I wanted to do was sleep for an hour, then shower and change out of my grubby, sweat-dampened clothes. I certainly didn’t want to eat yet again; in any case, we were advised that dinner was at 7.00pm and I knew there was no way I would be ready on time.
Our room was lovely. It was large and airy with two big windows on one side of the room, and double-doors leading outside to a small balcony on another side. We seemed to be in a fairly rural part of Battambang, because there wasn’t a blaze of neon below our balcony, just muted lights here and there from little dwellings. The night creatures were out in force and there was a chorus of crickets, cicadas and bullfrogs which added to the tropical atmosphere.
While Trevor got washed and changed and ready to go to dinner, I settled down for a half-hour power nap. I then took a refreshing shower and decided to make a cup of coffee, as there was a kettle in the room. There were a couple of sachets of “3 in 1 Coffee”; I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but I soon found out it meant that the instant coffee already had the milk and sugar added. As I don’t take sugar in coffee, it wasn’t particularly pleasant, so I made do with some cold water instead.
I then took the time to sit and do some of this blog. Around 8.30pm Trevor returned, and we decided to go out and explore our immediate vicinity, and maybe enjoy a beer or two at a local bar. 🙂
We went outside and started walking. We passed a few little cafés selling soft drinks, but there were no bars as such. Walking alongside the river, we spotted a little general dealer type shop that had a refrigerated cabinet containing cans of ‘Cambodia’ lager, so we each bought one and took it over to a table and chairs provided for the purpose.
The beer was lovely and cold and thirst-quenching, but our location right next to the river meant we were easy pickings for the mozzies that flew in their silent clouds around us. We saw a little stray kitten and tried to entice him over, but he was feral and obviously not used to humans, because he ran away when I approached him. But it was when we saw a large rat scrabbling about in an overturned waste bin that we decided to finish our beers and go.
After half-heartedly looking around for somewhere else to go, we decided to return to the hotel and Trevor suggested we go up to where the rooftop restaurant was, as they had a bar there. This we did, but we were the only ones there as the others in our party had all returned to their rooms by now, as it was after 10.00pm and everyone would have been tired after our long day. We enjoyed a bottle of Angkor beer up there before returning to the hotel foyer for a nightcap.
I saw that they had caipirinha, my favourite cocktail, on the list so I ordered one of those. The barmaid brought the drinks over as well as a dish of home-roasted lime and chilli infused peanuts. I picked up a handful of nuts, but I hadn’t noticed that they included a piece of dried chilli pepper. Boy, was it hot! My eyes and nose started running straight away, as I coughed and spluttered. The barmaid notice, and brought over a glass of iced water for me, which I drank down in one, so she brought another one. That chilli was HOT. 🙂
I then finished off my caipirinha, which was a good one (despite the fact that we weren’t in Brazil). Then we returned to our cool room and settled down for the night. Before turning off the light, however, I inserted my industrial-strength ear plugs; this is because we had been advised that we had arrived in Battambang during the 15-day festival called Pchum Ben. This sacred Buddhist festival, also known as the Ancestors’ Festival, honours deceased ancestors by having families offer food and gifts to monks at local pagodas. During this time, monks recite protective prayers and perform chants that create a deeply spiritual atmosphere, and it goes on all night.
The ear plugs did their job, however, and I slept very well indeed. Tomorrow we would have a full day exploring what Battambang had to offer, as well as making our way back to Siem Reap.