Cambodia and Lao Tips

Double check prices on the menus (sometimes they try to charge you more for something so always check the menu when you get the bill)

Cambodia and Lao have mostly meat dishes (I don’t eat meat or sea food and it is not impossible but I am now sick of eggs, noodles, and rice)

The currency in Cambodia is the riel (1.00 USD = 3,986.96 KHR) and the currency in Lao is the kip (1.00 USD = 7672.49 LAK)

Always bargain with the tuk tuk drivers and everyone else (just like all of Asia)

Research when crossing a border by land (when the border closes, all the fees, whether or not you need a passport picture, etc.)

Mini bus seating (do not sit in the back…they either don’t have ac or it isn’t very good, try to sit as close to the font as possible and if there is a single seat grab it!)

Order of countries (personally I would recommend going from Northern Lao and then going down to Cambodia as opposed to the other way around)

CityMaps2Go App (if you have an iphone , download the map of where you are going ahead of time, very helpful)

Pub Street/Night Market (located in Siem Reap, Cambodia this is the area where the nightlife, shopping, and tourism goes on. This is the only thing to really do at night, if you do not stay in the area you will have to take a tuk tuk every time you want to go which is a pain)

Hydrate (seriously, it is extremely hot and humid and you become tired so quickly. Drink a ton of water or you will be very sorry very quickly)

Have fun (these are beautiful countries and it is amazing to be there)

Cambodia

“The farther you go, however, the harder it is to return. The world has many edges, and it's easy to fall off.”  (Anderson Cooper)

Getting back to Bangkok was not pleasant. First I took about a 3-hour ferry to Don Sak Peir from Koh Pangan. It was really hot and a storm was on the horizon, which made for lots of rocking. Then there was a bus into Surat Thani which is where I met R (different from the one in Koh Pangan) and I was very happy I did. We got dropped at one place and picked up by a mini bus and then had to wait for about 2 hours at another place, and finally a minibus to our final bus. But wait, the fun wasn’t over yet! We had heard stories about the people on the buses gassing the buses so that the passengers will fall asleep and the porters can take things. Not something you would notice right away; a little money, a camera, something that would take you a minute to realize what had happened. I was really happy I was now with someone because I was freaked out! I was careful with my stuff, all important things (wallet, passport, camera, phone) were in a purse that I had on me and my backpack only had my laptop (which they wouldn’t take because I would notice that pretty quick. The ride in itself was awful. The air conditioning didn’t work and the windows didn’t open…I didn’t realize what that meant until later. I felt terrible for the next two days. What I thought was just dehydration was really the after affects of the gas. Please be careful when taking over night buses in Thailand. You can secure your stuff, just be smart and check everything before you get off, but make sure you have a place to stay and prepare to feel a bit sick.

Our bus got in at 4:30 in the morning and I thought I was going to throw up. I didn’t realize at the time why I felt so awful but I just wanted to lay down in the street. Instead, R and I checked into Wild Orchid (across the from the place I stayed last time) and passed out.  I thought I felt better when I woke up but when we went to go find out bus information for Cambodia I felt so sick I had to go back and lay down. When I finally got up I felt good enough to go and see A (who was on her way to Phi Phi Island) and D (she was leaving that night to go back to India) which was really great and made me so happy to see them both! D had to leave for the airport so A, R, and I went and sat at outside at a restaurant but all were pretty sleepy so we turned in early. Unfortunately the gas hangover continued. I felt awful on Thursday and spent most of the day in bed alternating between sleeping and reading. R and I got pizza to go and watched a movie (he wasn’t feeling great either). We did end up booking bus tickets to Cambodia for the next day which was good because we thought we had to feel better by the next day.

On Friday R and I got up early and caught the bus at 8 to Cambodia! The bus ended up being a van which was either too small or had too many people. It was about a 6- hour ride to the town of Piopet where we stopped and filled out the paper work to cross into Cambodia. If you cross the border by bus you need two 4x6 (cm) passport pictures and $35 (you can also pay in Thai baht but it is cheaper in dollars). We also found out that you CAN use an online E-Visa in Piopet to cross the border for a few dollars cheaper (there is a scam which says you cannot use it so people have to pay more money). After you hand in your visa application you wait about ten minutes and get your passport back with your visa. Then we (along with 4 other people) were taken by a guide to cross the border, he made sure all our paper work was filled out properly so we would not be delayed. Then we went through Thai immigration and handed in our departure tickets and then finally through arrivals for Cambodia to get our passports stamped and cross into Cambodia officially. It was incredibly hot and the line was long, bring a big bottle of water and lots of patience.  Finally we all got through and then had to wait a while for our bus to take us to our actual bus which would then take us to Siem Reap.

We had booked a hotel in Piopet while we were filling out our visa applications because it was cheap (600 baht) and we knew we would be beat by the time we got there. We were told that we would be picked up when the bus dropped us off in Siem Reap and taken to the hotel. While waiting for the bus a ton of guys tried to convince us to take a cab. They said it would take 2 hours in the cab while the bus took 4 hours and it would only be 100 baht. It was extremely hot and we were beat and we almost did it…then we found out that they only took 4 people at a time and would end up being cramped and said forget it. We later found out that this cab ride would have been a terrible idea because of the distance, from the bus station where we were waiting to Siem Reap was about 200 km, which would mean that the cab would have been speeding out of control the entire way to get us there in two hours. Plus, the bus was air-conditioned, we made a nice pit stop, and it was under 4 hours.

Another thing to be aware of, our guide recommended us to change a lot more money than necessary. First of all you can exchange only dollars or Thai baht (we took out money before we crossed the border) and there are not many atms in Cambodia so if you do not have enough money take out before you cross the border. The currency in Cambodia is the riel (1.00 USD = 3,984.83 KHR) but the dollar is actually accepted everywhere. So you can get a meal for $2 but on the whole it is cheaper to use riel. Our guide was saying that we should change about 12,000 baht each (1.6 million riel) because each major attraction costs about $20 or about 80,000 riel. We did not change that much money. I only changed about 6,000 baht because I did not want to spend that much. Do not tell them how much you changed, there is an amazing communication network between guides and tuk tuk drivers and the minute they know how much you spend they will harass you.

Finally we arrived in Siem Reap at about 8pm and were taken to our hotel (Phoum Khmer Boutique Hotel), which is extremely nice, and as mentioned before only 600 baht (300 each)! However, before we could settle in we had to sit through a “presentation.” The guy that picked us up from the bus and took us to the hotel wanted us to choose and commit to sights and activities we could do in Siem Reap (essentially getting us to pay for things so he could make money for his company). We listened to everything he had to say and then made a plan to meet with him the following morning to talk and then make out decisions. This gave us the opportunity to discuss what we wanted to do and more importantly top research. He had given us prices for what it would cost to go to the floating village and Angkor Wat plus the tuk tuk to each. Both the market and Angkor Wat was $20 but it turns out he overcharged us a lot for the tuk tuk, he told us it was 150,000 riel per day when it really should only be 100,000 for BOTH days. Plus we were not sure what things we wanted to do and when and we were extremely tired from a long day of travel (which is the trick) so my advice would be, listen, write things down and then get back to them.

The next morning (Saturday) we met with D (the driver) and decided on the following: floating village for later in the day and Angkor Wat the following day with all tickets included plus the tuk tuk fairs. We also made a very big deal about not being harassed at the floating village. Usually when taken out the guides will take you past the orphanage and pressure you into buying things for the kids. This is not a good idea. We were even told by the guides on the bus (who were fantastic) that if you want to give to the children, donate to an orphanage on-line or at an office. You will be encouraged to give money and the kids are trained to stop what they are doing and sort or preform. We made it clear that this was not what we wanted and D told us to just be upfront about it in the beginning of the tour and we would not be bothered.

Finally we finished up and went to go find dinner. This turned out to be really hilarious! We didn’t want to go far because we were so tired so we picked a place near us. We had to go somewhere else because they didn’t have an English menu so we would have no idea what we were getting. The next place we tried had English but not a lot of vegetarian options (for me). R ordered a dish with one kind of meat but got another and there was really bad singing for background music. It was almost impossible to communicate with the servers but the whole thing just seemed funny. We ate what we could and were just happy to be there in one piece!

We left for the floating village around 3pm because we stopped at the night market first just to look around. Then we had an amazing drive to the river. It was about a half an hour ride through Cambodia. No roads, no buildings that would be considered a house by Western standards, and lots of naked kids. It was beautiful. The sky looked like sun and rain all at once and it felt real. I felt like I was really seeing Cambodia, that unlike other countries when you have to actually try to get out of tourist areas, it was all right in front of me. The floating village itself wasn’t that impressive, it was the experience that was great. We got on a boat and sat on the front while a kid around 9 years old drove and a guide sat with us and told us about the lake and river. It was all so real. The motor of the boat was old and loud and we got stuck a few times (the water is really low because it is right before the rainy season) and they had to push us out using a big stick. We watched the sun set on the water and could not stop looking at the sky! The air was cooling and I felt so relaxed and at ease. We had another great tuk tuk ride back to our hotel, which included more sky and breeze. After we went out to dinner on Pub Street (tourist area), which is right next to the Night Market. There are lots of different restaurants, places to shop, and a surprising amount of tourists. We had a good time people watching and enjoyed ourselves but didn’t stay out long because we had a big day ahead of us!

Sunday started nice and early (5 AM)! Angkor Wat is “the largest Hindu at first, then Buddhist temple complex and the largest religious monument in the world. The Small circuit is 15 km and the Big Circuit 34 km.” We watched the sun rise at Angkor Wat (the main and largest temple) and then we got taken to the Angkor Thom, which included the Bayon Temple (the magic mountain), which is 3 stories and 43 m in height, Terrace of the Elephants which is two and a half meters tall and 300 meters with carved elephants that spans Angkor Thom, as well as Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the Royal Palace area. Bottom line, there is a ton to see! You can get a day pass for $20, three-day pass for $40, or a week pass for $60. In my personal opinion there is absolutely no need to spend more than a day there. Furthermore, I found no need to spend the recommend 11 hours there (5 am pick up for sunrise and then staying until 4pm)! First of all, this is right at the end of the really hot season so I was sweating a little before 8 in the morning. Although the temples are in the woods and surrounded by trees and shade it is still really hot. Plus, I had no need to spend over an hour at each site, however that is only my personal opinion. If you are extremely into architecture and love tours then maybe you will disagree but for me, that is way too much time. We spent 5 hours there altogether and that was plenty. By the end we were melting and everything started to look the same. We ended with having a snack and then seeing Angkor Wat and that was quite enough! We got back to the hotel and passed out for the afternoon! Then we went and had dinner at a really awesome place called The Blue Pumpkin which, I highly recommend and encourage everyone to look up! It was a very long and very productive day!  

Monday was productive in a completely different way. We spent all afternoon and early evening at The Blue Pumpkin working (blogging, reading, writing, and researching) which was really great. I didn’t sweat the entire day (which is something like a miracle here) and was very relaxed. I also extended my flight to Bali so I can go to Laos without feeling rushed. On Tuesday we went into town (Pub Street/Night Market area) and got our tickets to Laos (we were going by bus) which was anywhere from $22 to $26 (depending on if you wanted to pay for the ferry in advance or not). Then we spent some time looking around the market and just wandering. We came back for dinner and then did the real night market (the whole area is called the night market but there is a small specific section that is really only open at night) which was nice as it is not as hot at night.

Tomorrow we take a bus to Laos! I am so excited that I am actually getting to go to all the places I had dreamed about! Not being able to spend much time in any one place is unfortunate but I am trying to see what I can and just appreciate everything. It is so crazy that a little over 7 months has gone by since I left home, but I can officially say that I am still happy to be traveling and doing what I love!

Signed,

Determined Jet Setter 

On My Own

“Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage!” (The Wizard of Oz)

As my Mother has happened to be a therapist my whole life I became very good at identifying my feelings, analyzing myself, and self-reflection from a very early age. Therefore, I can comfortably say that one of my biggest faults is being way too hard on myself and to not give myself enough credit. I don’t do it to fish for compliments, rather in an attempt to be modest which ends up sounding as though I am sometimes belittling myself. I am now going to take a moment and be out of character. I think I am amazing! I spent 4 months volunteering and doing work that I believed in and loved, living with people who did not speak English as a first language (although their English was all very good!), and completely emerging myself in another culture. I worked hard and am sincerely proud of the work I did. Despite feelings of confusion and homesickness I continued to press on and follow my heart to do what I have always dreamed: to travel the world. When I wanted to go to Thailand (top priority on my list) and my friends wanted to stay in India I went on my own. That plane ride was just as scary as the one I took from Israel to Nepal (in a very different way) and just like then I succeeded. I have made new friends and seen the places I wanted to see because I was brave enough to leave the comforts of my friends behind.

This was all extremely difficult. Travel in itself is hard but although I have ended up not spending a lot of time on my own, every time I go off I am mentally prepared for not finding anyone and just being on my own. For me, I am always really terrified that I won’t meet anyone and something will go wrong and that spirals into the “what if” scenarios that are silly and unavoidable. But after a month of being on my own I can really and truly say that I am proud of myself and. I think doing this has given me more confidence and faith in myself not only as a traveler but as a person. During TBT and while in India with my friends I began to loose my usual ability to be outgoing and extroverted, however, this forced me to bring that skill back in full swing and I could not be more happy about it! I have met some truly amazing people who I will hopefully be keeping touch with for a long time.

For anyone contemplating traveling but the fear of doing it alone is holding you back, I get it. But I would also highly recommend giving yourself a push and going for it! Going to Thailand is a great way to start because there are so many tourists which makes it especially easy to meet people and make fast friends. Bangkok in particular is easy to get around and safe to walk around alone at night (for girls). A great place to start being brave!

In about a week I will be on my own again and off to Bali. I know I will be nervous but I also know I can do it…and anything else I put my mind to.

Signed,

Modestly Proud  

Southern Islands

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”  (Pat Conroy)

Sunday morning I got up and ready and went to the airport. My flight was delayed 45 minutes but we only got in a half an hour late to Koh Samui. It was late afternoon and I would not be able to get a ferry to Koh Tao until the next day. So I got a room near Buddha Pier (where the ferries leave) and showered, had dinner, and slept in a very big and comfortable bed. The next day I got on the ferry to Koh Tao at 1:30. We stopped at Koh Pangan first (about 30 minutes away) and then from there Koh Tao is about an hour and a half but I slept most of the way. It was pretty easy to find R and P, they were staying at a place called Blue Wind on Sarie beach. I got a room situated and then took a swim before dinner. We ate right on the beach and sat and watched people put floating lanterns in the sky and guys dancing with fire. Sarie beach has a lot going on but the Blue Wind shuts down early, which was great because I was tired and would have some quiet.

On Monday P and I did some shopping I town and then R and I spent way too long in the water…I was dehydrated and exhausted. I stayed in bed with a lot of water and Gatorade for the rest of the afternoon and early evening as a result. But I found out some great news, a girl who I knew in my last year in college (an exchange student from France) is here in Koh Tao! We made plans to see each other, which was very exciting! Tuesday was out last day in Koh Tao and we spent it on a private beach. We took bikes to get there (which was fun because R and P drive motor cross back in Switzerland) and the ride was really beautiful (and a bit scary)! We spent the day there and it was nice and quiet and had lots of beautiful fish to see! It was a really good way to spend our last day and I really enjoyed myself! That night we met up with my friend from school and one of her friends. They had done a semester in China and were now traveling around Thailand for a bit before heading back to France. It was really nice to see her and we spent the evening talking and just having a good time.

We took the ferry from Koh Tao to Koh Pangan and arrived around noon. We got rooms at the Great Bay Resort and then napped the whole afternoon in preparation. That night we went to Haad Rin beach for the full moon party! It was crazy fun! Hundreds of people on the beach drinking, dancing, swimming, playing with fire, and all sorts of general fun and nonsense! We stayed all night and arrived just in time to watch the sun rise on the beach before completely passing out. The next day was pretty lazy as we were all a bit sore and sleepy from the full moon party. We ate and read and just chilled out until dinner. We went to the street market and got absolutely delicious pad Thai! The moon was full and beautiful and R and I ended up on top of a mountain looking at the crazy awesome view.

Saturday was really fun! We took a beautiful bike ride Haad Salad Beach and spent the afternoon there. Then we got a snack at the food market and had an earlier than usual dinner because we went to a Maui Thai fight! It wasn’t very good (the pairings were completely unfair which did not make for good fights) but it was still something I have never seen before and I had fun. It was really interesting how spiritual a lot of the guys are and the differences between Maui Thai and boxing. On Sunday we went to an amazing place for brunch called Nira’s (I highly recommend it!) and then went to Haad Rin beach again (where the full moon party was). It was a nice beach and the water was nice and cool but it stung! It felt like tiny invisible jellyfish were stinging me over and over again! We sat and relaxed on the beach for a while but we didn’t stay as long as we would have because we didn’t feel like getting back in the water. The rest of the day was good though, we got massages and then got dinner and watched a movie (Despicable Me)!

Monday was our last day in Koh Pangan and we went to Nira’s again for breakfast! Then we were riding around on the bike and came across a Secret Beach (actual name) and decided to head there. It was nice and quiet with a small restaurant with delicious fruit shakes! We spent the afternoon there relaxing and enjoying the last day. When we came back to get showered we found out that the owner of the hotel was having their 50^th birthday and there would be a big buffet. We stopped by but most of the food was already gone and too much of it was meat (I’m a pescatarian) so we went for one more round at the street market and got spring rolls and fruit shakes!

Tomorrow I go alone back to Bangkok and try to figure out my plan. I will probably go to Laos and then hopefully meet some people who would like to come with me to Cambodia and from there I will go back to Bangkok because I leave from there to Bali on May 12^th! I am really excited but sad to say goodbye to R and P and a little nervous about being on my own again. I know it will be ok but this is something I will never just not worry about. As for now, I am really happy with the time I have spent in the Southern islands and looking forward to what is to come!

Signed,

Forward March 

Bangkok and Phuket

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” (Jack Kerouac)

Airports in India are a bit silly. I had to go to the domestic airport to fly from Mumbai to Delhi but then had to switch to the international airport in Delhi to fly to Bangkok. Easy, but a pain in the ass. Fortunately everything went smoothly and everything was on time and ready to go! I didn’t even have to wait until Thailand to meet someone! I met a girl on the plane from Delhi to Bangkok named A who I invited to share my room with me because she was alone as well and it was close to the airport. We were so excited and stayed up late eating ice cream and watching “Roman Holiday”! The next day we got into the city where I had a room at the Erawan House and wow…this is where I am meant to be! Bangkok is amazing! Shops everywhere, amazing street food, different people from all over the world. It was a dream come true. That night A went to meet up with a guy she had met in India and I ended up going out with an Irish couple I met. We went to a bar where things started to get crazy around 11, it was a party in the street with everyone drinking and dancing and just happy. We ended up going to a club (actually called The Club) and met some guys from England. I didn’t get back until around 5! I would call that a very successful first evening!

The next day (Thursday) A and I were pretty tired from the night before (she had been out late as well). We hung out and looked at some shops before she left with her friend from India to go to Chang Mai. After they left I met two English guys named M and An. They were nice and we planned on meeting up later that night. It actually ended up being a big group. I went with the Irish couple (E and T) and met M and An as well as the guys from the night before. M also had friends he was with so it was really fun. I didn’t drink at all (still sore) but I had a blast. This is exactly why I wanted to travel; to meet new people!

Friday was the beginning of Songkran, the Thai New Year. In other words I got completely soaked the minute I stepped outside! During Songkran there is a huge water fight! Everyone has water guns (I got one and named her Laura Croft) and just throws water at everyone! It’s a little kids dream come true! I went out with M and An and it had looked like we had jumped into a swimming pool! We spent the afternoon/night getting into furious water fights with strangers and each other! By the end of the night I was freezing but very happy!

Unfortunately M and An left the next day for Chang Mai (however I was planning on meeting up with them in a few days) so I was on my own again. I hibernated for most of the day because being that wet all day and night did not sound appealing. In the evening I went and got food and then met two guys from Germany named L and B and spent the night hanging out with them. We had an absolute blast! There was some sort of concert going on and of course we were completely wet and exhausted by the end. We got stuck in a big crowd at one point and when we got out my camera was gone. On the one hand I was really upset (especially since I had pictures from the night before) but on then other hand I was relieved that my phone, cash, and debit card were still there.  So although I was sad, I refused to let it ruin my night. Once again, I had bad luck with timing. L and B were leaving the next day! I got breakfast with them and then L and I went out and were so tired when we got back from the crowds and the water. I immediately went and took a nap. Somehow I managed to get up and go out again that night. Again I met some English guys and again I was tired and wet by the end of the night.

When I woke up Monday morning I was very happy that it was the last day of the water fights. It is really fun but it’s tiring and I hated not being able to leave my room without getting drenched. When I did go out that night it wasn’t good. I was sick of people throwing freezing water and I got mad at people putting chalk powder on my face (something they do during Songkran). I realized that I was finished and headed back before I got cranky. I sat at the restaurant across from my guesthouse and got tea to warm me up and ended up sitting with some Swiss guys. They were actually really nice and offered to go with me to the mall the next day (I needed a new camera).

So the next day I got breakfast and walked around with my new Swiss friends; R, P, and B. They are silly and sweet and I like them! We went to the big mall (MBK) in the afternoon so I could get a new camera. WOW! The mall was enormous! I have never seen so much crap in one place. The bling from all the iphone covers was blinding and I don’t think I have ever seen so many unnecessary accessories in my life! But it was still fun, I liked seeing different stores and what people were buying and all the food and just the general atmosphere. I did get a new camera and then we had to leave or be suffocated by the amount of stuff everywhere. We took a walk down Koh San road and then I went to take a shower and have some me time before dinner. We hung out with a crazy awesome girl from Spain and another guy from England and stayed up late talking and laughing. I have officially survived Sognkran 2013 and had a great time for my first trip to Bangkok!

On Wednesday I took a short flight to Phuket to meet M and An. We met at the airport and got a cab to Patong Beach. We took showers and got dinner and took a walk on the beach. The next day M and I went to see the Big Buddha! Wow not only was it massive and beautiful, the view was unbelievable!  You could see miles and miles of blue ocean and green land. I really don’t know what I found more amazing, the Buddha or the vast beauty of Phuket. After that we were dying of heat and went to Kata Beach, which was close by. The water was perfect and we got there around 4ish so it was blazing hot anymore. We swam and relaxed until we were ready for showers. After dinner we ended up booking a day trip to Phi Phi Island for the next day. So after a movie we all went to sleep early.

Since our taxi was picking us up at 7:15 I woke up at 6:30 (ughhh). We got to the pier and our ferry left at 8:30 so we got there around 10:30. I was tired and sore from sitting funny on the boat but Phi Phi Island looked like paradise. We got breakfast and then spent the day on the beach. The water is completely clear and really shallow so you can literally sit down in the water and not move. It was really hot and I actually wished the water had been a bit cooler. I looked around and saw beauty everywhere. It looked like a post card you see at a book store or a random picture on google when you search “perfect vacation spots.” I couldn’t help but think how incredibly lucky I am and how proud of myself I am for living my dreams. We took the boat back and then a mini bus back to Patong. We went out to dinner for the last time because M and An were leaving the next day. I am really glad I met them they are really awesome!

Saturday was lazy because I didn’t feel great. A bit too much sun from Phi Phi Island I think. I booked a flight to Koh Samui and from there I will be taking a ferry to Koh Tao to meet the Swiss guys. After that I think I am going to meet A so we can do Laos and/or Cambodia! I treated myself to sushi for dinner and read and wrote postcards. I packed most of my stuff and am pretty set for my flight tomorrow (it’s only an hour) and ready to go somewhere new. It’s so strange that I can book a flight for the next day and it’s no problem when back home I do it weeks, if not months, in advance. This is definitely a new type of life and I am enjoying every minute of it!

Signed,

Packed and Ready