My Kingdom Come

09/01/17

Bangkok to Siem Reap (Cambodia)

Get the bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap.

Crossed the border without any corruption issues. It's quite a lengthy process going out then into a country and made me think how much more of a ball ache tour is going to be once we leave the EU.

Once into the kingdom of Cambodia... And I mean, straight away.... There is a massive change in architecture to a French colonial style.

Once over the border we drive for another couple of hours where there are un countable construction projects going on. These are all surrounded by super flat farm land which goes for miles.

The roads seem good. All houses are up on stilts and generally built from timber with tin roofs except the French style terraced houses which are still detached with starter bars hanging out waiting for their neighbours to be built.

Cambodia is a relatively new country which has been at war for ages, the French leaving around the 50s. Then the Khmer Rouge took over and basically murdered over a million people who were educated (wore glasses), disabled or weird in any other way. pol pot some crazy hardcore Communist wanted all people to be the same, rice farmers. So her flattened the whole country and turned it into a giant rice paddy and fed em rice. He also destroyed any history the country has by destroying records, books, temples etc. With the exception of Angkor Wat.

Then long story short the good guys win in the end in the 90s and they're called Cambodia again.

They are one of the poorest countries in the world.

We're driving through and their Tuk Tuks are my fave by far using a motorbike in an un enclosed Carr strapped to the back of it. Brilliant.

We get to a couple of guest houses they're all full... Then we are shown a sister guesthouse across the road and shown a room.... How much? $6. You can't even get a hostel for that. We're buzzing!

Out for tea and to have a look at the famous pub street. Tea in a restaurant At $3.50 a main. $0.50 a beer. Beer is literally cheaper than water everywhere.

Back home it's Angkor Wat tomorrow!!!!!Read more