Nobody really looks forward to an overnight flight, no matter how exciting the destination is at the end, but luck was on our side with our nine hour flight to Bangkok. Firstly we had chosen Thai Airways, for no other reason than it was the best deal, yet thankfully this is an airline with at least two inches extra leg room than any other airline I've travelled with. And the flight was only half full which meant fast service and extra space. And big thumbs up for proper silver cutlery! We both managed to sleep easily for most of the flight, and it was all done with the minimum of fuss by the excellent cabin crew.
Our layover in the ultra modern and cavernous Bangkok airport was only an hour or so, not enough time even to realise that the country you've landed in has just declared a state of emergency due to the political protests. Which is exactly what happened, but we'll save that pending (mis)adventure for another day,
It's just a short one hour flight to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. That one hour gives you just enough time to complete the various landing cards, visa applications and customs forms you need to fill in to enter Cambodia. There are a couple of queues you need to line up for to get your tourist visa ($20 USD per person) but its straightforward enough.
The airport in Phnom Penh is a bit of a throwback to yesteryear with waiting areas and the arrivals hall outside in the open. We arrived around 9am in the morning into a nice cool 18 degrees temperature which meant we could spend the three hour wait here for our flight to Siem Reap outside on a cafe terrace and ponder our five day stay in Siam Reap with a Rough Guide.
Plenty of time also to realise that no matter where you are in the world, no matter what the airport may be called, nor which continent it may be in, airports have become a global chain of faceless fast food english speaking Meccas. You notice it more when you visit four airports inside twenty four hours, and are hit by Costa Coffee, Burger King and Subway almost as soon as your feet are on the Tarmac in all four of them. I can't help but feel that's a bad thing, but at the same time I'm writing this as we sit sipping our respective flat white and green teas out of heavily branded tea cups in the aforementioned Costa Coffee.
We arrived off our propellor fired Vietnamese Airways flight to be greeted by a tuk tuk driver from the guest house - a marvellous and truly local way to travel in style! We're both really pleased with our guest house the Seven Candles, which is nice and roomy, and very welcoming. We were also taken aback by how big Siem Reap is, temples are obviously big business . It has mostly managed to retain its authenticness, and charm. The roads are the usual South East Asian bedlam, and it's dusty and noisy, but the quaint French colonial charm shines through, especially in the pretty little alleyways.
We were impressed with our young Tuk Tuk driver Piseth, so booked him to takes us to Angkor Wat at sunrise tomorrow. After a quick refresh, we headed on our first foray into town, and by chance stumbled across the Buddhist monks' chant at the local temple which was enthralling. Then we tucked into our first proper meal in 24 hours at to vegetarian Chamker restaurant with authentic Kymer curry.
By 8pm we were fast asleep. And I'd say, well earned sleep!
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