Cambodia!

Siem reap, 8-11 February 2010

Heading to Siem Reap by train wasn't a bad idea. From Hualamphong Station BKK, train left on time 5.55am, and luckily, food wasn't hard to find at that hour. I bought bread and thai tea from some small mart inside the station. 

The train arrived on time 12 o'clock at Aranyaprathet, and from there we took tuktuk for 30 baht to take us to border. Watchout, perhaps it's common for tuktuk driver to take that right turn (around 500km before border) to this small office, where government-look-like-people urged us to make visa there. DON'T do visa there! First they kind of forced us to pay with baht. They said if we don't have, we should look out for atm. Then as we were leaving, they told us we can pay in dollar, U$30 each.

Next time anyone wishes to go to Siem Reap the same way, tell the tuktuk driver to take you STRAIGHT TO BORDER! At border, making visa was easy, no hassle. And we paid U$25. What took us long was the queue to get the stamp.. We got out border to the bus/taxi station at 2. Free shuttle bus waited outside to get tourists to the bus/taxi station.

Bus fare was U$9/person, taxi U$12. We took bus, the road was no more bumpy like the old days. A lot better now, you can sleep along the ride. I think we arrived at Siem Reap at about 4pm. Then we took tuktuk to take us to Watsup Guesthouse, just over the bridge from the old market. The tuktuk cost like 100 baht.

Easy to find food nearby or at the old market. We shopped also at the old market. Food price was around U$2 to 4, 1L bottled water R2000 (1U$=R4000).

Next morning, we were picked up at 5am to see Angkor sites. Find Samnang, our tuktuk driver. He has good english and knowledge about the historical story of the temples. Took half hour ride by tuktuk, then we paid U$20 to get us in Angkor. (They have 3 days pass for U$40)

All that I think we need to see was covered in a day. Angkor Wat (the biggest temple and best spot to catch sunrise), Bayon (the faces temple and elephant terrace), Ta Prohm (the site of Tomb Rider movie and where the hundreds year old trees are), and seeing sunset from the Air Balloon (it's on the west gate and cost U$15/person to ride.

The Air balloon was not at all what I expected. I was imagining going places in the sky, instead anchored in a spot and floated for about 10 minutes!

On day 3, we went to the Silk Farm, which I liked! We were guided thru the process of how silk is made, and the shop was chic! We bought ourselves some shawl, for U$3! (well, that's the cheapest.) Then we headed Tonle Sap, to the floating village port, each paid U$12 to get on boat. The river was dirty I'd say. At end was the ocean (or was it lake? seemed like an ocean), where we enjoyed the sun setting elegantly slow.

We're leaving Cambodia from Siem Reap International Airport, which I regreted. I knew about paying U$25 for visa entering Cambodia, but didn't expect to pay another U$25 leaving it! It was the airport tax, I think. If anyone going to this city, perhaps try leaving this country by train or bus, then from there you take flight, to avoid this extra paying.

Well, it was all learning. Aside the airport tax, I enjoyed my stay there.

D

Vietnam Trip

Hanoi & Halong Bay

3-5 February 2010

after almost 6 hours transit at KL we finally Arrived at Noi Bai Airport-Hanoi, vietnam. They had an old school look. it's like riding a time machine to the late 70's.. hmm better.. 80's. :p

The city was not much different with jakarta. there's the two lanes were crowded with vespas and the traffic was crazy! Vespas coming from everywhere.

Our taxi from airport landed us in 31 Hang Dieu, which was supposed to be the Backpacker Palace. But the sign said Rendezvous Hotel. We got in, and the receptionist told us they just had changed the management just 2 days ago, therefore our booking fee didn't count and we need to pay a different rate, twice than when we booked! They finally gave us discount price, and I realized, the keychain to our room writes 'Camilla Hotel'. Well.. whatever. Aside the hotel was nice, they're tricky! Warning to anyone wishes to come to this city, better to book your hotel on arrival.

Other affordable hotel options are nearby, just around the area. What's comforting is that our hotel is only 15 minutes walk to the Hoan Kiem Lake. And not far from hotel, is this street vendor selling greaat pho, which the place is always filled with people coming in and go. The name of the stall is Bun bo nam bo at Hang dieu 67.

Soon as we got to Hoan Kiem Lake, the red brigde was on the scene, called The Huc. Best spot to see sunrise. Over the bridge is Ngoc Son temple, it was oldish pretty. Then we took taxi (next time wait for taxi with meters!) to Tran Quoc pagoda, which was overrated, in my opinion. I was under the impression I was going to enter an island under these palm trees and met a temple at the end. Well, it wasn't like that.. much. It was the area around it what I liked most, which was best to spot sunset. Food was not a problem to find, many street vendors along the walk. The taste was pretty much all good, I loved them all. The vegetables were fresh, very much rich in flavors, all in one bowl.

On day two, we were picked up from the hotel at 8am on a 2days&1 night tour to Halong Bay. We took the program from the Sinh Cafe next to the Duc Huy hotel, which I think has the best rate and destination offer than other Sinh Cafes. True recommended!

February in Vietnam means the winter season. So as it's windy in Hanoi, it was cold in Halong Bay. Fog dominated the scenery but it was beautiful mystical and sweet. Our first stop was the Dong Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace Grotto), where extremely big caves adorned with stalactites and stalagmites colorfully interiored with colored underlights and made great view.

Still, I expected them to be real colorful lime stones. On we cruised passing on the bay, and did the 20 minutes kayaking. I wished we had more time doing it. The air and atmosphere just too damn great! It was magnificent, amazing.

We spent the night in the boat, playing cards along with our new friends we met onboard, it was crazy funny! Losers buy beers. Then lights were off for awhile and we just continued having fun with ghost stories. It was truly fun!

Next morning we tried to catch sunrise on the deck. We waited but it didn't show. Well, the fogs were thick. We stopped at Titop island after breakfast where the beach made beautiful scenery, and we swam into cold water :) It was unforgetful, then we sailed back to harbor.

Back to Hanoi, we planned to stay at the Advisor Hotel but as there's no room, we stayed at Bamboo Hotel instead, just closeby and which was recommended by Lin, the Advisor's receptionist. Lin was very friendly and helpful, she too showed us where to dine, straight left from our hotel where at its end is street vendor selling deliciouss ribs! After dining, we strolled to the night market which was within walk distance, where there I bought some souvenirs to bring home. 

D