LEAVING TRET FOR SIEM REAP
When traveling overland in Asia, you learn to expect a certain amount of DITA from various problems incurred while traveling. This is due to an unholy mix of poorly (non) maintained gear, general incompetence, poor driving skills and few driving rules. [If you think this is harsh, I watched the bus driver nearly kill some guy on a scooter because he'd let his gaze wander out the window to the side of the road and linger there for over 8-10 seconds while traveling at speed. That was just today.]
Although I did get some DITA, overall it was a very smooth trip.
Term: DITA
The more clean minded of you can think of this as a frustrating situation. The less clean minded think about rectal pain and build up from there.
To my extreme shock, the mini van was on time, nearly to the minute. The discrepancy (being on time) was made up by the vehicle needing some sort of repair work. A couple stops en route were made looking for the needed part but nothing was found. Thought we were going to make it all the way to the border but a French couple wanted them to stop for a bathroom break. This was thirty kilometers from the border and the vehicle died there. Not sure if it also needed more gas but we waited for a mere half hour before a new vehicle showed up that took us the rest of the way there.
Since I already had an e-visa, the transportation company didn't try to scam me into anything else. They figured I could have a clue and left me alone.
The border itself was quite a nightmare. They didn't seem set up to be able to deal with even half the people that stood in lines. There were a couple of old Israeli guys in line who reminded me of some other people. It wasn't until they were nearly to the front of the line they realized they needed to fill out a bit of paperwork. Since they didn't have their glasses, guess who got asked to do it?
Fortunate I did as I ended up sharing a cab from the border to Siem Reap. The last bus had already left but the company told me I'd be riding in the cab for free. The old guys - who had made no plans and apparently just somehow shown up at the border (possibly airdropped in by the Mossad) and decided to follow me around. Fair enough.
Normally, to rent a cab you need four people paying - one up front, three in the back. Everyone pays $12. My fare was free, that left $36 needed from the back seat. They just split it.
We'd have made better time but the cab driver was trying to plump out his earnings by stopping to pick up other packages and such on the way.
Fortunately, we didn't get stuck with any music at all. Happy days.
Got dropped off in Siem Reap part way between Angkor Wat and the airport. The places there are not only reportedly three times as expensive but are out in the middle of nowhere. In Siem Reap, if you're not near 'Pub Street', you're in the sticks. Better to stay near Pub Street and get a tuk tuk to go to the sticks.
Immediately after checking into the usual hotel it was off to the Mexican restaurant.
LOGANISMS
Famous quote
There are a lot of great quotes out there. It is not only a good idea to read other people's to gain wisdom but to perhaps pass on a bit of the wisdom you have gained in your life within a short quote.
The quote should be very short - easier to remember and understand. It should also have a bit of instruction and perhaps even a nugget of truth within. And the quote should help to tell future generations what kind of person you were.
The only quote I've come up with so far is:
"Happiness can be as difficult as convincing women your semen tastes like chocolate." - Logan Horsford.
[Which - if you think about it - could be true in more than one way.]
MOVIE REVIEW
Iron Sky
Pretty much the only good thing I can say about this movie is they speak a lot in German with English subtitles. After twenty minutes, even that no longer kept me excited enough to watch it.
PRICES
Bus from Trat to Siem Reap, 500 TBH
Evisa, tourist (only), Cambodia, 1 month, $25. Note, word is that they are crooks at the Poi Pet (border town) and will charge closer to $40+.
When traveling overland in Asia, you learn to expect a certain amount of DITA from various problems incurred while traveling. This is due to an unholy mix of poorly (non) maintained gear, general incompetence, poor driving skills and few driving rules. [If you think this is harsh, I watched the bus driver nearly kill some guy on a scooter because he'd let his gaze wander out the window to the side of the road and linger there for over 8-10 seconds while traveling at speed. That was just today.]
Although I did get some DITA, overall it was a very smooth trip.
Term: DITA
The more clean minded of you can think of this as a frustrating situation. The less clean minded think about rectal pain and build up from there.
To my extreme shock, the mini van was on time, nearly to the minute. The discrepancy (being on time) was made up by the vehicle needing some sort of repair work. A couple stops en route were made looking for the needed part but nothing was found. Thought we were going to make it all the way to the border but a French couple wanted them to stop for a bathroom break. This was thirty kilometers from the border and the vehicle died there. Not sure if it also needed more gas but we waited for a mere half hour before a new vehicle showed up that took us the rest of the way there.
Since I already had an e-visa, the transportation company didn't try to scam me into anything else. They figured I could have a clue and left me alone.
The border itself was quite a nightmare. They didn't seem set up to be able to deal with even half the people that stood in lines. There were a couple of old Israeli guys in line who reminded me of some other people. It wasn't until they were nearly to the front of the line they realized they needed to fill out a bit of paperwork. Since they didn't have their glasses, guess who got asked to do it?
Fortunate I did as I ended up sharing a cab from the border to Siem Reap. The last bus had already left but the company told me I'd be riding in the cab for free. The old guys - who had made no plans and apparently just somehow shown up at the border (possibly airdropped in by the Mossad) and decided to follow me around. Fair enough.
Normally, to rent a cab you need four people paying - one up front, three in the back. Everyone pays $12. My fare was free, that left $36 needed from the back seat. They just split it.
We'd have made better time but the cab driver was trying to plump out his earnings by stopping to pick up other packages and such on the way.
Fortunately, we didn't get stuck with any music at all. Happy days.
Got dropped off in Siem Reap part way between Angkor Wat and the airport. The places there are not only reportedly three times as expensive but are out in the middle of nowhere. In Siem Reap, if you're not near 'Pub Street', you're in the sticks. Better to stay near Pub Street and get a tuk tuk to go to the sticks.
Immediately after checking into the usual hotel it was off to the Mexican restaurant.
LOGANISMS
Famous quote
There are a lot of great quotes out there. It is not only a good idea to read other people's to gain wisdom but to perhaps pass on a bit of the wisdom you have gained in your life within a short quote.
The quote should be very short - easier to remember and understand. It should also have a bit of instruction and perhaps even a nugget of truth within. And the quote should help to tell future generations what kind of person you were.
The only quote I've come up with so far is:
"Happiness can be as difficult as convincing women your semen tastes like chocolate." - Logan Horsford.
[Which - if you think about it - could be true in more than one way.]
MOVIE REVIEW
Iron Sky
Pretty much the only good thing I can say about this movie is they speak a lot in German with English subtitles. After twenty minutes, even that no longer kept me excited enough to watch it.
PRICES
Bus from Trat to Siem Reap, 500 TBH
Evisa, tourist (only), Cambodia, 1 month, $25. Note, word is that they are crooks at the Poi Pet (border town) and will charge closer to $40+.
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