Okay, I am officially very excited that I only have 20 more days until I leave for Thailand!!! Woo hoo!! This is amazing. I'm actually a bit in awe that I am actually going - it's been such a long time in the planning. Last night, I applied for my Cambodian Visa online and received it back by email within 15 minutes of application. This is a note to all other countries: follow Cambodia's example!! It was so easy - enter in your Passport details, date of entry, point of entry, upload a jpeg, pay $25 USD, and away you go! A 30 day Visa in no time. It comes as a PDF, which you cut out and paste into your passport (along with bringing a 2nd copy for the immigration desk at the border). Easy. It definitely simplifies matters, and will reduce the time spent in line-ups at the border when we arrive. Right now, our plans look to be focused on going overland by train to the Thailand-Cambodia border, and cross at a town called Poipet, then take a taxi to Siam Reap. We've also decided to travel from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh via the river ferry down the large resevoir, Tonle Sap. The paragraph below describes this ferry service, taken from the website www.canbypublications.com, a site all about Cambodian travel. Note the italicized, bolded sentence:
"Ferries depart for Siem Reap from the Phnom Penh Port (on Sisowath Quay) at 7:00AM daily. Ferries depart Siem Reap for Phnom Penh from the dock at Chong Khneas (15km south of Siem Reap town) at 7:00AM daily. Passage is $21-$25 and should be purchased a day in advance (251km, 4-6 hours). Tickets can be purchased through your hotel, guesthouse or travel agent. The ferries are ‘local transport’ and are of variable quality and comfort, often noisy, crowded and over-air conditioned. Though generally safe, these ferries have experienced breakdowns, groundings and other difficulties. These ferries in no way meet international safety standards. Travel is best during the wet season (June-November) when the water is high. Dry season low water levels can mean smaller, less comfortable boats and occasional groundings."
In no way meets international standards. I think that was the selling point for actually USING this service!! Now that's a great way to have an adventure! I think it's going to be a fantastic way to experience Cambodia - 6 hours on a slow ferry down the main resevoir, checking out the villages along the way, talking with the locals. Woo hoo!!
My plans for my time in Bangkok are shaping up nicely:
Dec 22nd: arrival
Dec 23rd: Chatuchak Market and then going to get a sak yant done in the later afternoon
Dec 24th: sight-seeing in Bangkok (Grand Palace, Wat Pho, etc.), river hopping
Dec 25th-26th: Ayutthya and Arynik (26th: bus back to Bangkok in afternoon)
Dec 26-27th: training at a Muay Thai gym north of Bangkok (Keatkhamtorn gym)
Dec 28th: Fly to Phuket
That's going to be a full week!
I think I'm all set here. Almost all packed as well. And I'm definitely ready to leave this snowy city, leave my computer and all the hassles and struggles of work and head to warmer climates and not have to think about anything about training and eating and relaxing and working on a nice tan. It's been more than 4 years since I've had a real holiday. The last time I took off for any length of time was 2004 when I drove down to the SW USA and spent time at the Double E ranch. But that was more of an escape than a holiday. It was pre-burn-out, pre-breakdown, and I didn't really relax as I was already slightly off my rocker! And driving 15,000 kms in a month was not necessarily relaxing. It was therapeutic, yes, but not relaxing!!
Back to surfing sites about Thailand and Cambodia. Woo hoo!
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