Cambodia

Today is a travel day. While you were sleeping we ran away to Cambodia. We bit the bullet and are taking a bus. To Phnom Pehn Cambodia.Its already 82 and muggy! I know quit complaining!! ;) but I’m lugging around a 55L backpack on my back and a carry on backpack. I am actually pleasantly surprised with the bus. I was told they are hot, overcrowded and Not comfy and dirty. I was not really looking forward to it!!  We get on the bus, it was cool, kinda full but, not over crowded, free WiFi and AC. Decorated the Asian way maybe from the 70s? But it’s eclectic. We just got a boxed breakfast of cold breakfast sausage n onion pizza and a danish . (Danish was Yuck.) and a cold water. Woot! Didn’t even know that was provided. Nice surprise. 

The bus ride to the border was pretty cramped as the bus seats are made for teeny Asians and not healthy American woman. Davina and I were sitting together. Couldn’t even lift up the end arm seat for a inch or two of space because,  it didn’t move! as it was a fold out child’s seat. We were pretty much sitting on each other. My tailbone was killing me already! This is gonna be a very long ride. We couldn’t adjust ourselves....  The guy passed out the needed paperwork for the Cambodia Visa Etc. We filled them out painfully...as we couldn’t move much. He collected everyone’s passports, the paperwork and $35 USD. 

Off the bus for the Vietnam border... all good.  Vietnam let us out. 

Back on the bus to the Cambodia border.. off the bus for Cambodia border and Visa... ok Cambodia let us in. Back on the bus. First sites I see over the border are Casinos. 

After both the land borders, they stopped for lunch but, we have and peanut butter n jelly sandwiches/cereal etc. with us. Some people got off at the border and Davina was able to get her own seat and we are much more comfy! I took a nap listening to music. 

Would you look at that!?’ Cambodia looks just like Vietnam :) Roads are a little bit bumpy but ok. Yes, I am writing this as it’s happening. I have time and WiFi so why not?  lol. 

We arrived in Phnom Penh Cambodia. Barely off the bus and barely got our bags and was on a Tuk Tuk to the Air BnB.

We saw a lady in a van passing drugs to a police officer in uniform, middle of the street. There were kids were in the van!! We were getting some pretty "sexually suggestive" looks from the men. No going out after dark! Electrical system we have seen all over Asia.We got to the Air BnB and no one answered the Bell. The nice Tuk Tuk driver even tried calling them ... nothing. Area is kinda sketchy, there is barbed wire on the gates.. So, backpacks and all we walk to the nearby Aeon Mall where there is Starbucks,A-C and WiFi. Alley road Smelled horrible and I started gagging. We quickly got across  the main street To the mall. Got on WiFi and I messaged host and he said "she was there"...I don’t think she was when we first arrived cause, when we returned there was a motorbike there that hasn’t been there. And I rang the bell alot! We pretty much put our stuff in the room and headed back to the mall. Not,what I was thinking Cambodia to be. There is either rich, poor or extremely poor.... no middle class. We ate dinner at KFC :) and had Dairy Queen ice cream and got breakfast muffins. Then headed back to the Air BnB. We are safe,  just very cautious here. We knew it wasn’t going to be roses here,thus why we are only staying 1 night!! Tour in am and bus to Siem Reap in evening.

Crap! No hot water here.... cold shower it is. 

AO

Packed my things and spent a bit at the pool working on my Asian tan on our last day in Vietnam. 

We ventured out to the "ritzy" part of Saigon city and did a little exploring before the AO show at the Saigon Opera House. We sat by the river for awhile taking it all in. Times Square Hotel Saigon Opera House Not allowed to take photos of the show. I never knew how great it would be see bamboo sticks, baskets and Acrobatics... This the Cast of the show.Dinner of budget champions!! So we can do other things :) 

The next few days are going to be In and Out of Cambodia. 1 day Phnom Penh- killing fields, 1 full day Siem Reap-Angkor Wat. LOTS of traveling. I hope I can keep up!! 

So This Airbnb has a lot of construction noise during the day and I had sent the host a message,  just making them aware... not complaining. Tonight, they came to visit us and brought us a huge bag of 3 in 1 Vietnamese coffee as a "parting gift" ....  We gave them our suggestions and they were grateful for the ideas. We like this place. Very secure and safe, clean. Etc. 

Onward we go.. Cambodia bound. 

Notta

I did nothing today. Lol I took a vacation day. Video chatted with Tim and Gizmo. But keep reading lol 

I cooked us breakfast bacon and scrambled eggs. Davina fried some bread for toast. RV living skills has come in handy. 1 pot and 1 frying pan. They are doing construction in the building on our floor and it was loud. Davina and I could barely talk to each other 15 feet away.... So we left the apartment and spent a few hours at the pool. It felt so good to just relax and work on my Asia tan.

I headed up before Davina and got some lunch of champions....ramen noodles and cheese n crackers. Something told me to do a load of laundry, so both of us weren’t struggling to get it done tomorrow as we have to pack again. When I went to add soap to the washer, I realized the soap from the load we did the day we got here was still in there! Apparently all we did was spin dry for 30 minutes. So all of my clothes are now washing as I’m keeping an close eye on it. 

Expert from Davina:

"So, Cheryl had left me at the pool so I could relax and enjoy my music while she went up to do laundry. Bad,bad move. We have to have a key card to get into the elevator and get up to our floor. Well, it’s about an hour later and my white Irish skin is baking in the sun so,I decide to come upstairs. I’m on the 7th floor, apartment is on the 19. I hop in the elevator in my swimsuit nonetheless and try to get someone to help me get to the 19th floor. No one spoke English and just looked at me like a confused American when I asked. One guy tried but didn’t work. When I reached the 17th floor someone got in and before I could get a word out he scanned his card and hit 1...NOoOO. I was not waking up 19 flights of stairs so, when the door oepend on floor 9, I jumped out. I huffed and pufffed my way all the way to the 19th floor, my calves and quads burning just as much as my pale white skin and I turn the door knob. NOTHING!! Doors are locked. I started to freak out and banged on the door for a little but, no one came. Desperately, I grab for the pocket Wi-Fi that was basically dead in my backpack. I turned it on and send an SOS through Facebook messenger. Cheryl I am locked in the stairwell please come help me. Thank god she answered, I thought I was going to be stuck there forever. Or have to walk all the way down from the 19th floor and I’m not really sure which would’ve been a worse fate. I was so distressed, I didn’t even think to take a selfie of me stuck in the stairwell. After about five minutes of waiting And freaking out she came to my rescue. I was released from my prison. Cheryl saved the day!!!! "

Asia don’t have dryers so it’s a good thing we did laundry a day early so, they can dry wherever they can!! 

We made dinner! 

Even on the days that we don’t venture out or go far. It is still an adventure in South East Asia!

 

Edit