18 July 07 Phnom Penh - In 3o minutes I'll board the Mekong Express bus to Saigon:
This is my second leg of what they bill as the limousine bus, guess its all a mater of interpretation. For example on the first leg from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh a young Cambodian dressed in a traditional Cambodian silk shirt handed out cellophane wrapped wipes (they called towels) with tongs from tray, served a sandwich in a plastic blister pack and passed out warm bottles of water. They advertise extra soft seating which turn out to be polyester (very hot to sit on) cushions originally designed to be slipped over metal folding chair backs, cannibalized from the kiddie movie promotion of "The New Sea Story" what ever that was. It also seemed these seats were smaller with less legroom than on the normal bus. Anyway, on this last leg I won't have to have a very large Cambodian lady with her 7 year old son ridding on her lap in the seat next to mine as on the bus from Siem Reap. Actually I shouldn't complain, because it was only for a short duration as a tiny Cambodian lady gave up her front row seat and moved back with me so I would have more room.

Phnom Penh, hot and humid with crazy traffic and desperately poor people living on the streets, droves of motorbike and tuk tuk drivers, beggars of all ilks who invade your space like a swam of bees. I'm way over stimulated, always have been easily distracted but all the activity and noise here makes it really tough for me to keep my self together.

I never got around to seeing much the famous Phnom Penh night life but spent an enjoyable evening at a place by the river named the Riverside Bistro. Started raining so I popped in for food and a drink until the rain stooped. Then ended up spending the evening drinking with guy from Holland who just finished building a greenhouse project in Australia and a cute young Cambodian bar tender named Molly. For reference, loads of gorgeous wait staff here and excellent European food. The breaded pork chops are the best ever!!

The past few times I've stayed at The Bright Lotus guest house, centrally located a block from the river, over looking the National Museum and the Palace. Corner room is the best bet at $ 18.00 a night, it has a little sitting area outside, AC, hot water, cable TV, frig and decent beds but you have to request a top sheet. Down side is the stairs are steep and narrow and its noisy. Good Internet cafe across the street with high speed Internet access, Vietnamese Pho restaurant also close along with a used book store with a good selection of English language paper backs.

15 July 07 - Getting out of Siem Reap, Cambodia :
I've done it, tomorrow I have a seat on the Mekong Express limo bus, sounds pretty classy doesn't it, especially for $20.00 total Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and on to Saigon, we will see. Couldn't get a through bus to Saigon so I'm staying in Phnom Penh for 2 nights. Now the search begins for a hotel, lots of them there so its no problem getting a roof over my head but I would like something nice but at a reasonable price. Yup, feeling kinda picky.

Have a on going bus connection from Phnom Penh to Saigon but rain into a couple of fellow Californians and they suggested I check Asia Air . Good tip as I found they were offering a one way flight to Bangkok for twenty some dollars. So I thinking about dumping the bus ticket and heading to Bangkok.

The motorbike guys and hawkers here are getting to me, had to have a little talk with my self to cool down and chill out. Earlier I snapped at the guy selling me the Bangkok Post and a writing tablet when he gave me one price then raised it. They do that all the time. Don't really think they are trying to cheat, they just aren't sure what they are doing and a long with thinking all of us foreigner guys are rich so what does it matter if they ask for more money.

Cambodia got the best of me, it's not in me to go on to Thailand as I already have a bus ticket from Phnom Phenh to Saigon. So I'll head back to my room in Saigon and recharge my spirit and then head over to Thailand in a few weeks. Anyway, I'm not good at traveling multiple country's, one or maybe two at a time is enough for me. More than that their are just to many things to figure out and keep track of.
To be continued -

Travel links to Vietnam and beyond from my site Vietnam-now.com :
Viet Nam time line 1930 - 2004 BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1243686.stm

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam – Country profile
United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (CFO)
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1019061877785
http://www.montagnard-foundation.org/about-degar.html

Travel advisories - US State Department
http://travel.state.gov/travel/warnings.html

Vietnam's English language newspaper http://www.saigontimesweekly.saigonnet.vn/

The Consulate General of Vietnam - San Francisco
http://www.vietnamconsulate-sf.org/frontpage.html

The Vietnamese Embassy - Washington, DC
http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/consular/visainfo.php3

Vietnam Administration of Tourism
http://www.vietnamtourism.com/

Victory (Thang Loi) Guest House: A friendly, hidden spot in Saigon's city centre where I stayed last time
http://victoryhouse.4t.com/ e-mail: mailto:victoryhouse@hcm.vnn.vn
http://www.sinhcafevn.com/

Vietnam has a narrow gauge railroad running from Saigon up to Hanoi – on to Haiphong or up to the Chinese boarder across from Lao Cai This will give you the schedules, costs and type of car service offered. The train is A lovely, interesting, however slow alterative to traveling via the friendly skies or on the chaotic highways. Excellent unofficial site - http//www.seat61.com/Vietnam.htm Vietnamese Official site - http://www.vr.com.vn/english/index.html

Primmer on Mini van travel costs: http://www.pmgeiser.ch/vietnam/transport/minibus.htm


Hydrofoil schedule - Bach Dang Wharf (foot of Nguyen Hue) Saigon to Vung Tao

http://bariavungtautourism.com/english/other_services/hydrofoil.php

Loads of inside information on Vietnam and other interesting stuff http://www.vnexpat.com/.

Vietnam Venture Group, Inc., Enterprise Service Providers and Handicraft Traders in Thailand and Vietnam

American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress
- An Approach to Dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) in Vietnam Veterans - by Daryl S. Paulson http://www.aaets.org/arts/art27.htm

The Legacy of Valor - Vietnam era helicopter images and artifacts http://vhpamuseum.org/

The guys guide to hanging in Cambodia – an expats life in Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh , nightlife, lodging, teaching English and a bunch of assorted tales from the folks who have been there doing it.

Ever wonder about land mines? If so, this sight will blow your mind! http://www.mag.org.uk/index.htm

Capital Guest House and tour – the guys with the boats from Chao Doc up to Phnom Penh - overall they seem to be the big guys in Cambodia budget tours – Seem to have to large a monopoly for my taste - http://.bigpond.com.kh/users/capital

on the road with Doug in Hue

11 July 07 Bus to Seam Reap, Cambodia from Saigon:
Found my bus in Pham Nu Lao at Spaco Tourist, cost $12.00. Left at 6:30 am for Phnom Penh, nice bus, toilet on board, they served us a sandwich and a bottle of water made one stop other than at the boarder. Vietnam Cambodia crossing was easy, paid the drivers helper $24.00 and gave him my passport, he filled out the paper work for my Cambodia visa and I passed through customs and immigrations for Vietnam than Cambodia with out a hitch. Didn't even have to take my bags off the bus or talk to any government agents.

Arrived in Phnom Penh at 12:10 PM and bought a ticket for the leg to Seim Reap, it left at 1:30PM. cost $6.00. The bus station in Phnom Penh is behind the old market, outside with walk up windows, two rows of concrete bench's under a p/e tarp. A noisy, congested and dirty place.

Seim Reap is a big tourist trap, Ankor Watt is really fascinating but jammed with hawkers and tourists. Bought lunch for me and my motor bike driver, one large bottle of Ankor beer two waters, a sandwich and rice and something for the driver- costed a little over $12.00. I want out, wanted to head on to Bangkok but can't figure out how to do it at a resonal price, bus seems to be too complicated and air is too expensive at $175.00 (US)one way. Thinking of heading back to Saigon on Monday if I can find a way that is economical and comfortable.

I'm staying at a friendly enough place here in Siem Reap, very clean but also very worn. named the Bakong Lodge. It's the kind of place you think to your self "this has a lot of unrealized potential" but mean while it reminds you of a hotel out of a movie set in old Mexico.

Everything is expensive here, not California type expensive but for SE Asia. Though there are a lot of bars for the tourist to toss there dollars and after a few drinks cost isn't all that important. Well. that is until the next day. Funny the Riel is Cambodia's currency but everything is in dollars (4,000 rl = $ 1.00 dollar). One afternoon I gave a beggar a the street some Cambodian money only to have him hand it back and show me a dollar, man they are tough here. Seriously though there are some real sad cases here, poverty is endemic and as always hits the children and physical handicapped the hardest. Speaking of handicapped people, the US probably is some what at fault here. Cambodia has more undetected land mines that just about any other country in the world and we, the US government played a big part in that, either in supplying the mines or having a hand in planting them. Sure don't see any US presence helping to fix the mess the started back in the 1970's but I do see Japan, France, Australia and many others at work here.
To be continued -

On visiting Bangkok:
Firstly - don't race through the City of Angles on your way to somewhere else - At first introduction, all the traffic and crowds in Bangkok can be intimidating but don't be standoffish, jump in and become part of the action.

Hop on the BTS (the skytrain) ride from one end till you either see an interesting spot and hop off or ride to the end look around and head back. If nothing else it's super air conditioned and very 21 st century.

Get your self down to the Chao Phraya River and hop on a express boat (reua duan). Pick up a tourist map or something like the "Rough Guide to Bangkok" to find the top spots to visit or just ride the water born bus watching the sights go by. You can connect from the skytrain at central Pier (was Saphan Taksin station) flat fair on the boats is 10 - 15 Baht . There are also tourist boats - look about the same but fly blue flags, offer running commentaries and head for designated tourist spots like Banglamphu at B75 for an all day ticket, also good on the express boats.

Instead of walking down that long soi grab one of those official motorbike taxi guys. You've seen em, the guys with the red vests, hanging on the corners, get a price first before jumping on. If you’re really a thrill junky, get one to run you through mid town during rush hour. Once while trying to catch a the night train to Chiang Mai my taxi was gridlocked the driver finely just shut off the engine and motioned me to a motorbike taxi at the corner. The motorbike taxi guy must have been used to this because before I could get out of the cab and pull on my pack he was there waiting. Guaranteeing to get me to the train on time at a price (still cheaper than a taxi). Nothing was off limits on our quest - sidewalks, dirt paths, alleys, squeezing beside and cutting across in the front of cars we roared on and catch my train. A little shaken and stiff from my ride I boarded my train on time.

What I believe to be highly underrated in our modern, fast pace world is just walking around. While at it do a lot of rubber necking and to thwart dehydration beer breaks with street vendors are a must and to keep the strength up, a bit to eat from a street vendor as you watch the world flow by.