Arriving at Siem Reap, Cambodia

Did I already mention that there is no direct flight from Manila to Siem Reap? Well since I mentioned it (again), we booked a flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam.

I mentioned previously that I took the econo-light promo of Philippine Airlines (PAL). I was able to bought it at a low price but of course with less benefits. For one, I don't get to have a meal. Also, I can only check-in 15k of my baggage. Another thing is that I can't transfer seats even if there were dozens of available vacant seats. A disgruntled passenger? Nah, it's just a forewarn to all those who are planning to take said promo.

Anyway, my friend was able to get us a ticket via Vietnam Airlines for our flight from Saigon to Siem Reap. It costs us $290.00 for the round trip fare. The travel took us only an hour. Visa is not required for ASEAN countries. So it wouldn't be really hard to visit Cambodia.

I guess all airports have the same process when it comes to departure/arrivals of foreigners or be it locals. You present your disembarkation card together with your passport (which you fill up during your flight) to the immigration counter. Then the immigration officers usually asks you a thing or two otherwise they just process and stamp your passport and then you're in.

I knew then that we have a pick-up service which was confirmed thru e-mail. By the time we went outside the arrival area, we were met by the driver who was holding a placard with my friend's name on it and it read "Ms. Tete Cruz, Philippines". Actually her name is Teta. Our driver's name is Rithy and his sporty vehicle...Tuktuk. I thought we were going to be picked-up by a car or a van. I was laughing to myself when I saw our service. I didn't know then that this was the mode of transport in Cambodia. How ignorant of me! I guess I didn't have the luxury then of reading about the culture of Cambodia which is pretty sad because I could have appreciated things more had I known a little about this beautiful country.

Surprisingly, Rithy knows how to speak english but he is not that fluent so it did take a while for us to grasp some of the words that he was saying. Rithy is a very pleasant person, he always have a smile for everyone.

He brought us to the Bou Savvy Guesthouse where my friend have spotted a promo. Her friend recommended it to her. We paid only $45 for a 4-night stay. The guesthouse was just a 30-minute drive from the airport.



Rithy asked us what our plans were. He laid out his terms and the service that he can offer to us. What he explained were the different sights to see and the tour packages that can be availed. As the discussion went along, we also clarified things because it was advised that we should be clear in all negotiations so we wouldn't be caught off-guard with hidden charges or other charges that may not be understood.

In my next blog, I will discuss the different temples that we've visited and the costs that we've spent so more or less readers will have an idea on how much they should allocate if they would travel to Cambodia.

Aircon 247

Now you can really feel the effects of the global warming because of the changing weather. Summer came early and the heat is just dehydrating. You step out of the house for just a minute and you get all sweaty. Air conditioning is not a luxury anymore. It is a great relief and comfort to everyone. Can you just imagine yourself all dressed-up in coat and tie and working 8 hours in the office without an air-condition? Your armpit must be screaming hell from perspiration! I guess not. Still don't have one? Go online and check it out. It's no sweat. Just choose your personal specs and order online. Simple as abc.

Read my mind

I know I promised to do a travelblog but I think I need to insert a blog that is of utmost importance to me. I never meant to make it seem like I am taking things for granted. I am truly sorry for making things seem to look like so indifferent.

I would not make any excuses but I just want to clear the air out and put back that boyish smile right where it belong because he deserves it. All I wanted was to pour out every inch of love and passion that I can always give.

Yes, I am a Gemini by zodiac sign and I have somehow believed partly when it describes me as someone who takes up new activities enthusiastically but lacks application. I am the one who would constantly need new interests, flitting from project to project as apparently purposelessly as a butterfly dancing from flower to flower.

I am not sure if it perfectly suits me when they say that "Geminis have a keen, intuitive, sometimes brilliant intelligence..." but one thing I am sure of is that I love cerebral challenges. However, concentration, though intense for a while, does not last.

My mental agility and energy gives me a voracious appetite for knowledge. Without sounding so conceited, I fairly believe that this is true for me ... our intellect is strongly analytical and sometimes gives us so great an ability to see both sides of a question that we vacillate and find it hard to make decisions.

I am fickle when it comes to love? They say that our basic inconsistency of emotional nature is a side to Geminians which can become deeply involved emotionally, and another, hostile to sentimentality, which stands back from a romantic situation, laughing at it and the protagonists in it, including myself while analyzing it intellectually.

They say that I take nothing seriously. One might even argue that inspite of my temporary depth of feeling, for the intensity of involvement lasts only while it is new. That I am superficial, light-hearted, cool, flirtatious and unimaginative in the understanding of the pain that I give others. I completely disagree with this.

Before, it may be true that I like the excitement of the chase, but once I have caught the prey, I lose interest and look around for the next creature to pursue but now he has all changed everything.

I may be talking of myself too much but that's because I want him to see me as to whom I really am. I am not that pretentious or hideous. I don't put my best foot forward just to impress someone. I need to be seen as to what I can give when I catch my prey...and that is all of me.

I never intend to hurt someone. I am just being me. I keep silent when I feel the need to. So I guess I just need someone to respect my silence. It is not that I am hiding something but I just want some moments alone to myself. It might be too hard to understand the complexity of it but it would really pay off sometimes to just trust me especially when I say with my whole heart out "I want to be with you forever...you are my destiny...Jai ho" I mean what I say that is why I only say it once.

Earlier today I was in a trance. Just being with you...spending those precious times with you...sharing our plans and dreams. I thought I didn't need to tell you how much I appreciated every second of that Bora days. I completely forgot that we are exactly of the opposite type. I do cherish everything. It is just I can't find the words to describe the ecstatic happiness that I felt those bonding times. If it's not that important to me, why else would I make it hard for me to bring along our precious little one when I can just tag along myself and enjoy the sun without getting burned? I need not explain more I guess. Just always remember that everything is locked within my heart and that memories are (so you termed) "doubly encrypted".

Like the song playing from the movie Superman : "If you need to belong, here I am, read my mind".

The Amazing Race

For the longest time, I have never been out of the country. Since my last trip to US, so many things have happened. I am the only one left here and my family have been living and working abroad for quite sometime. I had a hard time adjusting since I lived with them for half of my life.

Anyway, this blog is a document of our adventures and visit in Cambodia and Vietnam. My friend and I called it our own version of "Amazing Race". Hopefully, this will somehow help other travelers especially for the first-timers in said countries. I would like to share as much as my memory can extract. You see I have sort of a memory gap and selective amnesia - a dangerous combination eh. LOL.

It all started when I visited my friend because of some business transaction. Of course, it wasn't just pure business transactions. We were talking about things, friends and other people. Then somewhere out of the blue, she asked me if I'd like to travel with her to Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Without any hesitations, I said yes! I wasn't thinking at all. I wasn't thinking about it's nitty-gritties, the dough and other things. I guess this time I was just thinking about myself. I thought I'd spend something for me. I thought I needed time for me. I needed some air to breathe in, some place where I can think things without any interruption or distractions. I just loved the idea so I instantaneously said yes. More than ever, I was too serious about it.

I thought it wouldn't materialized. It took us a year to finally make it through and now that the long wait is over, I was just so excited that I didn't know where to begin. Good thing my friend has lots of connections and is a frequent traveler so she is more or less an expert in the field.

Now, let me get down straight to the details...to the tips and advises....to the real thing...

First of all, traveling (especially out of your country) requires that you have a passport that is still valid for 6 months. Otherwise, you would have to go to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to renew your passport. Then depending on your destiny, you might want to check if you should apply for a visa. Take for instance, countries in the ASEAN region : People who have a Philippine-issued passport need not apply for a visa going to Cambodia or Vietnam.

The next thing that we arranged is our flight itinerary. Since there are no direct flights from Manila to Siem Reap, we have to book a flight going to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon then another flight going to Siem Reap, Cambodia. For others who have a different itinerary or multiple itinerary, you might want to check other airlines that services Siem Reap International Airport. In booking the flight, I patiently and diligently researched for the airline that would have a low-cost and yet reputable & excellent service and facility airline.

I was able to book and buy (that's how they call it now) my e-ticket from PAL. I chose the econo-fare promo which cost me a total of $132 (inclusive of all taxes and surcharges). The only frill is that you will be seated at the rear part of the plane which was okay with me plus you don't get to have their meal on-board. Again, I was fine with it since the flight only took 2-hours from Manila to Saigon. They also serve unlimited peanuts and beverage (water, juice or coffee). Hey, just so you know you can ask for an unlimited refill of your orange juice.

You will also have to pay Php1,620.00 (travel tax) plus Php750.00 (terminal fee). Of course, I was too preoccupied with what I would see and the places that we would visit so I thought the flight from Manila to Ho Chi Minh was generally okay.

Please wait for the continuation of my travel blog as it will have to wait for another day. Next part would discuss more on our travel proper to Cambodia from the first day up to our last stay.