We started our bus trip at 7:00 AM at the office where we had bought our ticket. The nice ticket agency lady then introduced us to the guy we would follow to the bus. Imagine our surprise when he handed us each a helmet and motioned us to get on the back of his and his friend’s motorscooters. We also had 3 bags, which he loaded onto the scooters with plenty of room to spare. So we started the trip with a 10 min ride through the HCMC traffic. I got there first. (I arrived shortly after Tim but have to say that I am not a happy motorscooter rider – especially in the absolutely crazy Saigon traffic. However, I had no choice today)
The bus trip was uneventful. We crossed the border into Cambodia and then had a coffee at a restaurant up the road, while we waited for our passports to get stamped. I thought the process was a bit strange but it seemed to work. At one point we had to wait for the ferry. Since the bus was air-conditioned we stayed on the bus. Then as we pulled onto the ferry I saw the chicken truck. It was a small truck with the rear loaded with live chickens. The top had been built out over the driver and it had a 10 cm lip on it. It was also loaded with live chickens that didn’t seem to be tied down. I guess it really is true that chickens can’t fly.
Although we changed busses in Phnom Penh, we didn’t stop in the countryside. The architecture in Cambodia is different from Vietnam. Most houses in the countryside are built on stilts and the walls are either wood or thatch. The roofs are always corrugated metal. We arrived in Siem Reap at 7 PM. It was dark and the bus station was far from the city centre. Fortunately the guest house where we are staying had sent a driver to pick us up – so we got our first ride in a Tuk-Tuk today.
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