Thursday, 29 September 2016

travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XVIII

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}


......continued from part XVII

Previously in part XVII 。。。

"We had few glasses of beer and chances to know more about the locals through Mr Roth who can speak good English.

So, basically that was all for my second day in Cambodia. Before sending me back to hotel, I asked him to stop by a laundry shop to collect my clothes (the laundry shop is just 5 minutes walking distance from Bayon Boutique hotel, convenient). The tut-tut driver fee for all these, USD20 only, worth it."

(September 18, 2015)
This was my third day in Cambodia and it was another "big day" of my life. I was going to fulfill an (almost) impossible mission here in Cambodia, a foreign country which is 2000km from home (Malaysia).

I woke up early and completed check-out process with my first hotel experience in Cambodia. Then I had my second Cambodian breakfast in its renowned in-house restaurant.


Bayon Boutique Hotel in-house restaurant
detailing the design of a Khmer restaurant
imitated carving @ in-house restaurant of Bayon Hotel
counter design @ Khmer restaurant 
Khmer breakfast by Bayon Hotel 
Khmer porridge @ Bayon Hotel 
well decorated even the backyard
 Then I ordered to take-away a Khmer curry chicken.
Khmer curry @ Bayon Boutique Hotel
A tut-tut was stand-by to fetch me to Siem Reap International Airport at a designated time. Thumb-up to the Bayon Boutique Hotel which allowed me to change my quota of "pick-up from airport" into "take-me to airport". 
It taken 20 minutes to reached at the airport. Well, what was I going to do in an airport ? Fly home? Haha! No!
I asked the tut-tut driver to drop me at the [ARRIVAL] door. The driver surprised and insisted to drive me further to [DEPARTURE] door. I said "No! I want to get down here".. Haha! So nice the Khmer.
With anxious & exciting, I quickly walked straight into the gate. 
Inside the hall, an airport officer stopped me and explained that tourists were not allowed in this area. So, I had to walk out then. Then I read on a flight status screen.
the flight status screen outside Siem Reap Airport
I waited for 20 minutes and finally the screen shown the flight from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) had [ARRIVED]. So, who is coming from Malaysia? You guess 。。。

Master Yoda ?
Master Yoda @ KL Airporrt
This one ? An Astronaut from Malaysia 'Boleh' ? 
Malaysia boleh @ KL Airport
Or this big-eye lady ?
YP @ KL Airport, Malaysia
Yup yup yup! You guessed it right. My wife is coming by flight. "Why you stupid monkey let your wife take a plane whilst you yourself taken a train to reach 2000km foreign coutnry ? Bloody-hell 。。。" Yup, I repeated my own arisen question many and many times during this 30 minutes session. Keeping anxiety, what could it be if that airplane was end-up to be another MH370 ? 
I proposed to marry my lovely wife 20 years ago, but we never been to oversea together. 
I am an acrophobia (fear of heights) & airplane-phobia (fear of flights) person. During these twenty years, I kept hiding from reality and we keep chasing for 'never-ending needs' of livings. 
This year 2015, blessed with many thanks to the great Amitabha, after long & deep consideration and proper planning, I sacked myself from current work (into a wild pre-retirement life), I had a chance to plan 'our' long-waited oversea tour. 
At start, I pursuit her to ride on train together; but she said "it could be too tired if taking train" Yes! It could be a physically tiring but not a soul-boring ride. (right ? After these 17 episodes of story tells) She insisted to fly. Alright then, one go for train, one go for plane. Here it comes 。。。
a tut-tut exhibited in KL airport 
flying alone. scary look 
Kuala Lumpur airport
KL airport, plane ready to fly
Back to the story that I was still waiting my lovely wife to come out from the door after the flight status shown that the plane had [ARRIVED]. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes 。。。passed, but she haven't come out !
A badge after another badge of tourists came out from the door but I still not seeing my lovely wife. 
。。。。。。
Finally,
YP landed in Siem Reap

shaky hand camera shot. Too excited
my lovely wife, YP
riding on a tut-tut @ Siem Reap airport
happy moment @ tut-tut by hotel
YP selfie @ Siem Reap International Airport
romance moment @ hotel room 

Sorry ya 。。 after this part, it was all private moments, and you bet, this is not a porno story blog .. Kekeke

。。。。。。to be continued


(click, back to episode 1) travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part I

(current page) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XVIII

(click) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XIX



Monday, 26 September 2016

travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XVII

{Lone Ranger Finding His Loving Wife}


......continued from part XVI

Previously in part XVI 。。。

"The famous Pub Street in Siem Reap is an area besides full with pubs, it also contains lots of restaurants & street vendors alike night market.

Another lone ranger's experience in a fascinating drinking & relaxing environment in another foreign country 。。。Wow, you have to try it ~"

(September 16, 2015)
I had dinner in a sounded alike Chinese named restaurant - The Soup Dragon.
The Soup Dragon curry chicken @ Siem Reap


So delicious curry chicken @ The Soup Dragon
The curry chicken was so delicious and tasty. See I added on an extra plate of rice. This restaurant resided at the junction of the main street in Pub Street, Siem Reap. The environment attracted me a lot. I would absolutely bring my lovely wife here again if I able to find her then.

After my dinner, I sit there for some moments. A lot tourists from all folks visit this Pub Street when they come to Siem Reap or Angkor Wat. Due to The Dragon Soup restaurant's location which is like an entrance to the main street, tourists normally stop by and take photo here. Besides Angkor Wat, the Pub Street has became another landmark of Siem Reap.  

I also had s short walk around the main street - Street 8 before I hopped onto another Tut-tut to head back hotel. This time, charge was more expensive. 
Travel hacks : Always remember to ask for tut-tut driver's contact, you may need it later time.

After reaching the hotel, I contacted & booked the earlier tut-tut driver (who I presumed as more friendly) who drove me to the Pub Street for the next day's trip.

(September 17, 2015)
I woke up early in my second day in Cambodia. After a tiring but exciting day-long road travel, I had a sufficient sleep. Showered, then looped into the peacefully well-decorated living hall (or theater hall of the hotel) for breakfast.

Healthy fruity Cambodian breakfast

healthy vegetarian Cambodian porridge 
The breakfast provided by the Bayon Boutique Hotel is healthy and worth. After my breakfast, I take a look at the swimming pool of the hotel.
swimming pool @ Bayon Boutique Hotel


small but classic @ Bayon Boutique Hotel

ancient smile @ Bayon Boutique Hotel

top view @ Bayon Boutique Hotel


Although the hotel is small but it is well decorated.
corridor @ Bayon Boutique Hotel


living hall @ Bayon Boutique Hotel

Buddha @ Bayon Boutique Hotel

small garden bench @  Bayon Boutique Hotel

entrance bridge @ Bayon Boutique Hotel

The tut-tut driver, Mr Roth, was punctual to fetch me up for a city tour ride.

The first point I wanted Mr Roth to drive to was the hotel which I had booked online a month before I started my tour. So, why I did so ? Didn't I say that I only booked the first hotel of my tour destination ? Yup. But this hotel had been 'chosen' together ..
Landing Point Villa @ RM122 per night


look nice (website pic only) @ Landing Point Villa

I chosen the Landing Point Villa from another 3 shortlisted. The online pictures shown the room looked nice, piece in mind like 'how they advertised'. But, the actual reality was 。。。(tell you later).
Travel hacks : Never believe too much on what you seen online. Check for reviews on different travel pages.

The tut-tut taken 10 minutes to reach at Landing Point Villa which is at the other side (east side) of Pub Street.
Siem Reap hotels map

Landing Point Villa main entrance
With curiosity to find out how was our 'choice' from top pick of the three shortlisted, I immediately went inside the hotel to check out. Grrrrr~ so so only. So, how ? But I had booked for 4 nights! Yes, 4!! What to do then ? Just accept lol, nevertheless it was 'our' choice. This is the typical example of [what you seen online is not what you get actual] .

I double confirmed with the Receptionist that I will checked-in the next day, and reminded him to pick me up at the airport. The hotel provided one free transfer from Airport. So, why picked me up again while I was already in Siem Reap ? Haha! Tell you later. The first hotel, Bayon Boutique Hotel also provided one free-ride from Airport, but I didn't use up the quota, I had changed it to "Take me to Airport" ride. Most of the hotels in Siem Reap provide free transfer from Airport (but mostly limited to one ride only and not two-way). So, that's means one hotel take me to Airport and the other one take me from Airport, smart right ?

Then the tut-tut taken me to a local wet market, which is about 10 minutes ride.
I bought a slipper with USD5, which I am still wearing it until today. So who said "cheap thing no good one" ? ~ Kekeke
slipper bought @ Cambodian wet market USD5
In the evening, Mr Roth, the driver brought me to a simple restaurant with locals crowded. I hardly pursuing my good driver Mr. Roth to join me for dining together.
Cambodian local dish

Cambodian local dishes
We had few glasses of beer and chances to know more about the locals through Mr Roth who can speak good English.

So, basically that was all for my second day in Cambodia. Before sending me to hotel, I asked him to stop by a laundry shop to pick up my clothes (the laundry shop is just 5 minutes from Bayon Boutique hotel, convenient). The tut-tut driver fee for all these, USD20 only, worth it.


Siem Reap night view, blur blur shot
。。。。。。to be continued


(click, back to episode 1) travel to Bangkok->Siem Reap from Malaysia by train ..part I

(current page) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XVII

(click) travel to Siem Reap Cambodia from Malaysia by train ..part XVIII