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| Cambodian house |
Our crossing to Cambodia from Thailand was a pretty good
indicator as to how lax Cambodian laws and procedures are (this directly
translates to traffic laws). We arrived to the Thai border town where there is
a border crossing to Poi Pet, Cambodia. The bus driver was kind enough to take us close to the
crossing instead of the bus station 7 km away. We pulled into a parking lot
behind a travel agent with a spray painted sign that said “visa stamp this
way.” Ummm….the visa is not a stamp. It’s a full-page sticker. He pointed us
into the travel office, which we knew was a scam. We began to wander with our
huge packs, asking random people where the border crossing was and getting
either confused looks or pointed in contradicting directions. After finally
finding it, it was a breeze getting through Thai customs and then Cambodian
immigration with no touts or scams in sight. We were lucky though—people get
scammed there all the time.
Before I get into the bus scene here, I just need to say
that I am currently sitting next to a family going to town on a traditional Cambodian
delicacy that involves a hard boiled egg with a chick fetus inside. Not just
the yolk. It’s a bit formed. I don’t see feathers, but I am still a bit
disturbed.
ANYWAYS. Cambodian buses. Interesting modes of
transportation because they are known to be extremely dangerous. Traffic
collisions are the #1 killer in Cambodia, but to be fair, it’s pretty similar
in other countries. We have heard horror stories of nigh buses crashing,
killing some people, and the driver running off. It doesn’t help that there are
essentially no traffic laws here (and no one to enforce them), or that the
highways are the equivalent of country roads in the United States. There are
many extremely slow-moving vehicles on the road (including cows), and to pass
busses will blare their horns, go at high speeds into opposite moving traffic,
and then swerve back on to the right side of the road seconds before a truck
speeds past in the opposite direction. Kate and I are not the only terrified
ones, however, all the Cambodians look to the front terrified every time the
horn blares as well.
Another minor annoyance: Cambodian music videos blasting the
entire ride. Most of the Cambodians seem very interested, so it’s selfish for
me to be annoyed, and I am able to drown it out fairly well with my own music.
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| entrance to a wat |
Even though my transportation in Cambodia has been a bit
terrifying, I wouldn’t discourage it. I would, however, discourage taking night
buses. If you can fly around the country, I would recommend that, but take a
bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. It’s incredible to see how most of the
country lives in one-roomed shacks on stilts. The poverty is unbelievable and I
feel that if you are to visit a country and engulf yourself only in the tourist
attractions, you are not experiencing the culture and the country as it truly
is.
ALSO: I keep forgetting to post this video of this adorable little boy who showed me his incredible dance moves in Siem Reap
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