36. Off to Cambodia

I was pretty tired after my day in KL and on returning to the hotel organised for towel hire and air-con. These are not included in the price - towel is MYR5 with a MYR20 deposit which you get back at checkout when you return your towel. Air conditioning was MYR13 - believe me you need it otherewise your room's like a hot box. The air con was excellent and cooled the room very quickly. You have to insert your plastic security card into the air con thing on the wall to turn it on. When you take it out to leave your room, the air con switches off as do the lights. The room at Tunes hotel is small and basic but very clean. There's a bed, small bedside table and a shower and toilet. I fell across the bed with the intention of "I'll just lie down for a few minutes" - yeah, famous last words!

I woke at 2.00am (Thank goodness I didn't oversleep and miss my flight!) with a migraine and took some tablets, then went downstairs for a smoke. Had a refreshing shower and set the alarm for 4.00am. I woke at 4.40am with the alarm going off like mad. Caught the bus to LCCT (2 ringgot) and made it with plenty of time to spare.

A funny story
I was desperate to find a loo, and waited in line for 15 minutes (who'd have thought they'd be so busy at this time of the morning?), anyway when my turn came it was an Asian toilet and this I did not want. I then realised there were other loos to the left around the corner so waited in line there - there was no paper. So I decided to wait for the next one available. One of the ladies looked at me and I said, "There's no toilet paper". She looked me straight in the eye and replied, "You need toilet paper?" From her tone of voice I gather I had rather disgraced myself! Funny thing, I had noticed several ladies on entering the toilet would quickly come out again and wait for another. The reason? They were "Western" toilets.

That was when I learnt my first lesson "Thou shalt carry tissues or some paper serviettes when using public toilets in Malaysia." Comes in very handy.☺

Never fall asleep in airports
The second lesson (and a more important one) "Thou shalt not fall asleep in airports before your flight."

I sat on a long wooden seat next to the Air Asia stand where they sell souvenirs and closed my eyes for a few minutes. I nearly slept my flight away and had to run like a bull at a gate through the checkin area then through customs. I made it with a bare 5 minutes to spare. Phew! I declare, I'll never allow myself to fall asleep again.

Above: LCCT in the early morning
The centre photo is the airport when I arrived and the ones surrounding are of the skies as dawn came. Theses were taken from the plane. I bought a chicken focaccia, a cup of black tea cost - MYR14 and a box of Krispy Kreams and coffee (the coffee's free) for MYR9. One donought had chocolate icing, the other was a powder cream one.

Above: Our plane lands
The plane arrived on time at 8.00am and I was so excited as I came off the plane. I was here. I was in Camnbodia. The Cambodian airport ladies were dressed in lovely ankle length silk skirts with a decorative pattern above the hemline.

Above: Siem Reap Airport
The airport buildings and grounds are wonderful with a good architectural design and luscious greenery. Everyone, everywhere was taking photos - snap, snap, snap, photographing themself and their friends in front of the fence with the words "Siem Reap Internaational Airport". I badly wanted a photo of the brick fence but just the fence - not with me or anybody eilse standing in front of it. This wasn't to be and in a way I'm rather glad now. The chap who was sitting next to me on the plane was a student and we had an interesting conversion and he wanted a photo taken with me. Then he took one of me. As I said, I'm rather glad now becuase they are nice memories to have - much better than just a plain wall.

Above: Inside Siem Reap Airport
Waiting in customs I kept looking everywhere, not wanting to miss a thing. When my turn came to show my passport, I had to go back - where the form says visa number I had written "e visa". You have to write the numbers printed under this. The inside was a delight with many interesting sculptures and carvings. The elephant is enormous and I liked the statue of Buddha with seven red umbrellas and the large golden ball shaped light. There are trellis for the exits which you pass through and they were very much in keeping with the theme.

Above: Pookeya, my tuk tuk driver
I was dying for a smoke and on passing through the trellises, saw a sea of faces - men holding a signs with people's names. I noticed one particular man and as I walked ahead I just had the feeling the he was my driver. He was - there was the sign with "My name" and "Two Dragons" underneath it. His name he said was Pookeya (not sure of correct spelling) and on asking him could I have a smoke first, he picked up my suitcase and made for the tuk tuk. You can smoke in the tuk tuks - everybody does. If you're a smoker that is. None of this no smoking here, no smoking within X number of feet from the shop door like back in Australia. People don't tell you off and no-one has problems with it.

Above: Airport monument
There are lovely tropical gardens outside the front of the airport and this is one of the statues. Quaint huh?

Above: Archway
We had to pass through a checkout then we were out on the open road - me looking left and right drinking it all in. We passed under this arch over the road. It's gold with dark red.

Above: Traffic roundabout
I really liked this roundabout which we passed - much more interesting than the plain round ones with "Keep left" and a few straggly looking piddling little plants under them.

The weather was already very warm and I sat back and relaxed and enjoyed the ride. I was sooo glad I chose a tuk tuk instead of a car.