A van picked us up at noon and dropped us off at the bus. When Ian booked the tickets, he asked for a VIP bus with a/c – the tickets were only 5 dollars each but he was assured the bus would be nice. We had managed to get seats 1 and 2 assigned so I was quite happy about that. However, like usual, two people were already sitting in them. They told us they were changing buses so not to worry. We piled into the seats opposite them and hoped they were telling the truth.
The bus had locals and tourists on it and once it was full, we got on our way. I settled in for a long ride but 10 minutes later, the bus pulled into a large parking lot and the couple in our seats got out. I felt a bit guilty thinking they weren’t being honest. Ian and I moved into our seats and again settled in only to be told by the bus driver that we all had to change buses. Out we went and before us was a bus not nearly as nice as the one we had just been on. Ian made sure our bags were transferred and I went on the bus to be sure we got our seats. They were definitely 1 and 2 but not as nice as the other bus. However, we did have loads of leg room and the a/c worked so I couldn’t complain.
The ride was supposed to be about 5 hours but I think it ended up taking 6 (if not more) because we hit major traffic and the bus never went over 50km. The ride to Phnom Penh was interesting; we passed flat fields of rice, wooden homes on stilts, and many white cows picking at the grass along the road. At one point, we had to stop because three cows were walking towards us in the middle of a road congested with traffic. Garment factories were letting workers out and pickup trucks with cage like bars loaded with at least 2 dozen passengers – most of them were women – passed by.
Along the way, the bus stops to let passengers off as they request. Also, the bus makes at least one stop for about 15 – 20 minutes so you can use the toilet or grab some food. These are the worse toilets I’ve ever seen but locals and tourists alike use them because what choice do you have? The men often skip the toilet and just pee out in the open. The bathrooms are squat toilets with flimsy doors and no toilet paper. I never go anywhere without tissue. I never eat the food at these places either but occasionally Ian will. He has an iron stomach.
Our bus arrived in Phnom Penh in the dark into a parking lot with many tuk tuk drivers so of course, we were flooded with offers. Ian negotiated a price of 4 dollars to get us to our hotel, Villa Langka, and off we went. On arrival, I handed the driver five one dollar bills (a tip) and when he counted it, he thought I made a mistake and tried to give me back a dollar.
The Manor House where we stayed last time was booked up but David recommended Villa Langka so we went with it. It was a great location, down a dark alley alongside a temple complex super close to all the restaurants we had visited last time. The hotel had 48 rooms and we were staying in a standard room ($55) which was all that was available. We asked about an extra night and all they had left was superior at $65 so we added that on.
Our room was tiny with an open concept bathroom (so much for privacy) but it was clean and the a/c and hot water worked well. They were going for the minimal look which meant no storage. Laundry was ridiculously priced – 80 cents for a pair of undies and 2.50 for a shirt so we decided to wait on laundry. Dinner however was cheap and yummy as it has typically been here. I’ve been eating a fair bit of Western food in Cambodia while Ian has mostly been sticking to Asian. I’m especially happy to be eating so many great salads and fruit juices.
The following day we headed to the Manor House to pick up the second pair of shoes that Ian had made. David, the owner, had picked them up for us and wouldn’t take any money which was very kind. We chatted for a bit and I mentioned my broken Kobo and David suggested that we get one of his staff members to take us to where he had gotten his computer fixed. I cannot remember the boy’s name but he was the one who made us breakfast when we stayed there last time; a sweet kid who was finishing university and working to help his sister go to school.
The three of us loaded into a tuk tuk for about a 5 minute drive to the shop. Stores here are quite small and open to the street. At night they simply pull down a large metal door, almost like a garage door to lock up. We waited our turn, explained the problem and handed over the e-reader. The fellow looked at it briefly and handed it back saying “no parts.” So that was that.
The tuk tuk driver took us back to Manor House and we tried to give the boy some money for going to the trouble of taking us to the shop but he refused. He remembered that we had given him a tip last time we were there and he wanted to do this for us in return.
Oh yes, and about Ian’s shoes. The ones that were supposed to match his Keens…well, there is a vague resemblance in terms of style but the sole is different and they are leather, so of course, totally impractical for hiking. However, they do fit his feet a lot better than the first pair he had made so that’s a good thing.
We head to Battambang next.
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