Featured in another blog...

Another backpacker from the Philippines featured me on his blog. Here is the link:

http://journeyingjames.com/2010/09/backpacker-of-the-month-kareen-oloroso/

Cheers,

kakay

Angkor, WHAT?!

Finally, Siem Reap. It took us 6 hours to reach Siem Reap from Phnom Penh. And amazingly cheap ride for only 4USD. We've arrived at around 12mn and luckily we took the offer of the lady from Phnom Penh who exchanges money and also an agent for the buses - to check the hostel of her friend in Siem Reap and we will be picked up from the bus station for free.

The deal was just to check the place, if we like it, we can stay, if not, they will be willing to bring us to other hostels around. Not bad! But I loved the place immediately. The room was high-ceilinged, with two beds, bathroom with a bathtub, TV with cable, and a big ceiling fan for only 4USD a night for sweet dreams at Sweet Dreams. (Address and contact number below).

Long trip got me tired which is unusual. Normally, I get hyper but I was sick the past days so I went straight to bed. We have to wake up early to have enough time exploring the Angkor Wat and its surroundings.

To rent a bicycle or hire a tuk-tuk... that was the discussion early in the morning BUT the tuk-tuk won. I don't really know how but there seems to be no struggle. Hehehe... Which turned out to be the best choice as it rained heavy early in the afternoon.

The day pass for the Angkor Wat is 20USD. Quite expensive but there is no other option but to buy the ticket and get the best out of it. They will have your photograph taken and print it with the ticket. And guards will be checking them when you enter a temple.

We headed to the Angkor Wat first. I don't really know what I felt when I saw the temple but I am sure I wasn't that amazed. I think it is the effect of so much temples I've seen in Laos. It seems to me that is a place where tourists "must-go" and "see" but there seems to be nothing magical to if - at least for me. I've been to the Prambanan and Burubudor Temples in Indonesia and there was this magical feeling. In Angkor Wat, there was none. Or it was the fatigue after travelling for almost 2 months. Though I won't discourage people from going there. It really depends on the person's taste and what he/she wants to experience and see.

Still, we went on with the other temples and to some more temples and some more. Whew, man, one day around these temples is really too much.

I've decided to skip the sunset which is quite famous for tourists BECAUSE I don't want to be fighting for a space on that little hill where they said to be the best place to see the sun set. I won't fight to snap a photo of a sunset and won't even enjoy it.

We went back to the guest house and freshened up. It was my last night in Cambodia before heading back to Vietnam for a conference. We decided to skip the street where we are staying for dinner. And boom... we found an eat-all-you-can hotpot for 3USD complete with dessert and all. Beer prices is not that bad either. If you want to look for it, it is just along the main road near Watbo St. I missed to get the name but it is something like a Thai Restaurant.

Now, I have to sleep for a long trip back to Ho Chi Minh.

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SWEET DREAMS GUEST HOUSE AND RESTAURANT
House # 0126 Watbo St., Watbo Village, Salakomreouk Commune, Siem Reap
T: (855) 92 548 600, (855) 16 751 004
E: sweet_dreams999@hotmail.com

Been there, Don Det!

Yeah, I've BEEN THERE AND DON DET!!!

Thanks to Adam for this catchy sign outside of his bar - HANUMAN Bar. It is not that far from the "jetty" in Don Det. If you want information in English, visit this bar.

The time in Don Det was so easy and light. No worries at all. You can bike around the island in a day including the island in the south of it with the waterfalls. Just prepare to pay for the bridge. We did not pay so we haven't been to the waterfalls but we still found it to be fun.

The highlight in Don Det was still the football match. Germany was playing there was no reception in the whole island. Most of us were disappointed and ended up sitting at Hanuman, drinking our beer, imagining the game... until the end of the match when some of us, including me, tried to call friends to find out the result. I just wasn't that lucky to find anything out because the friend I have back in Germany who is German is not even watching football!!! Argh! But it turned out to be somehow a good thing that there was no reception because Germany lost!

Even if I've been there and Don Det... I'm coming back for more! Next time I'll be in Laos, Don Det will be my address.

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Some hints:

Pakse to Ban Nakasang - 30,000 kips

Ban Nakasang to Don Det by boat - 15,000 kips

Bungalows (simplest and shabby) - 20,000 kips (good for 2)

and bring lots of cash - NO ATM on the island, only money changers!

How Important 1 USDs are...

I never brought 1USDs with me... but I understood its importance when I started crossing borders. In countries like Laos and Cambodia, they always require you to pay for what they call an "Admin Fee" and "Overtime Fee" (if you are crossing the border on a weekend or holidays.

The lesson learned is that it is cheaper in most of the times to pay 1USD than to pay in their own currency as they value it much higher. It is not as if you are losing a fortune but it could have been "fairer" a deal with 1USD.

The most 1USDs I've used is when I crossed the south of Laos to Cambodia... You have to pay at the Laos Immigration 1USD then another to the Cambodia Immigration then another dollar for the H1N1 test. BUT I ended up just skipping the H1N1 as they got somehow confused. I proceeded then for the bus.

I will try to post the cost of border crossings in the next entries.

Pakse

Pakse is where we got caught by the football fever - Chile vs. a team I forgot... haha. And traveling with the Chileans Javie and Clari... we cheered for Chile and they won!

I find Pakse to be a chill place. Bars along the river, Thailand on the other side. It's not to big to get lost and it is definitely manageable to walk around.

We've spent one whole day on motorbikes to explore around. We've passed by coffee plantation and swam in one of the waterfalls.

Motorbike rental for a day was just 50,000 kips. I still can't drive a motorbike but I am a good backride. Maria was the driver and she somehow enjoys it.

One thing I really would like to say is that eventhough you have this blunt idea that Southeast Asia is unbelievably cheap, it doesn't mean that things go for free. There are scams, I know, but there are also efforts that are not - just like the entrance fees for temples or waterfalls. Even I, an Asian, am willing to pay for an entrance that is almost nothing - a fee of around 0.50 US cent. We are not sure where this is going but there are just things in life that does not come for free. And why bother use to much energy fighting over 0.50 US Cent. Then, this is crazy if not stupid.

That was stressful... Whew!

But then there was also fun stuff, like bringing Maria's almost kaput sandals to the "Shoe Doctor". We've also stumbled on one nice jewelry shop where I got my shell pendant. A simple silver pendant for only 20,000 kips.

Going back to the football match, Maria and I were together on the first game and Javie and Clarissa were watching obviously on a different venue. We were told that along the river bank, there is only one place with a big screen which turned out to be half-true - there was another one and that was the one where Maria and I were and the Javie and Clarissa found the other one. After some bottles of beer and wondering where the half of our "team" were - Maria and I decided for a walk along the river bank hoping we'll find them... and we did! Blimey! I forgot one important description of the place that it is beside a massage parlor. We saw it and the team was complete! hehehe... Fortunately, we were never late for the match when Chile won!

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Some hints:

Savannakhet to Pakse - 35,000 kips

Motorbike rent in Pakse - 50,000 kips for the whole day

"Can you take me with you?"

Crossed the border again!

I started with Tay Trang in the north of Vietnam to Laos, I crossed the Nam Phao/Cau Treo border to Vinh, then I crossed back again to Lao through Donsavanh/Lao Bao border.

I stayed in Dong Ha for a night after that long 6 hours ride from Vinh. I've met some young people who are full of energy and enthusiasm for the future which is refreshing. They've got a very positive outlook in life including picking me up from the bus station on their bicycles. Hahaha... I am JUST carrying a backpack weighing at least 15kilos and another sling bag with my laptop inside and another grocery bag with some assorted stuff. They were three and the two divided my pack and one of them took me as a backride. I am not that scared of the traffic but of the possibility that we will have a flat tire or two.

Anyway, we made it to the hotel. They brought me to a 2-star hotel which costs 10USD a night. It is not bad - airconditioned, own bath, television with cable, free coffee and tea, and internet connection.

I explored a bit of the city with them and still with bikes. We had nice fruit shakes and of course I ordered for Durian Shake. They took me for breakfast the next day too.

And my time to head back to Laos has come. And I never thought I will have to deal again with the lady who told me that the 85 kilometers from Dong Ha to the border will costs me 150,000 Dong when from Vinh to Dong Ha costed me only 100,000 Dong. C'mon! I did not started traveling yesterday. And so the conversation went like this:

Vietnamese Woman: Oh, you are back. She is my customer.

Me: No. I am looking for the cheapest price to the boundary.

VW: I give you 50,000 Dong. How much you want?

Came another Van with an offer: 40,000 Dong.

VW: OK, OK, 30,000 Dong for you.

I took it. Thrown my pack at the back of the van and sat by the window while the van just makes U-turn after U-turn to get passengers. Then he decided to head to the border after 20-30 minutes.

VW: Hey, you! Money, pay now!

I handed her the 3 10,000-Dongs.

VW: No! 50,000 Dong.

And that was it, she really made me angry!

Me: You said it's only 30,000 Dong that's why I took this van. (With an angry and annoyed tone and finger pointing strong at her)

VW: You said, you said. Give me money... (with a sarcastic tone)

I handed her the money and tried to calm myself down. There is no winning with them but I only handed her 30,000 Dong. Does that mean I won? Hehehe...

At the border: another set of antics!

I asked the lady from the store where I got my water and cigarette about the distance of the border from where I am. They can only say: FAR AWAY! But how far is faraway? 1 kilometer? 2? 3?

Came the xe om driver to the "rescue"... "I'll take you to the border of Vietnam then to the border of Laos for 100,000 Dong." What is wrong with these people?! Do I look stupid to them? NO!!!

I told him that I only need to go to the border of Vietnam and I will walk the distance in between to Laos. He agreed with 10,000 Dong. And I was fooled again! It was less than a kilometer and when I got off he even wanted to ask for more money. When will I get lucky dealing with these people?

Anyways, there I was exiting Vietnam and walked the 300 meters gap in between the border gates. I am finally back to Laos. Until it dawned on me that there were no buses or even cars around. How the hell do I bring my ass to Savannakhet where my travel buddies are?

And there he was, having his passport stamped... "Are you going to Savannakhet?" He said Yes. My next line went like this, "Can you take me with you?" He was startled with the question and I was suprised myself why the hell I asked him that. Desperation most probably. He went to his friend and asked if I can join them. The friend agreed.

Then I've got lucky finally. I found myself in an almost brand new Mercedes Benz Sprinter all the way to Savannakhet and was even dropped near where my friends are. FOR FREE!

ATM in Vietnam

I tried my first ATM transaction today. It is something I am not thinking of doing but I got no choice. I was trying to avoid it not to incur transaction cost that is somehow 3-5USD. But I was lucky, transaction cost for my BPI International Card at the VeitinBank is only 20,000d (= 1USD more or less).

ATMs in Vietnam can be found in major cities. You can check online where your card is acceptable.

The Tra Vinh Impression

09.05.2010

It took me 6 hours to reach Tra Vinh... but it doesn't really matter... I was asleep during the whole trip. :)

With an SMS to show the driver where I want to get off... I was confident. Hahaha... I told my friend Tung, the one whom I'm gonna visit, that everything will be fine and it should be. This is one of the areas in VietNam that English is really alien. So I have to work with sign language and stop getting confused. I always say Salamat to people - which is somehow good BUT Thank You might be more familiar.

The fare from HCMC to Tra Vinh is 80,000d with free bottle of water. Good price and I am expecting it to be a good place - less tourist and all.

I arrived Tra Vinh but I was stopped by the driver to get off while most of the passengers did. It just meant one thing, I am not yet in the right place. Then there came another van and I was asked to transfer. Hmmm... Should I pay or not? Is it still far or something? Questions that won't be answered until I get there. Hehehe... Better wait and see. The driver asked one passenger occupying the front seat to vacate it for me. They are a bunch of helpful people trying to understand a traveller-lost-in-translation like me.

I showed again the SMS to the driver and he gave me a nod. I am to get off at Ca Phe Nang Xanh... AND we passed by lots of Ca Phe along the seems to be a main road. Then there was some sort of confusion from the driver's facial expression. After passing by the Ca Phe road... Nang Xanh seems to be non-existent until we found it. I sensed a feeling of victory from the other passengers. They are happy too that I found my destination. They waved goodbyes at me and gave me warm smiles. And the good driver helped me with my bag and cross the street.

Less than 24 hours in Vietnam and it feels like home already.

50,000d = 150,000d

Yes, it is true! With the mobile promotions... I bought a 50,000d sim card of Mobifone and it got a 150,000d worth of credit. With 220d/SMS average... It will for sure go a long way. Different mobile companies got similar promos too. So, than using your own sim card from home, get yourself a local sim. An SMS to the Philippines costs only around 4Php.

Saigon and a million

After 2,5 hours flight from the Philippines to Ho Chi Minh City... Now I can say, Xin Chao.

Yeah, now I'm in Saigon... with a million Vietnamese Dong... Heart pumping fast with the overwhelming idea of a million and also a possibility that I am somehow losing in the exchange.

The girl in a traditional Vietnamese dress just basically grabbed my USD and Euro bills and gave me a million with a note as if I won a million. "Here is your one million Ma'am (take it, take it and leave...)."

Surviving that... I'm off to the next challenge... How to get to Pham Ngu Lao without being stashed by the persistent "middlemen" for the taxi.

First offer: I bring you Pham Ngu Lao, give me 250,000 Dong.

Answer: NO!

Second offer: OK, OK... give me 200,000 Dong, just like 12USD.

Answer: NO!

My offer: 100,000

His answer: 150,000

My answer: NO!


Then he came to me after this bargaining with a deal, "You give me 100,000 Dong but when the guy in taxi (another passenger) asks you how much you give me, tell him 250,000. OK?!"

Oh well, OK! Now I am an accessory to the crime but saved me so much! And my million is down to 900,000!

I passed the first level in surviving Vietnam, LEARN HOW TO SAY NO!