ADMITTEDLY, I wasn't really looking forward to this trip. And as usual, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew was... actually-NOTHING. When people asked (read: my friend Lanie who's been before), all that came to mind were single words and short phrases:
L: When are you guys leaving?
Me: Sometime in February?
L: Did you get a good deal for the plane fares?
Me: Uuuh... *looks at Epok*
L: How are you getting to Siem Reap?
Me: Siem Wha? (I thought we were going to Angkor Wat?)
L: How many days are you staying?
Me: Mmm... *shrug* (Thought bubble: NOT FEW ENOUGH!)
I didn't count the days, but THE DAY came anyway. *Sigh*
Day One: Travelled to Urdaneta, then to Tarlac, then to Clark, then to Bangkok, then to the Cambodian Border. So far the trip was meeting my expectations. NOT GOOD. At least my braids were holding up.
Day Two AM (Cambodian Border): Cabbie late! Typical? Epok fuming. Typical. Jang nagging. TYPICAL. Finally he shows up (or we get to him). Two hour drive to Siem REAP (Alam ko na, thanks to the immigration officer who gave me a heads up and wrote it on my arrival card).
Day Two Noon: Hotel Viroth's-FINALLY! Things looking up. Lovely Place. Lovely Khmer lunch. Everything "Viroth" seems to exude awesomeness. (note to self: google VIROTH definition) Then rest and a little bit of recreation. Can't help but think Epok was leaning in for "the kill." Slept in bated breath....
Day Three (Angkor Wat): Temple Walking...Posing...Running...Panting...Whining...PLEASE GOD, NOT ANOTHER ONE! Sabi ko na nga ba! Eventually, at the end of the afternoon, I finally got to ride an (abused?) elephant to the top of the hill where I climbed a million steps to the sunset watching deck. GOOD TIMES.
"Good Morning Cambodia!"
"Octopus Prime"
Co-tourists
Pre-brouhaha photo
Still with a skip in my step
Temple Running (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Ouch! (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
*Scowl* (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Are we done yet??? (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Poor Ellie...
Sunset...
...At last! (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Day Four (More Temples): Started the day not feeling my feet. Fortunately, got a tummy ache sometime near the final few temples. Hooray! Great excuse to cut the day short. Napped through the museum visit. This is the life. Final Khmer dinner (sad face), Night Market finds (happy face).
Here we go again... (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Caffeine (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
"De-caffed"
Shadows in the sun (photo c/o Jeffrey Co)
Belly treat!
Day Five (Hello Bangkok): Sawadeeka! Hello Cha Tu Chak, wonderful to meet you. Sad I had to leave you so soon.
Day Six: #itsmorefuninbinalonan
OVER ALL TRIP SUMMARY:
Travel Cost: 4/5 stars (So far, I have managed to pay for MOST of it)
Accommodation: 5/5 stars (My absolute favorite part of the trip, obvs)
Food: 5/5 stars (one word: DIVINE!)
In Travel Expenses: 3/5 stars (One US dollar for each canned soda or bottled H2O seems exorbitant)
Company: 1/5 stars (Because Epok is the ONLY person I enjoyed the trip with, neuroses and all!)
Hype: 4/5 stars (the temples WERE worth the pain, if only there weren't so many of them)
*Eventually I will have to come up with a more logical system of rating these trips. Albeit they are few and far between.
**Other outstanding photos c/o Nat and Jang
Nat- Cousin, fruit fiend
Jang- Cousin, premenopausal (?)
Epok- Erstwhile photographer and neurotic cousin extraordinaire
The "E" in action
OFF TO THE NEXT!
i love siem reap :-)
ReplyDeletenice pics :-)