We’re off on Hiatus for Songkran and I’m taking advantage of this time to do some personal travel before meeting with Jim in Chiang Mai to look at the first episode edits.
I had a 10:10am Air Asia flight out of DMK bound for the Kingdom of Cambodia. As I went through immigration they asked if I would like to extend my Visa. I hadn’t planned on this being an option, but I knew it would come in useful as I planned to be back on set for another week after I return. I agreed.
I waited in a small room and took a number— 11. While there I scanned the signs. It appears you are welcome to overstay your visa (with a fine) up to 90 days. If you stay longer than 90 days then you are not welcome to return for another year. If you stay longer than 180 days, 3 years, and so on.
While waiting I met a man named Bobby from Indonesia who asked if I was an English teacher. I told him I wasn’t but I understood why he asked. He told me that he was an English teacher and had been teaching in Thailand for 8 years. We had a nice talk and then they called my name, I requested an extension, I stupidly requested multi-entry, which I won’t use. It was the Visa I was supposed to get in SG, instead they only issued me single entry. Now I have multi-entry, which cost 4k baht as opposed to 1200, for less than a month left on the Visa itself, and with my next flight leaving the country being a one-way ticket to Los Angeles on April 25.
Well, at least it’ll look cool in my passport.
The flight was crowded, but otherwise a breeze. I barely had time to fill out my immigration card, they did not offer drink service, that’s how quick the flight was.
The Siem Reap airport makes Burbank feel like Charles De Galle. Tiny. And it requires Visa on Arrival, which is different from a normal Tourist Visa. (I learned all this only the day before). You need a small passport sized photo and about $30 USD.
I didn't have USD but luckily I had two photos of me that production had printed for my Thai Visa (I didn't end up using them). Gary had given me some Cambodian Riel (4000 Riel = $1 back in Bangkok). I tried to pay with Riel but the guards insisted on cash. I was not in Thailand anymore, no sweet apologetic faces. Just a finger pointed toward the ATM machine.
Look, I get it, the Khmer Rouge was a pretty awful government— and these guards definitely lived through that mess. I'd be on edge too.
Strangely the ATM machine dispensed American Dollars— the first I'd held in months. I found out later that American currency is not only widely accepted it's actually preferred in certain places (now I get why Gary pawned off all that Riel on me!)
My driver picked me up and it was a short ride through town— a much smaller city than I'd expected. I learned that no building can be higher than the temple— a good thing because Siem Reap is going through tremendous growth at the moment (my guide would tell me EIGHTEEN PERCENT growth every year). Last year they put in a Hard Rock Cafe. Point being: buy in Siem Reap now.
The hotel greeted me kindly and warmly. Showed me to my pool view room. I cooled off, drank some water, unpacked and ate lunch at the hotel restaurant. The guide service called me in my room to confirm the pick up tomorrow morning at 4:45am.
I didn't want to fuss with getting a temple ticket at that early hour so I had the hotel call me a Tuk Tuk to take me to the ticket office. His name was “Rah” though I'm sure that isn't how it's spelled. “$10” he quoted me. I'm sure I was being ripped off but since the hotel called him I felt obliged to accept.
I got to the office a little early (they start selling next day tix at 5pm) and so I bought a wide brimmed hat like a good tourist who was wary of tomorrow's excessive sun exposure. “Do you want to go see Sunset today? A little extra. $7” quoth Rah.
Well, here I was stuck at the ticket office (which is nowhere near the temple) and wanting to see Sunset. (If you hold a next day pass they let you see Sunset) So I accepted again and let him hose me all the way to the west gate. He dropped me off and told me he'd wait for me (btw I hadn't paid him yet, no credit card either, this is all on trust, I could've taken any number of Tuk Tuk’s back).
And so... Angkor Wat at Sunset. Eclipsed only by what I'd see in less than 12 hours.
And of course… Angkor Pup
Tourist central. Too crowded. In fact. I walked a dusty street which led to the west gate. I'd later learn that this was once a highway which connected a hundred temples all the way to Thailand. Merchants were selling their goods— all tourist trappings, some food, all were very assertive sales people. Children running up to you to sell postcards “10 for $1, very handsome!”
After I watched the sun set I found Rah napping in the Tuk Tuk. He woke up and drove me back down the main road to town. He tried to upsell me his other services— restaurant? Drinks? Need a lady?
I had him drop me off at the hotel. I ate at the hotel, which was overpriced but delicious. A Khmer Vegetable Curry.
After that I went upstairs and got under the covers by 8:45. I had a very early morning to catch a once in a lifetime experience. I laid out my clothes, prepared the water boiler and coffee, my notebook and headphones.
When next I’d see daylight, it would be against one of the most incredible feats of architecture still standing on this earth.