Cambodia trip 2016 - the Rowan & Ellie Wedding Edition Pt IV
23/10/2016 day off
Slept in till 8, barring coughing, but Ellie coughed so much she can't swallow today and has lost her voice. No firm plans.
Rowan fully sick now. I'm well on the mend though, thankfully.
Sat around home being miserable and/or trying to work (I had my usual internet problems) for the morning, and in the afternoon went to Central Market to do some tourist shopping with Rowan, Arwin and Dirk (uncle) while Ellie went to a pharmacy to replenish the dwindling medicine supply.
Arwin got some knock-off beats headphones for $18 and sunnies for $15, Dirk got himself a shirt and a tiny shirt with elephants for his new grandson. I got t-shirts for Matt and Stu, bag for mum and tea for Chris (hopefully). Still need to get more stuff but at least a start has been made.
Tomorrow we leave home at 7 to catch the 8:30 bus to Siem Reap with Rowan's family, but not Ellie, who has to go to work :(
I very much hope Rowan is feeling better tomorrow!
Market panorama
24/10/2016 - Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Up early with bag packed barring things I don't need temporarily, for a 7am tuk tuk to the riverfront. All Rowan's family are going to Siem Reap for a few days, as are Rowan, Arwin and I, but not poor Ellie who has to work because they have important overseas visitors this week. Most unfortunate! Traffic wasn't too bad so we had an hour to kill before boarding the bus, so a bunch of us went to find breakfast. We found a Gloria Jeans so had some light western food - I had a chocolate croissant :) got Rowan a smoothie in the hope it might help him.
Got back just as the bus was starting to load and board. We had 7 pairs of seats at the front of the bus for all of us, and Giant Ibis is a premium bus company so it was spacious and had wifi, snacks and two stops. Good trip, and road was clear and much smoother than last time I was here. The first rest stop was a hut overlooking a lovely rice paddy or similar, very quaint. The second, where we stopped for lunch, was a more typical road house, average food for the price but it was good to stop. We just had chips in case of stomach issues, but the food looked entirely decent.
Arrived in Siem Reap half an hour early around 2:30, and the hotel sent vans to pick us up from the bus station.
The hotel, Bayon Boutique, is a posh place near-ish to the city centre, we were greeted with cold face towels, mint crushes, and sweet potato crisps! Very swish, and $50/night.
I'm not sure what the plans are yet. Ideally you get a 3 day temple pass and do Angkor Wat at your leisure, but Arwin and Rowan both have colds so not sure what we'll do. Discovered there's an escape break game place here so we're keen to do that too :)
Meeting up for dinner at 6pm, for now relaxing in the room Vija and I are sharing.
Rowan and I lazed by the pool while most of the relatives went for a swim, as did Arwin. Vija stayed in her room, her throat was very sore from coughing and she really wasn't feeling well.
We met up at 6pm to go out for dinner, all except Vija, and and wandered 5 or so minutes up to Pub Street, which is even more neon than it sounds. We went to a place called Khmer Family, and it was absolutely amazing, would definitely recommend! Went to a western type pharmacy too for more cold and gastro medicines.
Most of the family booked in for a 5am departure to go look at temples, we didn't due to illness, so they were all keen to get home to bed. Rowan, Arwin and I went and found a roadside pancake seller so Arwin and I could have crazy sweet banana, chocolate and condensed milk pancakes! Rowan then went back to the hotel while Arwin and I went back to the Night Market and the markets on Pub Street. Did some more nice unnecessary shopping, that was good. Arwin still needs to get something for his nieces in the US, but otherwise I think shopping is done.
25/10/2016 Siem Reap
While most of the family went off to the temples in the rain, Vija, Arwin, Rowan and I all opted for a sleep in. Vija is looking better but still coughing blood so glad we got her some antibiotics, I hope they help her. She went down for breakfast soon after 7, Arwin and I went a bit after 8, and Rowan joined us. Had meusli and a lovely pancake for breakfast, I do like menu breakfast rather than buffet.
Rowan and Arwin both needing to take more pseudoephedrine but feeling up to doing stuff. Arwin and I might go do a couple of temples today and then we'll try to do an escape room scenario this afternoon. Sounds lots of fun!
At 11am we got reception to call a tuk tuk to take Arwin and I to the temples. We bought a 3 day pass (same price as 2 one days anyway) and just did Ta Prom (the Tomb Raider temple) and Angkor Wat today. That way at least Arwin had seen the really speccy ones.
Got back to the hotel about 3:20, to head out at 3:45 to go to The Great Escape, one of those things where you are locked in a room for an hour and have to find and solve clues to get out. The theme of it was an archaeologist at Angkor Wat, and we had to find keys and open boxes and solve puzzles. We didn't quite finish before our time was up but we nearly got there :) we think we'll go again tomorrow, it's quite an expensive form of entertainment, but we got 50% off vouchers so going again is very appealing :) loved it :)
Although it was drizzling and grey this morning, it turns out that doesn't preclude another monsoon rain in the afternoon. It was hot and mostly sunny up at the temples, but the rain rolled in again with a vengeance while we were in the puzzle room and it's been going on and off ever since. Have delayed going for dinner tool 7pm but may still have to just eat in the restaurant here!
The rain did not really abate but we ventured out anyway, with the aid of some tuk tuks. Went to a Khmer bbq place called Easy Speaking on Pub Street, I had fried noodles, they were fine but not anything special. Wandered back to the hotel and played Hanabi with Rowan and Arwin, then bed, aiming to be heading to the temples by 9 tomorrow.
Panorama of Angkor Wat entrance way
Full sphere in front of Angkor Wat
Full sphere inside Angkor Wat
