On to Cambodia

So we took an overnight bus from Koh Tao to Bangkok- it was the cheapest way to go and we went with Songserm. The company itself was fine- but I would not recommend the overnight bus- pay the extra to take the train. My first thought on the bus within a couple hours was "I'm too old for this s***." And since most of you know that I''m not that old, you can gauge where you fit on this scale of tolerance. :)
The bus was a bunch of 20-somethings drinking and being loud- some people asking them to be quiet and wanting to sleep- them being rude and not caring. On top of that, the bus reeked of the bathroom- outhouse smell for 7 hours is not a way to spend your night. And the seats weren't that comfortable- if you are tall- forget about it- your knees will get smashed by the person in front of you. We got in at about 4am to Bangkok, and thank goodness that Shanti let us check in to our room to get some sleep. We spent the rest of that day once we woke back up running some errands. Then to top it all off, I have no idea what we got or where or how- but we both got some kind of 24 hour stomach bug- So I spent most of Friday night up sick, and then it hit Jim sometime on Saturday, so we were both pretty miserable that day. I recovered by that evening, and he's finally better today.

We got to Cambodia yesterday- we took a flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh- which I recommend booking at least 7 days before you go and book with Air Asia- they were pretty inexpensive. You will have to pay baggage fees- so be prepared for that as well- pay them online in advance to get a discount- it's pricey to do it at the airport.

Arrival in Cambodia was interesting- it's a small airport- and they have you line up and hand over your passport, which then disappears down a line of officials that are going through them and stamping them. Then you get in a different line, and they call out the names as they are finished with them. So it's a funny sort of match the picture to the person next to you in the crowd while you wait for your turn. As for getting from the airport to the hotel- this is nothing like Thailand- there were 2 Tuk-tuk stands right as you exit the airport- they offer transport to the city centre for $7USD (though ours took us straight to the hotel- so i think it just depends on if they know where you are staying- get an address from your hotel and give it the the driver- most of them spoke decent English at the airport and the street system is pretty easy to explain an address.)

As for currency- it's interesting- everything in is US dollars, and so you'll want to bring small bills with you, ATM's give out US dollars, and the Cambodian currency- Riel- is used for change. So for example- our lunch bill was 9.50, so i got back a 10 dollar bill and then 2000 Riel as the change.

You can negotiate a tuk tuk ride just about anywhere in the main city for about 2- 2.5 dollars. These are safe to use in Phnom Penh (where as they are not recommended in Thailand).

We are staying at the Bright Lotus Guest House 1 which is very centrally located- we are across the street from the National Museum and the Royal Palace. It's a good place to stay- inexpensive and basic accommodation. We went to Wat Phnom today which is a small temple on the only hill in Phnom Penh. We got to feed Sam Bo the elephant some bananas- he was very cute! We also went to the National Museum, which will only take about an hour to see everything so don't plan for a whole afternoon like we did.

We then went to a store called NCDP handicrafts which sells good made by local artisans and supports local community organizations that provide the disabled and disenfranchised with training for future employment and business management as well as steady income. This is an excellent place to pick up gifts- high quality items that are beautiful and so well made. I'd tell you what I bought, but it's a surprise for some friends so you'll have to wait. :)

We also ate at a cafe called Friends which supports a local NGO as well- and the food is EXCELLENT! The service was great (on par with excellent service in the states), the kids are friendly, and it's for such a great cause, that I can't help but feel better just by knowing I'm supporting something worthwhile. They take street kids in and train them in the restaurants to give them a skill set for working. It's great to have a meal here and watch them work and see how much they are getting from this foundation. They seem to form strong friendships with each other as well. The Lonely Planet guide has a few restaurants that support NGO's- eat at them if you can. We're trying another tomorrow I think, so will report back on that as well.

http://www.streetfriends.org/

We tried to go to the Royal Palace as well, but it's closed for the time we are in Phnom Penh for some random reason, so we won't get to see that.

Another thing- there are a lot of beggars and children either begging or selling things. Just prepare yourself for it if you come here. It's sad, but if you are going to give something, the lonely planet guide recommends food, or purchase something from them if you want- but don't just give money. The words "No Thank You" will come out of your mouth a hundred times a day either to the kids, beggars, or tuk tuk drivers. That's the way it is. The kids can be very persistent, a firm no is best, don't entertain the idea of purchasing something unless you actually might- they will keep coming back to you. There are dozens of charities and organizations that you can give money to instead- that is what I'd recommend.