HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!
Internet connection is very slow here so I am blogging via emailing. Hopefully it'll turn out ok on the blog.
I been waking up at 3:30AM every morning, probably due to jet lag. Thus I feel ok during the day but gets very sleepy after 8pm.
Here's a short summary as I am too tire to write more right now. I will write in details after trip or if I get bore once I get to southern thailand islands, I will write more there.
Day 0 (Dec. 26 - 28): Left home at 10AM. Plane leave LAX at 1:50PM. Los Angeles to Taipei took 15.5 hours. Saw 4 movies, finished entire "Insight: Thailand"book , plus random music/video surfing during the flight, was very productive. Love the fact they gave me ramen noodle for snacks. Oh, I wanted Ginger ale, they offered me vodka and gin instead. No, i didn't take the offer cuz I don't want to puke on plane. 2 hours layover in Taipei, then 3.3 hours flight to Bangkok. Picked pasta for meal, bad idea. Asia Airlines made horrible non-asia dishes. 6 hours layover in Bangkok. Realized I left my visa photo at the other plane during transfer (damn, all those preparation for nothing), so have to change USD to Baht so I can take some visa photos at one of their photo booth. New BKK airport is HUGE. Very clean and nice. Can't fall asleep at the airport as planned so went to get a full body massage instead. They gave me a cup of tea afterward. Then 1 hr flight to Siem Reap.
Day 1 (Dec. 28): Siem Reap reminded me of my hometown in Chinatown 20 years ago. Met a Canadian woman named Victoria D. while waiting in line for visa, she's currently an English Teacher at Korea. She decided to come along with us to our hotel since she have no reservation. Cambodia custome officer discreetly asking me for bribe ($$$), i play dumb, he eventually gave up and I didn't have to pay more than the $20 visa fee. Walk around Siem Reap, ended up in local resident areas, saw a lot of shacks, lots of poor people (sad), lots of kids running around naked. Wandered into several monasteries, central markets, saw some deep fried grasshopper/insects (no, i didn't try any), went to Land Mine Museum (very sad) via tuk tuk (crazy bumpy roads, lots of craters), lots of friendly people waving and saying hello, lots of childrens running after you asking you to buy souvniers (poor kids). Go to bed at 9pm.
Day 2 (Dec. 29): Tour guide (Vin Sary) and driver (Tray Peng An) picked us up at the hotel around 8:30am. Visited all the temples around Angkor Thom in the morning, visited Ta Prohm and a few around there in the afternoon. Ta Prohm is where they filmed tomb raider. A lot of trees growing on top and side of the temples. Lots of HUGE tree roots merge with temples. They can't cut down those trees now cuz the tree roots are supporting the foundation. Watch sunset from another temple. Saw wild monkey, they got long tails. Saw people riding elephants, they are not as big as i imagined. Ate at street stalls, much cheaper than the restuarant (like 3 times cheapers). NOt enough food so have to ate 2 dinners but so tire by 2nd dinner, not even enough energy to chew. Go to bed at 11pm, bad idea.
Day 3 (Dec. 30): Got picked up at 5:30am to go watch sunrise at Angkor Wat. Weather is a bit cool in this early morning. Angkor Wat looks awesome as sun rays break through the clouds. took some awesome pic, will post later on. Drove an hour to Banteay Srey. Temple statues and carving are out of pink sandstone. very very pretty. Tons of Korean tourists. Saw how Cambodians made candy from sugar palm. Saw more temples.
Tour guide is going to take us to go see Angkor Wat in detail tomorrow, they will pick us up at 8AM. Looking forward to it. Then may see more temples and may go see lake if have time. Then will catch flight to Bangkok. Flight will arrive Bangkok at 9PM, hopefully will make it to hotel by 11pm so we can go catch some fire work or go somewhere to welcome in new year's eve.
Then my cousin Paul and my college friend James will leave early moring of Jan. 1, and I will be all alone till I get to Singapore 2-3 weeks later. Plan to wander around Bangkok before catching overnight bus to Koh Pha Ngan for Full Moon Party.
Written in Siem Reap, Camobida. Dec. 30th, 2006, 9:45PM
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