Angkor Watsons

Angkor Wat silhouette in the background - Photo by fellow traveller

Now we have been watching piles of rocks for 2 (and half) days and starting to feel that there is enough of everything. We enjoyed funny Remork (sort of Tuk-Tuk) for 40$ for almost 3 days. Probably expensive, but he was good one and did not complain any our weird requests to start trips at 5AM - Traveller S had some (very little requested from chair beside me)  complaints what so ever... Even if these temples are wonderful but weary traveler needs to experience something else as well. So probably it is time tomorrow to go somewhere else and leave Siem Reap for some more "relaxing" location, although we probably will stress hell out of ourselves before we find this kind of place. So probably it takes a while I make any updates to this blog.

Greetings from land of Khmers

So yesterday we traveled from Bangkok to border town of Aranyaprathet by train - It was pleasurable and hot 3rd class train ride. Well it was the only class available so no choice here. We also found OK bed to sleep for 1/10th of price of hotel in Bangkok. But there was a reason for that :-)

 And today morning the border crossing to Cambodia town of Poipet went very easily. Visa was easily obtained without any queues for 20$. Only thing you needed to do was to say NO to anyone starting to "help"you. Of course somebody screwed us as we paid 10$ for 2 hour A/C taxi drive to Siem Reap, but we were too tired to start haggling too much.

Now staying in very nice Angkor Pearl Hotel, which is bargain for 17$ as our room is huge and very nice. So probably staying Siem Reap for quite a few days now as hotel looks so nice. So next is time to visit temples of Angkor. Hopefully they even closely match reputation they have gathered. So probably next update has some pictures of temples to prove our visiting here...

Lumphini Park Monster

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! What a monster tried to eat us at the heart of Bangkok. Luckily we managed to escape this time, but maybe next time we are not so lucky.

Although I feel there might more challenging times to come to fight Tuk-Tuk drivers or trying to avoid too eager salesmen trying to sell you some fancy new must have toy. Nevertheless Lumphini Park was nice to relax in this very hectic city. Throughly recommended... (BTW in case you are interested in this monster - Google for Lumphini Lizard).

And as an update as a request from the photographer of this image the link to other blog probably having quite similar stories or at least from similar places... sannapi.blogspot.com

First beer of the holiday

Fabulous dinner in the heart of Bangkok was delicious and thirst removing. It was a good day of wandering around Bangkok. Just people watching and good food - Of course also some swimming in the hotel pool was refreshing. Only thing to worry about is a bit flooding Chao Phraya (river) which is close to our hotel. Then tomorrow it is time to leave this horrendous but so interesting city for couple of months. Hopefully meanwhile there is some nice places and people to see... But more of those then later

Last update of first holiday

It is expected that amount of updates will not be this high in future. But nevertheless here is the picture of our hotel lobby bar, which serves as well as computer corner.

Travel Quizz

Because I cannot add RAW format images in fancy Apple computer (which is btw very difficult to use) then I added image from the last evening from back home. It is setup of famous movie...  but which movie?

Sawasdee

Now arrived to our hotel - Our backpacking seems to start with quite a style. The hotel looks like 5 star place (or better). Later hopefully more news from here, but now to check the room after the welcoming drink :-)

At lounge

Helsinki Lounge area. Flight delayed for 30min. How can 30min make you so nervous if you are staying 10 weeks? Human mind /am I/ is so interesting....

Leaving home

Finally day of departure. Dull airport view but on day like this it looks more welcoming than normally when I am here for business reasons. It is a bit of better feeling to leave home for a holiday. Especially if you are not returning to work until next year. So lets see how things develope from here but so far everything going well and enjoying lounge services.... So probably next update is then from somewhere from Bangkok or at least from Thailand. Depending on the flood situation in the country.

Holiday here I come!!!

Holiday is really getting to become something true instead of just a dream we have had for so many years. Next sunday the plane will leave and hopefully we find ourselves in the center of Bangkok on monday afternoon enjoying some refreshing beer and Tom Yum. So final organizations are ongoing like getting the people to watch the house, watering flowers and paying bills :-) - Well maybe I have to pay them myself. I don't have good enough friends to take care of all my domestic costs while abroad ;-) - But Luckily I have good friends taking care of the house.

Passports are back

Finally Visas arrived and first test packaging done.

Seems that we can survive ten weeks with two small backpacks. Only difficult thing to resolve is to waht camera equiopment to take with you - Canon S90 or Canon 40D or Canon 350D or multiple cameras - And of course which lenses to choose will be difficult to decide as well. Decisions - always so difficult as it would be terribe to carry on huge pile of stuff around 35 degrees of celcius.

It  also seems that one would need to pay phone bills by himself (bad employer...) so probably the updates to this blog will be limited to places where we can get decent internet booths. But I trust that those should be available all around the Mekong region. But that is to be seen in only 3 weeks. Really waiting to get out of darkness and work for whole ten weeks. It should be more than enjoyable.