Bangkok was a bit of a holiday and now the real adventure of backpacking has begun. The excitement of independent travel, meeting new people, being in foreign exotic and occassionally uncomfortable places...
This morning I awoke at 4:30 AM to take the bus to Cambodia. My trip was far less stressful than it could have been, thanks to meeting a few fellow travelers along the way. At the town before the Cambodian border, I met Sasha, a Russian on a visa run who had been back and forth several times before and helped me navigate my way through. After crossing into Cambodia, I found some Americans, including Jared, who graciously helped me to take their tour van, which they had just gotten off of as they returned to Thailand, for a pleasant, smooth and quick journey to Siam Reap. $15 for a 3/hr ride in an air-conditioned van all to myself.
In Siam Reap, the the real backpacking adventure has begun. Excruciatingly hot temperatures and beating sun, aggressive touts everywhere, and a community of fellow travelers to share advice and befriend. When I checked into my guesthouse (fan room, $4/night), I met Fritz, a Dutchman here on a 5-week trip through Southeast Asia. Fritz and I went into town and eventually met some Australians (Lincoln, Harry, and Rebecah) and had a great dinner and evening of drinks. After 3 days in relatively plush Bangkok, the real joy of independent travel has begun as I find myself in more interesting places meeting interesting people from around the world...
Tomorrow I go to Angkor to visit the ancient temples there. I am really tired so this post is not as detailed as I would've liked but I hope to post something more comprehensive soon.
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I'm glad to see that you're meeting fun travelers to hang out with. When I traveled solo in Spain, I really enjoyed meeting new people in each city to sightsee and visit with. How long did the trip from Bangkok take? I hope that you have a great time exploring Angkor Wat!!
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