my friend reached bangkok safely and the next day it was time to leave the big city.both of us were really excited to make it into cambodia.with the guide book in our hands and a big smile on our face we made our way to the bus terminal from where we took a local bus.it took 5 hours to reach the last thai village before the border.now we got off the bus and didnt know what to do next.we had a look around and looked in our guidebook.eventually we took a tuk-tuk which should haven taken us straight to the border.but no,it wasnt like that.foreigner have to suffer and should be cheated.lol
our driver took us to a travel agency telling us that this is the border.
it didnt look right to us but we were not sure.none of us had ever seen a border before.but we definitely didnt want to go into a travel agency.back into the tuk-tuk but this cheeky bug took us to a place which was called ministry of cambodia.it looked so real but we still kept asking:is this the border???yes,yes please come in.we got fooled and went in.we filled out forms in and were ready to recieve our visa but suddenly they told us that this costs us $30.no,that cant be right-our "bible"for the trip said a visa is $20.
they tried to convience us 2 foreign girls but supersnail didnt believe a word they said.jen and me know those people.we lived in india!
back into the tuk tuk and off to the real border.there it was!thats what a border should look like.we left the tuk tuk and walked towards the border.we left thailand and entered no mans land-what a feeling!it just had finished raining and it was wet and muddy.there we were the only 2 foreigners walking with their big backpacks between all those asian people.it was a mystic,kind of dramatic atmosphere.i dont know why but while walking i had this picture of the movie "the killing fields" in my mind.and for a moment i felt like i was back in time.we didnt know what to expect behind the cambodian border.but wait-we still needed a visa.in a corner we could see this little sign-visa.we filled in our forms but than the same problem again.we started to doubt but than i saw the sign above the office-visa $20.we laughed and insisted to get the damn visa for$20.
i was proud of us holding our passports with a cambodian visa and a stamp for $20 in our hands.well done!
now we crossed the border into cambodia-nothing on the other side.nothing,only one road.so we needed a car next to get to the next city.again we were sitting on your bums for another 3 hours.

cambodia is such a empty country-nothing and nobody.some parts of the road are built but most of the time we drove on a road of red sand and stones.but WE MADE IT TO CAMBODIA!!!tired as we were we fall asleep in the car but around 8 pm we entered a buzzing city with plenty of big hotels,bars,restaurants,markets and many tourists.we reached siam reap-i didnt expect that,such a big city.we left the car behind and made our way into the city.

after getting lost and walking walking walking on the dark side roads we found a guest house.hotels and guest houses here are more like in india and not as good as in thailand.

our guest house was clean and the staff very helpful and friendly.we had a whole day of travelling behind us and a hungry tummy.

we walked into the main market where we ate in one of the cheap street kitchens-it was the best shake and meal during our trip and that all for $2.cambodian food is very fresh and tasty.and even a vegetarian like me doesnt have any problems to find something to eate.

WE MADE IT TO CAMBODIA and tomorrow we are going to angkor wat by cycle.

around 5.30 am we stepped out into the dark and hired 2 cycles without really seeing what we were hireing-so funny.

we had been told that the sun rises around 6.30 am and we had to cycle around 6 km.

of course sandra lost orientation and we cycled in the wrong direction to start with.after a while we turned around and started a race with the sun as we paniced that we wouldnt make it on time to see the famous sun rise over angkor wat.we cycled our little hearts out and followed all the tuk-tuks and cars towards angkor wat.the streets where pitch balck but we had fun and the cool breeze made it enjoyable.eventually we reached the most photgraphed temple where we waited waited and waited.here we were in front a UNESCO World Heritage Site. the sun took her time.i already got bored by the time the sun decided to rise.im not a photographer like most people around us.as soon as the sun showed herself i could here 1000s of clicks around me-people trying to get the perfect picture.

after a qick look inside we cycled to the airballoon station and took a ride in the airballoon(which was attached to a string and which was built by germans!)unluckely it was kind of misty this morning and the view wasnt clear but i still enjoyed it.never mind-we had fun and while travelling you have to take things the way the happen-nothing can be perfect!(even in our hotel the shower is a laugh-hardly any water coming out,just enough.but in this countries you can be happy with as little as possible.)anyway,juhu i got my balloon ride and was happy like a liitle kid.

after we cycled a bit more through the world's largest single religious monument.and saw some temples in the jungle.so lovely and beautiful!

in the middle of the heat we decided to cycle back into town and of course got lost again.but this was the best way to see ruel cambodian life.the streets full with cambodians doing their daily chores.kids enjoying themself in the cooling water of the river,food stores everywhere and all those little shops and the chaos-thats what i love about travelling as a backpacker.getting the chance to see the real life of the people there.and here we were in the middle of all this with our bikes watching the scene.

the best of all is thatwe are almost part of that scene-nobody hassles us or bothers us.its an amazing,exotic,calm,relaxed country.

me as a fruit lover has to say:i love my fruit over here.im eating watermelon,jack fruit,pineapple,dragon fruit,pamelo,papaya,mango,guava and and and and from the stalls in the street or from the local women.its so tasty.

the funniest thing we noticed here is that everything comes in little plastic bags-all kinds of snacks,food and even drinks with a stroh come in a plastic bag.

we are in siam reap and tomorrow we will be on our way to phnom penh.

so far we love cambodia and we are on track!