Cambodia continued: as I expected, I’m about templed out after two days. That must be why the Apsara Authority, in charge of all the Angkor business, sells one and three day passes.
The crowds of tour groups and occasional construction made the experience a little less transcendant than it’s been hyped up to be, but it was still pretty cool. I sprang for a tuk-tuk instead of a moto, giving me a much needed combination of shade and breeze.
I had a very hard time navigating some of the steps… my feet are too big, of course, but I wonder if that’s the only thing. I used to be clumsy(-ier) but for the past few years I have been pretty sure on my feet. Now, less so. Maybe I’m just not as cocky from marching band—an institution which has already left me almost unable to walk in a mall without falling in step with the Musak… maybe it caused false confidence too.
I will be trying to get out of Cambodia tomorrow. It’s really breaking my budget… I think there might be a point on the continuum of development where a country is so undeveloped it costs more to live (maybe I am ignoring the hidden costs of taxation?). Cambodia is more expensive (and, in this part, tricksy, even compared to Bangkok) than Thailand, with most basic necessities costing at least twice as much at foreigner price. Travelling at a slightly above backpacker level in Siem Reap requires more of a European sort of budget. Maybe Eastern European.
I always think of things to mention and never write them down. Too bad.
The Poipet / Aranyaprathet border crossing is not the most convenient for my purposes, but I am more confident in being able to get there and out of there. It will be taking me a couple hours out of my way (overland to Nong Khai for Vientiane) but I’ve pretty much accepted that tomorrow will be lost to travel. The question is how much of the next day will also be lost to travel before I arrive in Vientiane.
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