We started in Bangkok. Arrived late on Friday evening after a LOOOOOONG journey (being the procrastinators that we are, we started the planning too late and could only get flights out of Narita, which takes 6 hours door to door via bullet train and express train from downtown Tokyo). So we spent 8 hours traveling BEFORE our flight took off, for a 6-hour flight.
Anyway, we arrived in Bangkok and immediately felt the non-Japanese atmosphere. Laid back, friendly, welcoming, negotiable... After a delicious breakfast we set off to discover the city. We walked a bit and it felt like we were in India (minus the over-crowding, less intense, less poluted but not much, equally warm weather- and human wise). We visited the Chakuchat market , the most immense, varied, fascinating and overwhelming market you can imagine. Anything from fine silks to live scorpions can be found (no, I didn't buy a scorpion and Kumar restrained me on the silks).
We hooked up with Finbarr and Vanessa, visited their fabulous home, saw baby Callum (who was 2 months old last time we had seen him) walking and older brother Liam all grown up, got acquainted with Fin's new cameras, lenses, hard disks and tripod (Fin actually has an entire closet of camera equipment) and went for dinner at Faces, a really beautiful and yummy restaurant.
On the way back we walked through Nana, the bar district that gives Thailand its reputation as sex mecca. Aside from the expected teen girls and their customers, the only surprises were a big rat that was happily walking among patron's feet, and an elephant (yes, the real thing) standing on a sidewalk with its mahout that you could pet or feed in the middle of the red light district.
The next day we flew to Cambodia, straight into Siem Reap's airport. Siem Reap is an overgrown village located right next to Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat (ruins of an old city and temple, imagine the Asian version of Macchu Picchu at sea level, to get an idea of scale... only bigger). We checked into our hotel, a recently-built luxury boutique hotel that seemed out of a fairy tale. Beautiful decor, amazing service, delicious food... Can't quite be put in words. Let me just say that at the end of our trip we stayed at the Oriental in Bangkok, and by comparison the Oriental felt like a Holiday Inn.
If we loved Thailand, the least that can be said about Cambodia is that we fell in love. Of course Angkor Wat was beautiful and impressive, but what really made it for us were the people and the way of life. Cambodia is a country of immense beauty and poverty that not long ago emerged from a horrible past. During the 70's they suffered a deadly civil war (the Khmer Rouge), during which half the country's population was killed. After it was over, the land mines remained and many people continued to be killed or injured by them. Today there are many land mine survivors whose dignity really impressed us. There are bands of musicians whose members have lost arms or legs. Other musicians are blind. There are programs to help these people get on their feet. For example, in upscale hotels you can choose to get a massage by a blind person. There is a sense of poverty with dignity that we had not seen to such degree anywhere else.
We spent a day in Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat, and a day in the countryside. We hired a guide who took us to places where tourists don't go, and we got to see beauty we had not expected. Laid back life, playful chidren, friendly adults, simplicity and ingenuity to the point it looks genial. See the link on the right to get an idea... it's impossible to put in words.
After the most wonderful time in Cambodia, we flew to Phuket. Our plan was to relax on the beach and soak in the sun. But we didn't count on the fact that it's rainy season... We landed, and an hour later the skies opened up and for the next 48 hours everything was torrential rain... which only stopped about an hour before we were due to fly out. During that hour we managed to see the beach (albeit briefly) and hang out with Jumbo. The rest of the time we read, ate and drank... (not that I complain).
Back in Bangkok, we enjoyed the riverside from the traditional Oriental hotel. Very nicely appointed, with butler included. But after the Cambodia experience, it failed to impress...
Bangkok top highlight: the food!!! We both over-ate and had to go on a diet the moment we landed back in Japan.
Pics and more pics on the Cambodia and Thailand links!
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