Arriving Siem Reap - Traveling Challenges (Sep 5-6)

Challenge 1: Got up early to catch my 4:40am ride to the airport -- and the day got off to a challenging start at the airport when the Air Asia person checking me advised that I couldn't take the flight because I didn't have the required Cambodian visa.  I had read that I didn't need one -- it could be issued upon arrival -- but I hadn't thought about the fact that I'd be departing from China where Chinese citizens can't exit their country without showing the Cambodian entry visa.  Thankfully, the clerk's English was excellent as was her research skills -- and after a few minutes she decided that I could indeed get my visa upon arrival

Challenge 2: My initial flight was to Bangkok where I had long enough connecting time to find a noodle place and, because I didn't have Thai Bhat (because I was just transiting there) nor wanted it as change for my US dollars, I opted to use a credit card.  I wouldn't know it until the next day, but somewhere in the hustle of the exchange for my $5 US meal, I either left or dropped my credit card. (Spoiler alert - when I did discover I'd lost it, no additional charges had been put on it.  Thankfully, I had another card to use).

Challenge 3: If one believes in the rule of three -- then you might guess that the day continued with one more challenge.  During the second leg of the trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap, I fell asleep and only awoke when the wheels hit the runway.  As I jolted awake, I noted that three lengthy immigration, visa, customs forms had been left on the empty seat next to me.  I rushed to complete them, but was the last to leave the plane -- and therefore the last to get in line for the visa application.  Processing was crazy officious as passports were passed from officer to officer in a row of about 8 with each one doing something different.  So, $32 later (I was "fined" $2 for not having an extra passport photo to leave with my application - a fine I was aware of and calculated that it would be cheaper/easier to pay the fine than take time/money to bring one with me) -- and an hour of processing and I exited the airport to find my waiting tuk tuk driver with a sign with my name (well, sort of my name --  but as I have often said, there is no one else in the world with my name so it's easily recognizable even with one changed letter and one dropped one.)

The sense of adventure started immediately in the tuk tuk!

I had arranged lodging at the same Guesthouse that my daughter and her husband had stayed at 6 years prior -- and my experience quickly became confirmation of their recommendation.  Friendly staff, super nice room for $15 a night, conveniently located and with a open-air bar and restaurant in the lobby.  If you'd like to see the Google Street View in front of the Guesthouse, click here.

The ride from the airport was free but, of course, there is a reason: it gives the driver an opportunity to make himself available for the needed transportation to the temples  I bonded with "Sith" easily and set a plan to meet the next morning to get started.

Upon settling in my room, I re-read my daughter/son-in-law's blog about their stay.  I had read it before, but I have always found with all my travel reading that the details generally get buried until I'm in-country and have some specific knowledge of my specific circumstances.  This was no exception.  I had previously scanned over their recommendation that the 3-day temple pass allowed a one day prior admission to sunset at the Angkor Wat temple.  And upon reading, I headed back downstairs to see if Sith was still around so I could change up my plan to get started the next day with the sunset admission -- allowing me to have a leisurely first day in Siem Reap.  Sith was still at the guesthouse and the change was made.

A delicious dinner and three 75 cent beers later, I was ready for sleep.