Hitchhiking adventures

07.02.2017

I woke up early, but it wasn't enough. I couldn't find this mysterious bus to Koh Ker. Someone finally attempted to help, but it was wrong. I ended up at a dusty market in the middle of nowhere. A young man told me to sit down and a bus would come in "20 minutes". Everything comes in 20 minutes doesn't it? I have learned that this is really code for "Any goddamn time, don't ask me, I have no idea".

So I sat there not particularly convinced. Soon an hour went by and I saw a European guy drive up on his scooter to buy a sandwich. I asked if I could hitch a ride with him, even though I had no idea where he was going. He said sure, and we ended up at Beng Meallea, a huge temple, crumbling and covered in the jungle. It was besieged by Chinese tourists, but I had a good time there, despite not reaching my destination.

Gustav, my Swedish driver, had an idea to go see a waterfall, so we stopped for lunch and asked the noodle woman how to get there. She pointed in the direction we planned to go and then pointed to her legs. We must walk, we can't ride our scooter, she said. I absolutely trusted her, but Gustav wanted to press on. I told him truthfully that it wouldn't bother me to hitchhike back to the city, and that he should continue on his own adventure without me. I think he thought I would be stuck and wait for him there, so he took off quickly. The joke was on him, because I found a ride back to Siem Reap in about 30 seconds.

A nice couple was driving there and leaving that same instant. I hopped in their big white truck, where they gave me fried bananas and we drove almost all the way back. We stopped outside the city at what seemed like a small fairground. There would be a party, they told me. I guess I wasn't invited, because they found an English speaking guy who said he would drive me the rest of the way. I was not feeling good about him, and all the other young men, who were suddenly circling around me, so I said no thank you and started walking.

The English speaking guy followed me on his motorbike, and he flagged down a car with a young family in it. I'd rather go with them, and they let me until we got to Angkor Wat. Of course, I no longer have a park pass, so I was kicked out of the car. They were allowed through without me. I don't think they wanted me in the car anyway. I gave them a dollar to apologize.

The park ranger said I had to get a moto taxi to take me back to town, but I literally only had a dollar left and it wouldn't be enough. Instead, I spent it on a coconut and tried to find another ride. I came upon a truck driver taking a pee. He let me get in his big truck and drive with him to Siem Reap, thank goodness. I headed straight for the Bank of China, but I also stumbled on a ticket booking place. I asked for a ticket to Sra Em, where my next destination would be. Prasat Preah Vihear, the temple that Thailand and Cambodia have been fighting over for a decade. Today, the area is peaceful. The war ended in 2011, when the UN decided the temple belonged to Cambodia. It seemed like the best way to end my trip, in such a controversial place. So, I booked the $17 ticket (an exorbitant amount!) and went to a nearby hostel to catch up on sleep again.

I met a nice Chinese lady named Helen and we had dinner before she had to go back to China.

Beng Mealea