Dear all,
There were several buses during morning to Battambang. We decided to take the 13h30 one to seize a bit more the pool and arrive to the destination late afternoon, to be easier to cycle through the city and look for our guesthouse. We booked a guesthouse for 6USD for the night in Battambang.
We woke up without alarm clock and went upstairs for some breakfast and some time at the pool!
 |
| Peter Lamb close to pool's floor |
Around 12h30 it was time to get our bikes packed and go to the ticketshop to buy tickets for the last bus to Battambang.
 |
| Ticketshop |
When we got there, they only had 3 tickets, we were quite lucky, as we did not want to stay one more day in Sieam Reap.
 |
| Marta at the ticketshop |
The bus station is about 1500 meters from the ticketshop. We followed a van that is taking some of the passengers from the ticketshop to the bus station.
 |
| The bus station for Capitol Tours at Sieam Reap |
 |
| Inside the bus station |
We had to wait for about 25 minutes for the bus, so we seized the time to buy some supplies for the trip and to buy the tickets for our bikes.
 |
| Peter & Marta at bus station |
We have been informed that the front wheels has to be removed and the bikes will go on the cargo compartment, next to the other luggage. Ok, we guess...
 |
| Bikes partly dismantled in the cargo compartment |
The bus ride took about 4 hours (to cover about 150 km)! It was quite cold inside the bus (in this warmer climates they love the cold breeze of the aircons, which is very difficult to understand!).
They had some TV screen with a (probably famous comedy show), super hyper mega loud, Jesus! But the Cambodians seemed to like it, what can we do, other than smile as well and do not understand a word in the following 3h30m? :)
 |
| Marta & Peter on their way to Battambang |
The bus made a bigger stop at about half way but we did not get out of the bus.
When we got to Battambang, OMG!! From the window we saw people showing posters with advertisements for super hot deals for cheap guest houses (some of them for about 3,5 USD!!) and offering their services as tuktuk drivers.
They realized that we were the only tourists on that bus so they all came to our window. We wanted to make signs that we do not need anything, but they seemed not to understand it and kept insisting.
People were leaving the bus and me a d Marta were amoung the last to leave the bus. They were ALL now at the bus door and we had to push a bit to go out of the bus, Jesus!! These guys knows about Marketing!!!
We were offered guesthouses deals and taxi and tuktuk drivers and we were telling them that we do not need anything! i think that they only really realized when they saw us assembling the bike wheels and start oir ride towards city center.
 |
| Our bus at Battambang |
 |
| Marta socializing with two Cambodian kids |
We cycled a bit randomly towards the city center and asked for some directions but it was hard to be succesfull. Then we went to a hotel and got a map of the city.
We found a pizza restaurant close to Battambang's river and the waitress helped us a lot with our navigation. We knew that our guesthouse should be close to that neighborhood.
 |
| Marta struggling with navigation |
As it was getting closer to sunset we got into that neighbourhood and it was very difficult to find the place. First we stopped by some street food vendors and one said that he knew where it was. He took us there by scooter, but as soon as we got there we realized that it was not the place.
Then we asked some kids and they had no idea but took us to some backyard of their house where a SouthKorean guy was teaching martial arts and tried to help us. He said that he did not know the password of his internet but volunteered to call the guesthouse and get directions. The kid who brought us there, said that he could take us there.
When we were reaching the place, he could not find it, so he asked another street food vendor. Well, he told him that he was sure it was not there, and made us cycle back to the original point for about 2 km!
We thanked the kid, as it was taking us nowhere and I got into that hotel and asked if they knew the directions to that guesthouse. She was telling us the directions of the first place the guy with the scooter took us! Arghhhhhh, I am tired of this!
- Can I please make a phone call and pay you for the call?
- What is your room number?
- I am not staying at your hotel, can I make the phone call anyway and pay you for the price of a call?
- Why you want to call from the hotel's phone? Don't you have a phone?
- yes, I do. But the room price is 6USD and a phone call it is more than 8 USD per minute...
- so what is your room number?
- I am not staying at your hotel.... Arghhhhhh!
Fortunatly Marta showed up and asked for the internet password, so we could get the exact location of the guesthouse.
Well, it was closed to that second street food vendor that sent us all the way into here! I was.... (Lets not write unpleasent words here in the blog, ok?).
We cycled somehow fast to the place and there was a guy at the reception. I parked the bike and started to talk to him:
- Good evening.
- we are full
- we have a reservation.
- we are full
- can you please look at your system or whatever you have and check for reservations?
- we are full...
Peter Lamb, calm down! Count to 100 (or 200 if it is needed)! Try to forget the 3,5 USD deals you just ignored just because you had a booking with this guys and chillout...
I took my tablet and showed that we had a reservation and we even said we would arrive between 19h and 20h. It was 19h35m. So, I do not care how, but arrange us a place to sleep somewhere!
The guy made a couple of phonecalls, probably to his boss and we ended up stsying at the hotel on the other side of the road, which minimum price was 12 USD per room. We payed 6USD, as booked :)
Summary of the day:
- Daily distance: 12,35 km
- Daily time: 57m45s
Total travelled so far: 346,45km
Total time cycling: 21h10m20s
And that is all for now folks!
Best,
Peter & Marta
Postado com o Blogsy
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário