Borders and haircuts

2nd December 2017
Nathy Koh Kong Hotel, Koh Kong
35c

It was only during the last 2 or 3 days in Thailand that we saw women wearing traditional Thai dress.  A wrapped skirt, looking very much like a sarong, but in beautiful fabric.  During the day they wear plainer, printed cotton wraps, but in the evening they will often have woven golden thread, making the fabric look iridescent, like peacocks.  Highway 3 was it's usual busy self, although we slipped down onto the coast road to cover the last 20 kms to Khlong Yai, a town far enough away from the Cambodian border not to be called a border town.

Road-widening scheme for approx. 50kms to the border

Some borders are worse than others for scams, and sometimes you even get a nice surprise and there are none, like when crossing from Nicaragua into Honduras.  We were expecting the rip offs tto end all rip offs knowing the history of both these countries, we were absolutely gobsmacked when we were permitted to simply sail through. The Thailand to Cambodia crossing at Hat Lek has a certain reputation but Poipet (the one we will be taking on the way back) is apparently worse.  Great.  The Thai part of the crossing is easy.  The Cambodian side a different kettle of fish.  We dodged the "Quarantine" window, where we were supposed to complete a form, I think they might stick a thermometer in your ear, or similar, and then relieve you of 200 baht.  I think Dave mentioned something about being fit and healthy enough to get there on a bike, that should suffice.  We eventually found the right place to go for our visas, the office with the blacked out windows and "Staff Only" sign, oh of course!

It felt like we were going into the Lion's den.  At first there were only 3 men in uniform, all looking rather dour, but cool and collected, after all the air conditioning was on and it was about 8 degrees in there, which made us sweat even more profusely.  We handed over our passports, completed visa forms and passport photos, and I removed the $60 fee from the leg of my cycling shorts.  The conversation went something like this:

Main Man:  You pay in Baht
Me:  No, in USD
Main Man:  You pay in Baht
Me:  No, in USD  There you go, $60 for 2
Main Man:  **chats with two others in Khmer**

By now he has counted the USD and spread the notes on the table.

Main Man:  (pulls Press Release from his in-tray) $37, new price (pushes $ back towards me)
Me:  No, that's for the e-visa, $30 is the price (I push it back to him)
This happens two or three times.

Main man now inspecting the $ notes I have given him very closely

Nothing wrong with that!

Main Man:  This no good (pointing to the $5 note)
Me:  What's wrong with it?
Main Man:  No good for me (pointing to the crease in the note)
Me:  Oh, that's fine it's just a crease, no problem, the bank'll sort that out
Main Man: (getting a bit heated now)  No good for me.  Good for you, no good for me.  No visa.

It was then I spotted him running his nail along the crease.  This was a Mexican standoff.  You should also know that another 3 men in uniform have joined the party, making 6 officials in total.

BW decides to try and break the deadlock by being nice to the Main Man (something I would have found very difficult to do at this point) and suggesting that he may have some Baht, couldn't be certain, but he would check.  At which point I snatched the $5 from the table and gave the Main Man a big smile.  In comes Dave with his tool bag and proceeds to tip all the bike tools onto the table and 'miraculously' finds the Baht that was needed to cover the $5 note matey wouldn't accept.  I don't think it worked out quite as they expected as all they got was an extra $1 between the 6 of them and I begrudged them that!  Hah, life on the road.

The condition of the road straight away deteriorates, with trucks swerving to avoid what can only be described as a cavernous hole in the middle of the road, approximately a metre across.  The roads seem incredibly wide and there is a distinct lack of traffic.  Children we meet are waving and shouting 'hello' and 'what is your name?', many women and girls seem to be dressed in their pyjamas while others look as though they are expecting a bit of a cold snap, wearing hats and jumpers, despite the temperature being 34c.

We are in Cambodia. 

Fantastic!

Laters

The view from 'Fat Sams'

BW looking slightly Hitler-esque after his hairdresser had a go!