Buses from the Cambodia Border to the Capital, Phnom Penh, are better than you think! (Episode 6)

    The seats were comfortable, and although I only paid for one seat, there was no one sitting next to me. The bus also had Wi-Fi, which, although not very fast, was functional. I have to mention the hospitality staff on board - she was incredibly helpful, assisting me with everything and patiently answering all my random stupid questions without any sign of impatience.

the town of Poi Pet
Somewhere in Poi Pet
Interior of the bus
Interior of the bus

    







    


    We stopped near Battambang halfway to the destination for snacks and a restroom break. That’s where I ran into a bit of trouble, as they only accepted USD or KHR, not THB. I asked the bus staff if she could help me, and she spoke with the shopkeeper, who then agreed to accept Thai baht. I bought some local snacks and continued on the journey. After a few hours, the bus was approaching the capital, Phnom Penh. One thing I noticed was different from my country, Myanmar, or Thailand - there was no clear sign of the city approaching. I didn’t see any bright lights or a sudden increase in traffic. Without Google Maps, I wouldn’t have realised we were getting close. Then, I spotted the lights from the Tsubasa Bridge, which confirmed we were indeed in the city.

a temple along the way
Somewhere on the road 
Tsubasa bridge in Phnom Penh
Tsubasa Bridge

    













    The bus eventually reached the Virak Buntham Bus Station in the city centre. While on the bus, I had searched for nearby ATMs to withdraw cash and found several. But when I arrived, none of the ATMs around the station were working - I tried both my UK and Thai Visa cards. I then asked the staff if there were any places nearby to buy a SIM card, but they said all the shops had already closed. I was in quite a predicament.

    I decided just to head to my hostel. Since I have the Grab app, I could link my Visa card to it, so cash wasn’t absolutely necessary. I booked a ride, and it took me to the hostel. I couldn’t locate it at first, so I asked the tuk-tuk driver if he could call the hostel, but they didn’t answer. Not wanting to keep the driver waiting, I let him go and wandered around to find the hostel. Eventually, I found it, and only then did I feel relieved. 

    I also faced some challenges when I ordered food from Foodpanda, but then I realised I had not changed to the 'pay with visa' option, so I had to borrow 10$ from a fellow hostel guest. Another day, a different guest in the hostel asked me for a beer - he sort of blocked my path and insisted, but I politely declined. As soon as I got to my room, I started looking up the emergency police number, just in case. Fortunately, everything turned out fine, and I was relieved to have a friend in Phnom Penh who I could reach out to for help the following day.

    (continue reading on episode 7 - the brief overview)


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