Thursday, June 2, 2011 Kompong Cham, Kompong Cham Province, Cambodia

I made it safely into Cambodia.  After stamping out of Laos and paying a $2 exit fee (bribe), a group of us walked across the road to the Cambodian side.  We were first met with the Ministry of Health who had a makeshift table on the side of the road.  They checked our temperatures and had the nerve of charging us a $1 fee (another bribe), and then we headed to a wooden shack (immigration checkpoint) where we received our visa-on-arrival stamp for $23 (it should have been $20, but we were crossing on a weekend—outrageous!).  And then if things could not get any worse, we were charged another $2 to stamp into Cambodia.  Their excuse for the fees was that we were crossing on a weekend.  I asked them where the party was tonight.  They looked at me with a stern, serious look and just barked at me for the money.  What could I do?  They were holding my passport.  I could continue ranting and raving all day long and it would have fallen on deaf ears.

For those of you who are crossing into Cambodia from Laos, get your visa in Vientiane (capital of Laos).  It is cheaper and you do not have to deal with the unwelcoming and unfriendly border guards.  Moreover, try to cross on a weekday, and certainly not on a holiday.  I cannot guarantee that you will not pay any fees, but I reckon it will not be $2.  I think the normal rate is a $1 bribe.  And keep in mind that all the eateries and snack carts are on the Cambodian side.  The bus companies purposely sit and wait on that side for over half an hour before pulling out of the area.  They figure the longer you sit around, the more chances you will spend money on overpriced snacks and drinks. And of course, the exchange rate is always ridiculously out of your favor.

Sorry for all that negative stuff--it is part of traveling.  It is not always joy and happiness on the road.  As much as we discover new places with awesome views, the dark side of getting to those places comes with a price.  The locals have learned how to extract the most money out of your pocket as possible.  I guess give them credit for being clever.  Sometimes, I feel like an ATM, not a person.  I have a name!  I am not a machine!

Anyway, the sleepy little town of Kompong Cham, which is a two-square-kilometer area that sits on the bank of Mekong River and connected by the Kazuma Bridge is famous for being the birthplace of Prime Minister Hun Sen.  The area was originally inhabited by the Chinese Muslims, hence the name “Cham.”  There is not a whole lot to do here besides walking around the market area and devouring on cheap food and fruits.  The motodopes (motorbike taxis) are always eager to take you to the nearby island village via the bamboo bridge (yes, you have to pay $1 to cross) and the area wats (temples).  You can always rent your own bicycle or motorbike and do it yourself.  Or, you can be like me and just walk around for free and take in the two temples that are in town.  The monks are always so eager to practice their English with you, and some are even more eager to learn Korean (how lucky I am).  Sometimes, I feel like I being used everywhere I go.  People want to learn English (like in Korea), and they also want to learn Korean.  Sometimes, I wish I knew neither language.  I could just say that I am from Uzbekistan.  They would have no idea where that is.

One final note, the local currency is the “riel.”  You get 4000 riel for $1.  Many of the Western cafes and restaurants have cleverly priced their menu in US dollars.  It seems so cheap when you see prices for $2, $3, and $4 for coffee, sandwiches, and local food.  But if they were priced in riel, they would be very expensive in Cambodian standards.  As you know, I prefer to eat at the local places where I can mingle with the locals and pay the local prices.  And yes, they try to overcharge you at those places, too, but you have to keep them honest. I have learned to count in local currency everywhere I go, so they cannot pull a fast one.  Just the other night, the lady at the local eatery shortchanged me.  She thought I gave her a 5000 bill, but I was most certain that I gave her a 10,000 note.  After arguing back and forth for a few minutes, I stood firm and undeterred and I walked out of there with the correct change.  Word of advice--make sure they see the money they are receiving, especially in the dark.  The 50,000, 10,000, and the 5000 bill all have the same faced man on the front (who was the genius that thought of that?).  Even though the colors are different, the bills all look the same in the dark.  The easy fix would be to put a different face on each bill, but who am I to offer advice.

Until next time,

Marshall