VietJet is an affordable and efficient way to get from one city to the next. That being said, we booked ourselves on another flight and touched down in Cambodia in under two hours. Going through immigration and customs was no hassle at all. Twenty minutes and thirty dollars later, I received my visa and passport stamp and I was off in a tuk tuk in transit to explore Cambodia!
When I travel, I aim to spend as little time as possible in the hotel room; at night it is no different. Once we arrived at the Asanak D’Angkor Boutique Hotel, a hidden gem in the midst of a dark, rural street; we dropped our bags, checked for bed bugs–should’ve checked for lizards instead, freshened up and hit the streets of Siem Reap to enjoy our first night.
As we exited the hotel, we were greeted by three cows just moseying along the dirt path. An evening ritual that occured every night for the duration of our stay. Continuing along the dimly lit path, bikes and tuk tuks loaded with people whizzed by all going in the same direction as us. The more people that passed, the more excited I became. My nerves started to dissipate as I continued walking along. Stepping out onto the main road where everyone was, I felt so alive and in the moment. The night was bustling with all kinds of happy people and I was one of them. We walked to the Night Market where all the excitement was.
The Night Market was filled with local vendors selling foods, art work, jewelry; you name it. It was the perfect place to pick up a little trinket to take home. The best way to buy anything from this place is to barter with them. While here, I came across the durian fruit. This fruit is the large, spiked, odorous fruit-sometimes known as the ‘stinky fruit’. It is native to south east Asia and one of the staples you must try while there. As for me, Cambodia will be the first and last place I eat this fruit. The creamy texture paired with the smell of fermentation was not delicious on my palate; one bite was enough.
After squeezing our way through the market stalls and having Khmer curry and Angkor beer for dinner (all for $2) we headed back to the hotel to call it a night. Tomorrow we are off to tour the temples!
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