[Battambang to Bangkok, Thailand] We woke up this morning and on the spur of the moment decided to go to Thailand for a holiday 🙂 okay maybe not, but we are excited about it.

Cambodia was fantastic and has left us with unforgettable memories like Angkor, Ta Prohm and the boat ride to Battambang. I can see us going back there one day as part of our ‘Motorcycle South East Asia’ dream. It would be great to get off the tourist trail in Cambodia and still have access to cafes like the ‘Blue Pumpkin’ for when we get sick of rice.

Our bus left Battambang on time (thanks again Capitol Tours) and after two hours we transferred to a minibus for the short hop across the flooded part of the road near Sisophon. The road itself didn’t look in bad shape to us but all heavy vehicles were being stopped. I guess they don’t want to damage the road surface or possibly the smaller bridges. The surroundings countryside was pretty much underwater. The kids were having a ball, swimming and fishing in what was, until recently, their front yards. We now see the justification for the stilted houses!

After an hour long wait we joined the passengers on the bus from Siem Reap and headed to the border. With a guide (supplied by the bus company) border procedures were simple. We had no problems and our anxiety over not having proof of flights/bus out of Thailand turned out to be unwarranted. The only downside of crossing the border by land is that we only got a 15 day visa. We like walking across borders. It just feels more real than being in a plane. No-mans land here houses a few casino resorts so that the Thais can pop out to gamble without having to enter Cambodia (casinos not allowed in Thailand – odd).

Another short transfer, this time in a converted bakkie, and we found ourselves at a restaurant (there is always a restaurant) where we sat, and sat bored for 3 hours while waiting for our bus. As we headed towards Bangkok I could not help noticing how well Thailand seems to be doing. 2,3 and 4 lane motorways with overpasses, fewer motorcycles and outrageous numbers of fancy cars. The traffic around Bangkok was severely congested, even on the elevated expressways, but our bus managed to deposit us a hundred meters from the tourist ghetto of Khaosan Road around 8pm. It was a long day of travel and we settled, without too much effort, for a dingy little hole off the main drag. So after 10 years I’m back in Bangkok. In the dark it’s hard to say what has changed. The next few days should be fun!

[Pictures: Another border crossing on foot. A Casino in no-man’s land!]

– Posted from my iPhone via WiFi