Hello folks!
Last weekend I took a trip to Cambodia. I’ve never been so I though it would be neat to check out the place for the weekend. I was disappointed that Angkor Wat Cambodia doesn’t fly to Suvarnabhumi. Would be neat to check out a new airline.
I chose Thai Airways again and I hate to sound like a broken record but; they were the cheapest on the route!
Cheaper than Bangkok Airways and much cheaper than Air Asia. Best off all, an opportunity to log more Royal Orchid miles and get full service on a short flight and not get penalized for any abrupt changes in schedule.
My flight in both directions was on HS-TDK.
This was a flight I almost missed as I slept the night before and slept through my alarm clock but thunder & lightning woke me and I realized that I had less than 90 minutes before my flight left.
I shot out of bed, grabbed my suitcase, down the elevator and ran down the street to get a taxi.
Oh and I put my clothes on before I did all of this.
...
This storm was my alarm clock
I was lucky to get one of those crazy drug induced Bangkok taxi drivers that drive with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. It’s always a treat to get these guys as a taxi driver because I usually get stuck with the slow ones.
Luckily we were going against the flow of traffic so it was open toll way. The rain was really intense and at times couldn’t see anything but intense rain through the windshield but that didn’t stop the taxi driver from going over 160Km/h. (98MPH approx.)
In retrospective, we shouldn’t be alive but hey, I made it to my flight.
The airplane angels were looking over me.
Normally it’s sunny in the mornings but the unusual morning storm woke me up. I got a fast taxi driver which I rarely get and I made my flight, got a window seat and no one sitting next to me.
Check in went smooth as there were no lines, going through customs was swift and the flight boarded and pushed back on time.
So much rain, I couldn't make out what airline that was parked next to us
safety demo
Despite the rain, the flight was very smooth. I was expecting turbulence but the flight was smooth as silk…..
...
Rain soaked BKK.
Can anyone identify that 727 parked on the ground?
Climbing above the clouds
Descending in to Cambodia
This looks just the way it did in those old National Geographic Magazines!
...
We touch down in Phenom Pehn right on time.
Went through customs, gave a photo, paid for my entry visa and in to Cambodia.
I exchanged my Thai baht for the local currency and instantly became a millionaire!
That ended up being a big mistake since the Cambodia Reil is an almost worthless currency. I should have got US dollar because it’s easier to manage. Couldn’t fit all that money in to my wallet.
Got a ride to my hotel. Stayed at the Amari Watergate which has nothing to do with the Amari hotel chain but at $18 USD per night, I’m not complaining and the hotel was new and clean.
The hotel has two computers for guest to use. I check my email and went to Airliners.net to look at the aircraft I flew on. Looked like another Airliners.net member had stayed at this hotel and used this very computer because it was in the ‘favorites’ of this computer.
I did some sightseeing, toured around took pictures and other touristy stuff.
Neat design in the elevator at the Amari Watergate.
Locals playing volleyball
temples
Took walks along the riverside, looked at temples and drank lots of wine because there is no mark-up / wine tax like in Thailand.
Went to a cool bar & grill on the riverfront. It was great to have a different beer for a change. I love my Chang Classic and Leo back in Thailand but this Angkor Stout was a real treat!
Never thought I'd find a stout from southeast Asia.
The steak was delicious too.
I was nice.
...
The highlight of the trip was visiting a shooting range on the outskirts of town. It was a 30 minute rickshaw ride across town.
This shooting range has all sorts of weapons; AK-47s, M-16, Uzis, grenades, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, rugers, RPD, etc.
I’ve never shot an assault rifle before but as they say, when in Rome…
I went for the M-16.
I obliterated a cocoanut a got my target 15 out of 20 rounds. Not bad for a first timer.
The guy at the shooting range kept trying to up-sale me on the rocket launcher but that was a whopping 1,407,000 Reils ($350USD).
I passed on that one.
Rode the rickshaw back to town.
I like this building.
Did more touristy stuff the following days.
I even ran in to a guy I went to college with years ago in San Francisco. What a small world!
A coffin shop.
Typical street in Phnom Penh
No comment
The locals were very friendly but the taxi drivers were very pushy. They can't take "no" for an answer.
Often times, locals would ask me if I knew Beyonce. I really wish I did.
Made friends with a Filipino cover band at a bar and they dragged me to a casino the following day. I was not going to gamble but I went to the casino any way just to check it out. Their casino had a dance competition to win a brand new Toyota Altus. I would have taken photos but they were strict about taking photos inside.
Mekong River at sunset.
I like this picture.
It was time to head back home to Bangkok. I rode a rickshaw back to the airport and had one last Angkor beer – on the way to the airport.
Drop off at airport.
The departure terminal was a throwback to a time when large families would all go to the airport to see their loved-once off or arrive at the airport. Reminds me of going to O’Hare as a kid back in the 1970s to drop off or pick up a relative from the airport.
Check was quick and I am glad that I checked seat guru before my flight because I was assigned a ‘wall seat’. I changed that immediately. This time, I had a window seat and entire row to myself. I had my own little office.
Quick & easy check in as always with TG.
Small lounge at Phnom Penh International.
Free Internet at the airport.
My return flight was a code share flight with Lufthansa.
Flight left on time, meals were served and had a special commemorative Singha / Thai Airways A380 can of beer. Perhaps they may be worth something to a beer can collector.
In-flight meal on the return flight.
Touch down at BKK on time and then we were loaded on to buses to the main terminal. Hopefully once the low-cost carriers are thrown out of Suvarnabhumi and send to Don Muang, the need to use these buses will not be as common.
This time around I wasn’t accused of smuggling in fruit like on my previous trip.
I just finished reading a book about British and American ex-pats living in Bangkok and occasionally traveling to Pnom Penh for a break. It seems to be a popular activity, at least for farangs, or so it was portrayed in that book.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): This was a flight I almost missed as I slept the night before and slept through my alarm clock but thunder & lightning woke me and I realized that I had less than 90 minutes before my flight left.
I shot out of bed, grabbed my suitcase, down the elevator and ran down the street to get a taxi.
Ouch, good thing you made it on time to the airport. From what I hear it's pretty much impossible to beat the traffic in Bangkok. You had luck on your side
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): So much rain, I couldn't make out what airline that was parked next to us
It looks like an Oman Air aircraft, doesn't it?
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Looked like another Airliners.net member had stayed at this hotel and used this very computer because it was in the ‘favorites’ of this computer.
Haha, now that's funny. I wonder how long that person stayed at this hotel to bother to put a.net on its favorites. Unless he/she was trying to promote it somehow by doing so.
I had no idea that volleyball was popular in Cambodia. You don't see often people playing volleyball on the streets. Not even in countries that it's hugely popular...
Thanks for sharing this with us Superfly! Too bad you didn't get the chance to play with the bazooka. Maybe next time!
Stojan
Visit my aviation page: http://widebodyroga.weebly.com/
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38495 posts, RR: 80 Reply 2, posted (8 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 5262 times:
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): I just finished reading a book about British and American ex-pats living in Bangkok and occasionally traveling to Pnom Penh for a break. It seems to be a popular activity, at least for farangs, or so it was portrayed in that book.
Yes. The river front had a lot of weekend getaway folks from Bangkok, both Thai and expat.
Most I know go there and stock up on wine. There is a tax that can exceed 400% on wine in Thailand.
Cheap wine I'd buy at Safeway in San Francisco for $10 sales for $60 in Bangkok.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): From what I hear it's pretty much impossible to beat the traffic in Bangkok. You had luck on your side
Yes I was VERY lucky! If I missed the flight, the next one would have been at 7:00 at night. I would have missed a full day in Phnom Penh.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): It looks like an Oman Air aircraft, doesn't it?
I don't know.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): Haha, now that's funny. I wonder how long that person stayed at this hotel to bother to put a.net on its favorites. Unless he/she was trying to promote it somehow by doing so.
They apparently did a lot of searches on the MD-80. Not sure which airline flew the MD-80 to Phnom Penh.
I should have asked the hotel guy if he was an airliner enthusiast.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): I had no idea that volleyball was popular in Cambodia. You don't see often people playing volleyball on the streets. Not even in countries that it's hugely popular...
It's popular at the beach in the US, at least in California. Rarely seen it played away from the beach recreational. It is fun to watch women's beach volleyball.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 1): Thanks for sharing this with us Superfly! Too bad you didn't get the chance to play with the bazooka. Maybe next time!
It was tempting but $350 for just 1 shot is a bit steep.
The local Cambodian folks spoke English surprisingly well, even the ones that aren't working in the tourist sector.
deltamartin From Sweden, joined Dec 2010, 1059 posts, RR: 9 Reply 3, posted (8 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 5237 times:
Hi Superfly!
Nice report, very enjoyable to read!
Thai seemed good and I'm glad to see you had a nice time in Cambodia, for sure not something you see on here every day.
I like the old-school overhead panels shown on that picture.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): This shooting range has all sorts of weapons; AK-47s, M-16, Uzis, grenades, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, rugers, RPD, etc.
I’ve never shot an assault rifle before but as they say, when in Rome…
I went for the M-16.
Hah, what a cool thing to do. I'd probably have gone with the M-16 too.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38495 posts, RR: 80 Reply 4, posted (8 months 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 5087 times:
Quoting deltamartin (Reply 3): Ah I see you're a fan of the old livery! I can't make up my mind which one I like better, both are very nice liveries.
It's an easy choice for me. I love the old Landor livery.
Not a fan of the swirls or any white fuselage and painted tail or blended tail design. I like cheatlines and or bare polished metal.
Quoting deltamartin (Reply 3): Hah, what a cool thing to do. I'd probably have gone with the M-16 too.
flightsimboy From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 848 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (8 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 4703 times:
You have got to be the most funniest A.netter on here. I always land up crying with laughter at your funny comments!! Don't change, the world needs funny guys like you LOL
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): I shot out of bed, grabbed my suitcase, down the elevator and ran down the street to get a taxi.
Oh and I put my clothes on before I did all of this.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Luckily we were going against the flow of traffic so it was open toll way. The rain was really intense and at times couldn’t see anything but intense rain through the windshield but that didn’t stop the taxi driver from going over 160Km/h. (98MPH approx.)
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Despite the rain, the flight was very smooth. I was expecting turbulence but the flight was smooth as silk…..
Their slogan came to help her fully!!
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Stayed at the Amari Watergate which has nothing to do with the Amari hotel chain but at $18 USD per night, I’m not complaining and the hotel was new and clean.
Can they do that, have a hotel with the same name as a large hotel chain.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Often times, locals would ask me if I knew Beyonce. I really wish I did.
Cute
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): This time around I wasn’t accused of smuggling in fruit like on my previous trip.
Very clever to take those two shots and show that ghostly apparition.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38495 posts, RR: 80 Reply 6, posted (8 months 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 4431 times:
Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 5): You have got to be the most funniest A.netter on here. I always land up crying with laughter at your funny comments!! Don't change, the world needs funny guys like you LOL
Haha thanks but I think there are a few more that are funnier.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38495 posts, RR: 80 Reply 8, posted (8 months 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 4109 times:
Quoting N766UA (Reply 7): Man I'd be skeptical of that M-16. The thing looks like it's as old as the war, I wouldn't doubt they pulled it off some poor dead GI.
comorin From United States of America, joined May 2005, 4671 posts, RR: 17 Reply 9, posted (8 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 4075 times:
1. Beer for Breakfast, eh?
2. What, no odd looking chairs in your hotel room?
3. No pics of your traveling companions? I always imagine you with a retinue of nubile, plump Asian women...
4. You still going to vote for Romney?
flightsimboy From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 848 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (8 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 3794 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 6): Haha thanks but I think there are a few more that are funnier.
Okay I need to add Ryanair here...was that his name....see he's already but a memory on a.net due to his prolonged absence...Tears of laughter guaranteed with him too
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Flight left on time, meals were served and had a special commemorative Singha / Thai Airways A380 can of beer. Perhaps they may be worth something to a beer can collector.
The World Toilet Association ? What kind of thing goes on at their offices.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): That ended up being a big mistake since the Cambodia Reil is an almost worthless currency. I should have got US dollar because it’s easier to manage. Couldn’t fit all that money in to my wallet.
We won't make the same mistake when you and I go there.
I may re-visit Phenom Penh before you make your debut Asian visit next year. I'll try to get to arrange a Angkor brewery visit. I'll just need to rub elbows with the right people which should be easy to do in a 3rd world country. The Singha and possibly Chang brewery tour here in Thailand is in stone.
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