Day 14, Tuesday 4th May, Luang Prabang to Siem Reap by air

In this forested region, fittings and furniture are often made of sturdy dark wood. Here is the ceiling of my hotel room in Luang Prabang:

This travel day started off with the prearranged tuk-tuk ride to the airport:

The driver could speak little English, but we managed to establish that his friend at the hotel had given him only half the money I had paid. Let them sort that one out.
In the modest-sized airport, an air-con unit was being repaired. Domestic and international check-in are the 3 counters behind the ladder. 

The security check took place at the entrance to the terminal, and I went through unscathed. Sitting watching the repairmen at work and waiting for the check in to open, it occurred to me that I had two small bottles of mineral water and about 300 ml of red wine in my board luggage. After scouring Luang Prabang for the cheapest bottle of Chilean red wine (same brand since Huay Xai) and carefully rationing it over the evenings, I was loth to give it up to airport security, which I reckoned would strike once again after passport control. I had a stale bread roll decorated with tough dry bits of grilled chicken (more like ancient chook) which I'd made the mistake of buying before visiting the waterfall the day before. Declaring this to be breakfast, I washed it down with red wine, despite the early hour. By the time I'd finished the food, the wine had been reduced by half, the check in had meanwhile opened, and I began to doubt whether a further security check would take place at all, though it seemed weird that they hadn't heard about the 100ml liquid rule. Screwing the cap back on my plastic bottle with the remains of the wine, I checked in my luggage and waited to see what else would happen.    

Baggage transport:

I waited in the domestic lounge, leaving the "security area" to go to the toilet, after which passengers were requested to leave the building and go through security again, which I did not do. It was not possible to see what facilities, if any, the international lounge offered. Several  passengers waited outside in the general lounge, not knowing what to expect when past passport control. Another person and I were then called out over speakers and requested to proceed to immigration, at the same time as an officer came out and told us personally to present ourselves. Which we did and, of course, there was no further security check, so I boarded the plane with my dangerous liquids.
International lounge: no food or drink, but toilets:

Our Vietnam Airlines plane arriving from Hanoi, Vietnam, to take us to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Luang Prabang airport from the plane. Altogether a small-scale, low-key, pleasant place, though possibly a hot tip for potential terrorists, as far as security is concerned.

The airport at Siem Reap, spanking new, modern and efficient. No undisciplined swarm of drivers, allocation at a single desk with a ticket and standard prices for each form of transport permitted.

 

Immigration was a snap, the visa only cost $20, which I had, luckily, as the cash machine in the terminal did not accept my visa card.

Booked into the Borann l'Auberge de Temples, I rented a bike straight away to explore the town, and also see if I could find somewhere else closer to the centre, also with swimming pool but with wifi as well, for an acceptable price.

The bike cost $3 per day, but needed pumping up, a difficult procedure requiring two men, as the tube attaching the pump to the valve kept detaching itself from one end or the other and needed to be held in place. However, after about 10 minutes, I could set off.

My first exposure to Cambodian traffic conditions was somewhat unnerving, especially when someone comes down the road towards you the wrong way. They keep to their left, closest to the edge of the road. You have to avoid them by swerving left , preferably not into any other traffic going your way.

After visiting two tourist offices, provincial (closed) and municipal (under renovation) I headed into town and found an ATM where I withdrew a few hundred US dollars. The first country I have been in where ATM's supply a foreign currency. Reaching the tourist area of town, I got a bit lost out in the dirt road back streets, but coming back in found just what I needed, a clean, modern hotel, with a swimming pool, air-con rooms with cable-TV and a fridge, wifi in the lobby, and a vacant room at less than half the price of the Auberge: $20 including breakfast.

Back at the Auberge, I offered $10 to be able to move right out, but after consultation they charged me nothing except the bicycle rental (which was three times the normal rate in town).

Moved my bags with a tuk-tuk, settled in happily and headed for Pub Street, where I enjoyed an excellent light meal of spring rolls at the Tigre de Papier:

 

Pub Street:

Later on, after collecting information about tours and transportation, I had a swim in the hotel pool, which was tepid, like a large bathtub, but nevertheless relaxing, then showered, changed and went out for dinner. It started to rain, and I regretted so thoughtlessly having left my umbrella in Bangkok. I wanted to find the Angkor Palm, which was only about 10 minutes away, so foolishly continued as the rain became heavier. By the time I'd not found the Palm, instead diving into the Tigre de Papier again, I was soaked. Then the rain stopped, and all the locals who'd been holed up in shops or arcades emerged dry.
It was the first rain of the trip so far, as I started at the hottest, driest time of the year. The rains are supposed to start mid-May and become steady in June, but are late this year.
Anyway I ate a good chicken with lemongrass on bok choy, and enjoyed a glass of white wine.