Ayutthaya

I wanted to see Ayutthaya, but I was to tired of organising everything on my own, so I've went for an easy option and bought a day trip to Ayutthaya from one of the agencies in Bangkok. This was Israelis agency, where I usually go if I'm near Khao San Road and need to check something on the internet, as they have free computers to use internet.
Ayutthaya is the first capital of Thailand, was founded in 1350 by king U Thong. There were constant wars between Ayutthaya and Burma and in the end in 1767 it was destroyed by Burmese army and kingdom collapsed. Now the ruins of the old city are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site. These are mostly temples with stupas containing ashes of Thai kings.
Trip itself was not the most exciting thing that I've done ever, nor were the people taking part in the trip, but I'm glad that I've seen it. Sometimes it was similar to Angkor Wat, but much worse. It was within the city, so surrounded by roads and cars and buses, so it was not that peaceful and relaxing as in Angkor. It was also more organised and you could not enter everywhere like in Angkor. And I did not have such a good company as I did in Siem Reap.

Wat Phu Khao Tong

Wat Maha That

Wat Maha That

Big lying Buddha

Dok Champa (White Frangipani/Plumeria) - national Laos flower in Wat Maha Thao. My favourite one. I wish I had parfumes with the scent of it.

Pink Frangipani (Plumeria) flower in Wat Maha That

Wat Maha That

Wat Maha That

Buddha

Baby elephant near Wat Maha That

New Year's Eve in the tubing

I've started my trip towards New Years Party on 27th from Bangkok. I got to Vientiane, town studded with crumbling French mansions, bougainvillea­-blooming streets and steaming noodle stalls. It is somewhere between a big town and a diminutive city. I've spent there one day, did some sightseeing, one night and took a bus to Vang Vieng, which is a town nestled beside the Nam Song (Song River) amid stunningly beautiful limestone karts terrain. Most of the people coming here come here for tubing, chilling out in restaurants/bars playing endless reruns of Friends or Family Guy on their big screens. There is also some climbing here and caves to visit.
I've arrived here a little bit sick, still from the freezing cold bus trip to Vientiane, so my first day and sight were rather calm and relaxing, just to get better. To be ready for tubing on 31st and good party to enter New Year smoothly.
And indeed tubing was so awesome. I must say that I've loved it. It was even better cause we were bunch of funny people. Two of my friends who I met before - Markus from Sweden and Todd from Canada. There was that US boy and couple from Russia, but they've been living in California for over than 20 years. Unfortunately Natasha was not feeling too well after last night vodka party, so she must have skipped tubing, Marcus got completely wasted after a while so our group shrinked, but we meet other people, as always...
Whole day we've spent dancing, jumping to the water from huge swings, zip lines and slides, playing mud volleyball, drinking buckets and free shots, talking, tubing and all the crazy shit that you can imagine.
We had to be ready at 6 p.m. not to lose deposit that we've paid for tubes, but anyway it was too cold to stay longer, so we tubed down and took tuk-tuk to the town.
After quick shower we went to have some food and continue partying, first in Q-Bar, than in Rock Bar at the island, where I've managed to lost Natasha and Andrei, as we've lost all the others in Q-Bar already anyway. But I've met there that Polish girl who was a lot of rock'n'roll and who I think was the nicest Polish person that I've met during my whole trip so far (not that I've met so many of them).
I've had funny situation too with some Italian guys. During tubing I've realised that I know one Italian guy from Siem Reap so we've started to talk, but there was that other guy so similar to him, so I was getting confused all the time. So imagine I'm in a bar, I see that guy and I start talking to him, after a while I realise that he's not the guy that I thought he is, so I try to explain myself and say, that there is that other lad who is so similar to you, he could be your brother. And here he comes: "I'm his brother". That was insane. So funny.
I think that I've went to bed around 6 in the morning. That would mean that I had 18 hours of partying. I have no clue how it is possible but apparently it is, though the next day was rubbish. I did nothing. Just hanging around with friends and trying to survive till the evening to go to bed.

Vientiane - Wat Si Saket, the oldest temple in Vientiane build in 1818 by king Anouvong

Buddhas in Wat Si Saket - the oldest temple in Vientiane

Buddhas in Vientiane. This one is in Haw Pha Kaew, museum which has the best collection of Buddha images in Laos. To tell you the truth I was not impressed at all.

Lost in Vientiane. There was also lost cock

Party crew in Vang Vieng, starting from the left: Andrei, Natasha, me, Todd and Markus

On the way to tubing

In the tubing with Andrei and Willy

In the tubing with Lao boy who was throwing us ropes to get us to the bar

In the tube with a bucket

New Year's Eve with locals

Confusing Italian boys

Polish style

First sunset in 2011

On the road again

Last day in Siem Reap we've spent again in temples, but temples which are further away. Day before was kind of wasted. Everyone was tired after one week of going out in the evening, drinking, going late to bed, so we decided to make one day break and go somewhere to the swimming pool, not make any big party and get up earlier, so that we have all day for sightseeing. It worked somehow. We did not go out, but we stayed in rooftop bar in guest house. Adrian i Julka - friends from Warsaw come over so we were sitting there, relaxing and chatting till late at the night in the end.

Butterflies farm

Butterflies farm



Landmines museum



Banteay Srei

Banteay Srei

Waiting for the tuk-tuk driver

Still, we've managed to leave around 11, which was early. This time we took tuk-tuk (Banteay Srei is 30km north-east from Siem Reap) and on the way to the temple we've stopped in butterfly farm (nice but nothing spectacular) and Landmine Museum - too propaganda for me.
Banteay Srei is pinkish and is one of the few temples around Angkor not to be commissioned by king, but by a Brahman. On the way back we got caught by huge rain, I was so sorry for tuk-tuk driver who had to drive in that rain, but on the other hand if it were not for the flat tyre we wouldn't have been waiting for him to change it and we would not have been caught by the rain.

Next day was kind of sad, as we've spllited. Martin stayed in Siem Reap for another day to leave to Bangkok, Hugo went to Phnom Pehn to meet later on with Tom in Sihanoukville, who on the other hand went with me to Battambang.
Battambang is fourth tourist destination in Cambodia, but actually you do not really feel it that way. It was almost not touristy at all, which was really nice in fact, and that meant also cheap hotels with quite high standard. For a double we've been paying 8$/night (but no hot water and not A/C), and it was almost brand new hotel.
In Battambang itself there is not too much to do, except going to the temples which we've decided to skip and to rent motorbike and ride around the city to explore some temples and ruins there. First we've been to Phnom Ek which is just ruined temple with a lintel showing the Churning of Ocean of Milk. And in fact these are very gorgeous ruins with very charming atmosphere.
Next we rode to Phnom Sampeu, where are killing caves. I did not like that bit, except the riding part, where Tom did very good job, driving on quite bumpy and dusty road.
The last stop was Pnom Banan (where I did good driving job in marvelous, bumpy surrounding) which some people claim was inspiration for Angkor Wat. And indeed it reminds of Angkor. This place is also a little bit scary, as all the way around are signs "Danger, mines!".

Tom ready for blinds massage

Phnom Ek - Sea of Milk

Phnom Ek

Cela, the motorbike rider

Phnom Banan - Danger!! Mines!!

Phnom Banan

Next day was sad and long. I had to tell good bye to the last person that I knew (I guess that we've met another two times in Battambang waiting for our buses) and head to Bangkok. Of course bus was late, everything took so much longer that it was supposed to take, that in the end I've ended up in Bangkok after 10p.m.and I was hoping for 8p.m. But luckily mini bus stopped at Khao San Road, which is main backpackers place and very close to there Sebastian stays, so after quick Pad Thai (basically fried noodles with vegetables, chicken/beef/shrimps and nuts) I took motorbike to drop my bag at his place and go out with him and his girlfriend.
Bangkok was nice to me, even though I did not spend there too much time it was friendly and familiar place from the same beginning. Maybe the fact that I've been staying at home and not in the hostel made it. And the luxury of having bathroom only for myself.
Now after another 14h drive I'm at Railay, which so far is a little bit disappointing. It is supposed to be one of the top 10 climbing destinations. That part might be true, but it's so expencive in here and feels somehow strange, that I'll prolly try to stay here one more night and if I still do not like it I'll go to Ko Phi Phi. Which makes me worried - what if there will be the same? Additionally bearing in mind, that bus ticket from Bangkok to Prabi was 350B,and boat from Railay to Phi Phi costs 400B....

Bangkok form Sebastian's window



Railay



Double bday celebration in Angkor

Last day in Phnom Penh we've spent on a swimming pool in L'Blanc Elephant Resort. We were the only guests there, I'm not even sure if anyone was staying there. But that was even better. Silence, swimming pool only for four of us.

On the way, with my Dutch driver

In the swimming pool - very intellectual

The next day the four of us took a bus to Siem Reap. It was rather spontaneous that we went there together and booked one hostel - Garden Village (1$ for a dorm, which is almost outdoor, the only shelter that we have is roof and bamboo walls, but it makes it perfect for the hot Cambodian weather. Mattresses are on the floor and the only luxury that we have are mosquito nets). From the bus station in SR we ordered free hostel pick up which was very handy, cause bus station is rather far away from the city centre. What's more when the bus arrives they close the gate, so that all passengers can calmly leave the bus and pick their baggage without being pushed by tuk-tuk drivers and without a threat of stolen baggage. Only people who does pick up are allowed to get behind the gate, which is fair enough.

After a dinner and some drinks and fish foot massage the only place to be was Angkor What?. Which is one of the two popular backpacker places in Siem Reap. And as it was already 3rd of December I've started to celebrate my birthday. And that was great, I don't know how it works, that you can have so much fun with people, that you've met just couples of days ago and that you already have inside jokes, that they wish you all the best for bday and that next day in the morning I get a little nice gift from them at the breakfast. It's how backpackers' world is like I guess.

In alphabetical order: Hugo, Martin and Tom, thanks a lot for making my day so good!

Fish massage - it was so ticklish, that I could barely stand it at first

Bday celebration in Angkor What?

 

This is how you want your cocktails in Cambodia and Vietnam - bucket



Bday shot

 It's not that we only party in Siem Reap, we also did a lot of sightseeing. Angkor Wat is just incredible. We rented bicycles in a hostel and cycled there. Of course we've missed turn to ticket booth, so we had to come back, but cycling itself was so cool too, that I did not matter at all. Especially when sometimes you can just catch tuk-tuk and hold it for a little while, so that you do not have to put any effort into paddling.

Scenery around temples looks sometimes very European like, there were spots where it's smelled and looked like Polish indian summer. I just could stay there for ever.

There was another pleasant thing about Angkor Wat - 15th half marathon, that took place today. What a pity, that I'm not fit any more and that I do not have any running gear with me, otherwise I'd sign up, like Martin did. He did not have anything with him as well, and he went to buy it, but still it'd be too big effort for my body to run 21.097 km after almost 3 month of almost no workout.

Angkor Wat - unfortunately it's partially covered with scaffolding



Angkor Wat through window



Angkor Wat

All temples were red. Now only in some places red is still visible

Bayon if I remember well

Within Angkor Tom

Sun set, I don't know what the whole fuss is about. There are much better sun sets from my parents balcony at the 4th floor. Maybe they should start selling tickets?

If I remember well this in in Bayon Temple within Angkor Tom ancient city

Ta Prom - it is supposed to be the place where Tom Raider was shot. Place is fabulous due to the huge, centuries old trees all around

There is Buddha carved into the stone, but during Pot Pol regime that flower was carved

Polish indian summer in Angkor Wat - view from Ta Keo

Ta Keo - sometimes it gets really steep

Most of the temples we've visited by bike

Angkor Wat