The Luang Prabang airport surely wins the title of most obscure airport of the trip, and definitely the smallest. The departure lounge was just that, about the size of a lounge, with a nice patio door to an oversize driveway/runway. The UK government website warned against flying with any Laos based airline, and the Vietnam Airlines flight we boarded looked as though it also shared some concerns too as it didn’t even refuel before departing to Siem Reap.
As with Laos, Cambodia is meant to easily accept US Dollars for payment. What is surprising is that the local Riel currency has essentially been demoted to a second currency. The cash machines dish out US notes, the taxis and restaurants quote prices in US dollars, and you get surprised looks when you want to pay in Cambodian money, but at least our 4000 times table is getting practice.
The first thing noticeable about Cambodia is that it feels a notch lower on the development scale compared to Thailand, the roads are dirtier, the houses more “rustic” and dust seems to fly everywhere. Each Asian region we’ve visited has it’s own flavour of Tuktuk, from the custom made 3 wheel Tuktuks of Thailand to the Laos’ chopped off front end of a motorbike stuck to a cart. Siem Reap is no different with it’s Moto remorques (a moped with a two-seater trailer, great fun!). We took one of these out to the floating village, passing lots of wooden shacks on stilts with dogs and children running around in the dust. The floating village itself consisted of houses strapped to anything that floated: bamboo poles, oil cans and even the odd boat. Everything needed was floating too: churches, shops, farms, schools and so on, and they all moved with the seasons as the lake levels changed. We also got our first taste of feeling like walking wallets as little children held up snakes and crocodiles for their photo to be taken, only to be followed by chants of “1 dolla!” (we even saw one man fall for the trap…)