Photos from Poipet, Cambodia

[Just-A-Guy]

Hi all,

I have recently returned from a trip to Cambodia. I have travelled on land from Thailand and as so many others was overwhelmed with terror and disgust at the border town of Poipet. I did the journey by myself and was an easy target to all the touts and beggars.
Because I was so stressed out to get out of this hell and because holding a 400$ camera in a place where the average income is about 250$ a year did not seem like the most wise thing to do- I ended up not taking any photos.
So, if anyone here on TE has photos from Poipet he's willing to share, I would be happy to re-live the bad experience I had by looking at them.

Thanks,
Guy

[hdekwaasteniet]

Ha ha - good story. I remember one of the nasties places (the end of the world as we know it) very well. The same athmosphere - the same border police who let you pay too much - worrying about how to take a buddha statue into Thailand :-( and no, no photo's taken.

Picture 23 - Siem Reap, picture 24 - breakfast in Chaing Mai after a 26 hour busjourney via Bangkok...

Cheers, Herman

[adam_k]

Next time just take a cheaper camera with you or get relaxed instead of thinking about what might happen ;)

Actually I liked this place when I was there.. but it was a couple of years ago... but indeed - these touts might seem a little bit intimidating...

[Emiel_Skyfreak]

Do you have insurance on your camera?

If not, think about it.
My stuff is worth a few times 400$ and having a insurance on your camera stuff (I took it only recently, after some investigation on companies etc. ) can be a great relief in such cases.

But (I) also do realize that having insurance and actually getting the amount covered if something happens..are two different things.

Another thing could be to use a one-time-use camera there..but I can imagine it doesn't feel the same as using your own camera!

[Just-A-Guy]

There is worse than have your camera stolen : not being able to shoot at the Angkor temples.

[kevinos]

What a sad story! I have been through the Aranya Pratet; Poipet crossing a few time and although it was busy and chaotic and although there is a culture shock on encountering Cambodian poverty for the first time, I never felt the slightest fear. I suspect it was all in your mind. I have never heard of a camera being stolen there (although it is possible, if one were careless).For me, it's just an ordinary boarder crossing into a third world country, certainly not the hell you describe. I would suggest being more relaxed next time, maybe go with a fellow traveler and take a few pictures too.

[Just-A-Guy]

Kevin,

I arrived the border crossing on my own, early in the morning. Immediately a bunch of kids were all over me, sticking their hands in my backpack, one of them even opened it- fortunately I hid all the valuable stuff in deep and secure pockets in my trousers. This was the welcome reception to Cambodia. After that i was really paranoid, had to pay the usual bribe to the officer at the passport stamping station by paying 25 USD for a visa that was supposed to cost 20 USD (never mind the 5 bucks- it's the principle).
And the poverty, garbage and stench at this place- it's beyond everything that I dared to imagine.

[kevinos]

WellGuy, you seem to have had a roughh time there. I have never crossed alone and in the early hours. normally, if you take a mini bus , for example, the driver stears you through. As for the poverty , the smell and the dirt, welcome to the third world!It's all part of treking to remove places and walking the less trodden path. I have just got back from Nepal, where I have a lot of that too, including little hands in my back pack.
Most land travelers take a mini van or bus from Bkk to Siem Reap, and the bus driver, as I said, sees you through the tricky bits. I hope the rest of your trip worked out fine. regards kevin