#sisophon

[ryananders-de-blog]

Mrs. Mak-Pove sells fruit from Thailand on the road between Sisophon and Battambang. In addition to Khmer, “I speak Thai too,” she says. Her sweet grape boosted my sugar level all the way to Battambang. #Thailand #Sisophon #Battambang #Cambodia #CycleTour ‪#Travel #HumanStories #StreetPhotography #MakePortraits #Street #TravelPhotography #Instagood #PicOfTheDay ‬ ‪#Life‬ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2tcf9ah6KR/?igshid=1abvpfjabbrqs

[ryananders-de-blog]

Mr. Houn Vandoeun is a very lucky man. He hasn’t been blown up… yet. Since the end of Cambodia’s civil war in 1979, he’s been helping remove bombs and landmines from the countryside. In 2018 (almost 40 years after the war) the Cambodian Mine Action Committee (CMAC) reported removing 45,500 explosives. Despite all this work, 58 people were killed by mines or bombs buried in Cambodia’s soil. Just in February 2018, an American bomb weighing 340 kilograms was unearthed. More here: https://thewalrus.ca/2006-10-history/ #banlandmines #Cambodia #Sisophon #Photography #ICBL #USWarCrimes #LandMines #Bombs #UnitedStates #War #Travel #HumanStories #StreetPhotography #MakePortraits #Street #TravelPhotography #Instagood #PicOfTheDay #Life https://www.instagram.com/p/B2rAozMBRFi/?igshid=n6tjslaisyge

[ryananders-de-blog]

Sorky meets his friends in Sisophon, Cambodia, to play sey after work. “Every evening!” The sport is thought to have originated in ancient China, also known as Jianzi (毽子). The object is to keep the “shuttlecock” in the air as long as possible, by only kicking it with your feet. #unusualsports #nohands #Cambodia #Sisophon #จังหวัดศรีโสภณ #asia #photography #humanstories #travel #streetphotography #photooftheday #makeportraits #street #photographer #travelphotography #instagood #picoftheday #life https://www.instagram.com/p/B2otmOlhIM4/?igshid=yq6unljthskr

[catchesbulletswithhisteeth]

Cambodian Nights: Illumination

After an evening with associates, disappointed by the women and dancing, I got on my moto and took flight; racing into the Cambodian night. 

An amber moon illuminated the jungled landscape. I stopped and digested the scene: the moon and unfamiliar constellations, illumining a body of water before me. I briefly studied the silence and beauty. 

This would be one of those moments replayed when my life flashed before me. 

[catchesbulletswithhisteeth]

Cambodia: The Thailand Visa Run

I just finished making my first visa run from the Kingdom of Cambodia. First of all, all of this should have been avoided and I should have been on my way to Phnom Penh, to extend my visa, but I'll get into that later.

Please note, I'm an American citizen. I didn't need a visa to enter Thailand for my visa run, I was eligible for tourist visa exemption. A list of countries that are eligible for tourist visa exemption are located here. In addition, you should make your run within five days of your visa expiration. 

When you arrive in Cambodia, regardless of entry point, make sure that you get the visa you have requested. I touched down in Siem Reap a month ago and requested a Business Visa (E-Visa); although I stood on the correct line and filled out the correct information on my form, I received a Tourist Visa. A recent conversation with a fellow American, leads me to believe this happens often.

As of October 1st, 2014, new price for a Business Visa is $35. The price for the Tourist Visa is $30. Before you leave immigration, make sure you have the visa you paid for. The information on your 30 day visa will be hand written by a immigration officer, but check the left hand side for a number printed on the paper, preceded by a letter. An E, stands for Business Visa and that T stands for Tourist Visa. 

For the Thailand run, you'll have to find a way to Krong Paoy Paet, which is the Cambodian city bordering Thailand. From Sisophon, it is less than an hour by shared taxi. You can negotiate rates, but I paid $5 for my seat and the same returning. 

Once you get to the border, you'll see two large buildings which look like they have no place being in Paoy Paet. They're actually casinos and they're located in between the Cambodia/Thailand border. 

1. If you look at the map above, you'll stamp out on the right hand side of the street. I'd advise you to get there early. I didn't wait more than 15 minutes on any lines during this entire process, but the guy I was with, a Cambodian who frequently visits the border, he said that if we waited until later during the day, we'd see long lines and would have waited hours for this process to be complete. 

2. After you stamp out of Cambodia, you'll walk past a window (very close) that says BORDER PASS. Ignore this, it is for Cambodians. Keep walking on the right hand side until you have an opportunity to cross the street. You'll see a building and a number of people standing on line. Avoid them, I think most of them were Thailanders waiting for some type of documentation. Walk upstairs and you'll be able to stamp into the Kingdom of Thailand. 

3. Once you do this, you're in Thailand and you have to walk around to the other side of the street. If you look at the drawing above, it is pretty easy to understand. 

4. On the other side of the street, on the second floor, you'll stamp out of Thailand. 

5. Once you do that, you'll have to head to the police station in the picture above, so you can get your new Cambodian visa. Be very specific about what visa you want and be very polite. (AKUN Your ass off!)

6. Once you have your new visa, you'll have to stamp back into Cambodia. 

That's it. Your visa run is complete. Had it not been for my Cambodian associate, this would have been a headache. Like I said earlier, it seems that immigration has the bad habit (perhaps only in Siem Reap) of providing the wrong visa. 

The visa run was useful though; now I know how to get to Thailand. In a month, I'll probably be headed to Phnom Pehn, for my visa extension, unless I get an agent to do that for me. 

If anything doesn't make sense, hit me up on twitter @catchesbullets 

Stay Fly!

[boredwithrice-blog-blog]

a beautiful setting for a pagoda. Sisophon.