Border hopping. Border crossing. Two countries in one day. Sometimes with our packs on. Sometimes just our day packs. Sometimes a plane. Sometimes a bus. But no matter what, when you move 55 people from one country to another, it’s going to be a little crazy.
Travel days often start before the sun has risen. Today was no exception. I set my alarm for 4:27am (normal alarm times just aren’t my thing). Finished packing after brushing my teeth and headed down the stairs of our hostel that our whole squad had been sharing for the past few days in Cambodia. Ready at 5:30am but the bus doesn’t arrive until 6:20am.
Hurry up and wait.
Long bus rides have become more pleasant nowadays. I used to not enjoy them but now it is basically the only “alone” time we get on the Race! And once you do a 22 hour bus ride (back in Nam), no other bus ride feels long anymore. 14 hours? No problem. But thankfully, today from Siem Reap to Bangkok only took roughly 8-9 hours.
But the bus ride was interrupted at the border crossing. Just when Allie and I were hitting our stride with watching Friends.
We packed up all our crap and grabbed our big packs. Big packs on the back, day packs on the front, purse strapped over my shoulder.
Unfortunately, right as I get to the front of the line to get my visa stamped, my purse strap broke. Not very convenient timing. It’s just holding my phone, passport, electronics, and all my money. No big deal.
One great thing about traveling in a big group is that I was able to just hand my purse to my squadmate behind me and walk up to the counter for my visa. There really wasn’t much room to shove my purse in my daypack but I made it work as I hurriedly shoved everything back in place so I could keep the line moving.
After the visas, we slowly start walking up the street toward the border, but it really doesn’t look like the border and I have no idea what’s going on so I just keep following the Osprey pack in front of me. It’s not too hard to spot a World Racer with all of their backpacks and gear.
Walking, sweating, carrying my friend’s gear as she went back to guide the others. Pretty much dying in the 100 degree Cambodian heat. So many sweat stains on all of us. Needing water but we only pause for about 5 minutes so I don’t bother taking my pack off or grabbing my water.
Keep walking, keep pausing. Another security check where I have to take my pack off and put it on the conveyor belt even though there is literally no one checking the screen…
Pause again. Can’t keep 55 people together. Keep walking and stop waiting. Is this it? Can I take my pack off yet? Yay! Finally!
Must find water and then a bathroom and then coffee.
Found some A/C! Soaking that up for a minute as I wait for my sweat to dry. Hunting down an ATM – success! Now I have three different currencies in my wallet. But I’m getting better at converting on the fly.
Water – check. Bathroom – check. Crappy coffee – check. Now hurry up and wait. But this time we get to wait in the A/C.
Waiting until it’s time to split up the squad into 7 separate vans. The driver keeps laughing at me as I look at our big packs and looking back at him because he thinks I’m going to attempt to throw our packs into the van over my ahead. Nope. So I stand there for ten minutes until he will finally help me.
Loaded up and moving. Thank goodness there is A/C on board! Also wifi. Why haven’t we figured that out yet America?
Rest stops on the way. Always make sure you bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer. If only the squatty potties would provide such things. Still haven’t mastered the “bum gun” yet.
Five more hours of pure luxury of sitting in silence reading my book. Grateful for the travel day.
Finally made it to Bangkok! Successful day of moving 55 people from one country to another.
