Sunday February 24 Siem Reap (Cambodia) to Luang Prabang, (Laos)

The flight from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang, Laos is not until 5:00 PM, so the hotel allows us to check out in the morning, but use the swimming pool until we leave for the airport.  After checking out and having breakfast, the desk clerk informs me there is a hair dryer missing from the room.

I ask Ken about the hair dryer, and he is unaware of its whereabouts.  He suggests I go back to the front desk and present my head as Exhibit 1 to show we have no need for the hair dryer.  I do this, and the desk clerk politely asks, ‘What about your wife?’.  My impulse is to say, ‘My wife probably wouldn’t travel over 8,500 miles to take a hair dryer requiring voltage of 230.’

Before I could say anything, I hear the voices in my head.  The voices belong to my daughter Jessi and my hiking friends Linda, Larry, and Karen.  In unison they say, ‘Don’t be a smart-aleck’ (or something similar).  So I tell the desk clerk my brother, not my wife, is travelling with me and he doesn’t use a hair dryer either.  The explanation is accepted, and the clerk apologizes for the misunderstanding.

We then go out to wander the streets of Siem Reap for a couple of hours. 
 

 Siem Reap Street Scene

 

 Internet Cafe in Siem Reap

 

Another Siem Reap Street Scene

 

While wandering, we also come across the puppets from the previous night’s parade.  We get some pictures of the puppets, but still regret not having cameras the previous evening.

Puppets from previous evenings Giant Puppet Street Parade

 



 Puppet from previous evenings Giant Puppet Street Parade

 



 Puppets from previous evenings Giant Puppet Street Parade

 



Puppets from previous evenings Giant Puppet Street Parade



 

By early afternoon, the heat and humidity are telling us to head for the pool.  We spend the afternoon swimming and relaxing.  Then it’s off to the airport for the flight to Luang Prabang, Laos.

At the Siem Reap airport, we go through the emigration process.  Ken sets off the security check alarm because of his titanium hip.  He gets a look-over by the security staff.  I make it through okay, even though I apparently have a lethal weapon in my carry-on luggage.

The Vietnam Airlines plane is a turbo-prop and is well maintained.  The flight crew is polite and efficient.  We fill out the immigration forms for Laos enroute.  On the flight I finish the book I’m reading and leave it in the seat pouch for the next passenger to enjoy.

 

Vietnam Airlines plane to Laos

 

Laos, like Cambodia and Vietnam, requires another form to be completed after landing, but before going through immigration.  We don’t make a great deal of effort to fill the form out neatly.  It doesn’t matter.  After going through immigration and picking up our luggage, the book I left in the seat pouch is handed back to me.  Like I said, the flight crew is efficient.

Our guide meets us and takes us to dinner.  Then we check into the Le Palais Juliana Hotel and unpack.  We observe there is a hair dryer.  The next day will begin at sunrise for us.