Everybody's got a water buffalo... yes, it's true!

Phnom Penh. Craziness from start to finish.
It began with a beautiful train ride from Bangkok to the border town- we arrived at the station at 5 am by faith that there was a train was leaving at 6 (we had seen it somewhere on the internet, but had NO idea when the blog was written and if it was still correct).
Praise Jesus, it was!We met a couple of British travelers and got to watch amazing scenery on a 6 hour ride. One thing we saw a lot of... water buffalo!!!! The Veggie Tales song became our theme song for the journey. It was pretty epic.

On arriving at the border we discovered first-hand the intensity of the manipulation tourists face. Our tuk-tuk driver took us to a couple of travel agencies to buy visas for Cambodia (where is costs much more) and only with a lot of insistence on our part and sulking on hers did she finally drive us to the official border where we could do things the "right" way (which, apparently, includes a small bribe to the officers in order to get an "expediated" visa). There was a very friendly guide who hurried us through all the border crossing steps... which was actually very helpful because it was a very large, confusing place. He then informed us that there was a free shuttle to the bus station. Awesome....

Until we got there. We walked into a ghost town of a bus station and looked around. The only people around us were other tourists who looked just as confused as us. It was in the middle of nowhere, there were no phones, and no way to change money. We were effectively stuck. We reluctantly bought tickets (tourist price, of course) to a bus that our guide swore would take us to Phnom Penh. We prayed it was true and sat down to wait.

While on the 8 hour bus ride to Phnom Penh, the absurdity of our situation struck us. We had only the desperatest of hopes that the bus was taking us to the right city. But once there we had no place to stay. We had no way of calling our contact to find out what to do. And we had no money. And thus we had not eaten at all that day and had barely had any water. We decided that if worst came to worst, Jon had a sleeping bag in his backpack so we could rough it for a night, taking turns sleeping and keeping watch. :) Living by a prayer, indeed!

In the end, we did arrive in Phnom Penh pretty late at night. We found a decent looking hostel (within our budget) in our travel guide, and even a tuk-tuk driver who could get us there with minimal stops to ask directions. We also discovered that they use US dollars here, so it was not essential for us to change money!

The moment we walked into that hotel was probably the most beautiful moment of our lives. It had a big, spacious room with a double bed and a single bed (Jon got the single bed... just to clarify. :)). And free internet. And AC. And a toilet! And a shower!!!!!!! We were so giddy with joy when the lady at the front desk told us that, I think we scared her a little. But we couldn't help it.

The next morning we just hung out in the room until check out time. It was wonderful to just relax and enjoy the AC, read a book, talk.... When our contact (James Pond) came to pick us up at the hotel, he was shaking his head.
"You are in a SHADY part of town, guys! This is where you can rent rooms by the hour..."

Hm. That may be. But I tell you... that night it was a gift from God and it was GLORIOUS.