Except that this time, I was not in the Philippines.
I was in Siem Reap, a tourist destination in Cambodia. For some reason, the person I transacted with decided this path for me. Instead of asking me if I prefer to go to Vietnam via plane, she took on the unwanted initiative and decided for me to experience this 12-hour bus ride.
My haggard self at Veerak Terminal in Siem Reap, Cambodia
The half-day bus ride consisted of Siem Reap to Pnom Penh, also located in Cambodia. This was a six-hour bus ride. Then from Pnom Penh, there would be another bus that would take me to Ho Chi Minh which was another six-hour ride.
The bus came and I started putting my luggage into the vehicle's compartment. And then I entered the bus, attempted to have a proper conversation with the Cambodian attendant. I would say I was 65% successful. Language barrier was real!
There I saw a 100% legit sleeper bus. I am not talking about reclining seat shit. I saw actual single beds lined up inside the bus with pillows and blankets. They were separated by walls and curtains to give passengers privacy. The guy assigned me on the second floor. He knew I could climb without stairs. But this petite body is a scam. I have a knee injury so it took me less than three minutes to figure out how to climb. But I managed.
I think I have prayed to God more in the last week of May than I have prayed my entire life. I took this upon myself. Solo traveling in three cities in three countries. Such a great idea! But for someone like me who sucks at direction and panics easily, it was a big challenge.
The bed in the bus was comfortable. I got a decent amount of sleep because I was lying flat. I would say this was the most comfortable bus ride I have ever experienced. There were also power outlets where you could charge your phone.
Literally there were beds inside the bus, they looked like bunk beds, I was assigned on the second floor behind the driver
I was seated right behind the driver so I could hear him speak Khmer (language in Cambodia) throughout the ride. My anxiety was super high - the driver yapping that I couldn't understand, the rain outside which made the windows foggy I couldn't see the roads, (I mean, even if I didn't know the place at least there was comfort seeing them but no), and most of all, I WAS THE ONLY FILIPINO IN THE BUS. There was no one to talk to, even if I wanted to, we would have a hard time understanding each other.
If you know me, you'd know that I find joy in solitude. I don't mind being alone. In fact, I thrive in being alone. But this time, I have never felt so alone and exposed in my life. I felt like a turtle with a transparent shell - weak, exposed, attack-able.
But you know what, I still managed to sleep. Because in this entire journey, I was actually safe. Cambodians are kind - they are very kind. And God allowed me to sleep. I realized, damn, I was always in my own bubble. I thought all my problems were big deal. And I only knew the Philippines. I traveled abroad in 2015, but this experience was way more exciting and challenging. It felt like my first time traveling again.
We left Siem Reap at 11pm and arrived at Pnom Penh a few minutes before 5am. I was the last to alight the bus because I had to figure out how to go down without the stairs. A Cambodian gentleman said, "jumping", suggesting that I just jump. No can do, Sir. My right knee would kill me. But then again, I managed.
Tuktuk drivers were already waiting by the bus door. Again, they talked Khmer to me and then I just uttered "Sorry". So they all pulled away. One driver said, "Pilipina", to which I said, "Yup".
As I alighted the bus, I felt like people were watching me like I am some sort of an alien. I really am. It was my first time there and my body language showed it all.
The terminal in Pnom Penh reminds me of bus terminals in Pasay except that this is smaller. Also, people seem nicer here. After feeling lost for a couple of minutes, I decided to enter a convenience store. I left my luggage on the side of the table, surrendering to the idea that people won't steal my things, and roamed around to find a decent food to eat with coffee. I decided to eat a cheese bread. Thanks to Google Translate, I found out which from the bread section is a cheese bread. I almost chose a slice of cake for breakfast.
My breakfast in Pnom Penh and my last meal in Cambodia
I paid for the cheese bread and ordered cafe latte, then the cashier said something like, "Here's the coffee, sister," I smiled. I sat on a chair and quietly consumed my breakfast.
There were restrooms inside the convenience store so I decided to take a pee there. Again, the ladies looked at me like I was an alien, but they were accommodating, they pointed me towards a vacant cubicle. I thanked them genuinely. In my head, I thank the Lord for these good people.
At 6:30am, a smaller bus with a sign Cambodia-Vietnam arrived. This was my second bus, I told myself. Again, I was seated behind the driver. It was a recurring theme so I guess my travel agency gave this specific instruction as I was traveling solo.
The bus that would take me from Pnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh
Yup, that was me literally behind the driver... again....
Again, no Filipino was present except me. But there were young white travelers, and they talked a lot. I actually had an epiphany in this whole traveling this. I should aspire to have the confidence of a white male. It totally makes sense. This is something that I have to learn for a longer period of time. I want to be confident when traveling.
We left a few minutes after 7AM. This time, I felt more confident. It was already morning. The sun was up, and I could see the roads and the side streets. The view is similar to the bus going to La Union, many trees, sidewalk vendors, the general rural vibe.
On the way to Ho Chi Minh
We had one stop over. It looks like an eatery and bakery run by a family. I went down and asked where the toilet is. The overall feel was very Filipino, except that the toilet bowl is lower, meant for urinating. I saw toilets like that in Sagada, Malaysia, and Singapore. After my break, the owner of the restaurant told me, "Driver waiting for you," it's time to travel again.
After about an hour, two guys wearing orange vests entered the bus and asked for our passport. And then they left. I felt a bit uncomfortable as they literally took my passport and left with their motorcycle. But then I chose to hide my panic.
Then, we approached the border of Cambodia. The guys in orange and the driver gave some instructions that I honestly did not understand. We went down, I asked my fellow passengers from Europe what we were supposed to do, they were also clueless. I asked and walked. Eventually, we went back inside the bus and then the orange guys gave our passports back. This time, it had a seal that says "Departure" in it. We were officially leaving Cambodia.
We continued in our journey. The driver asked if we need a SIM card to use in Vietnam. I told him, no. I wanted to elaborate further by saying that I have a roaming SIM (thank you, Globe), but of course, I want the conversation to be simple and straightforward because of our language barrier.
We reached the entrance building to Vietnam. We had to bring our luggage with us as we entered the security. This is another lesson for me. I need to pack light. I bring a lot of stuff and up until now, I still don't know how to pack my clothes properly.
There was a bit of commotion. I thought the Vietnamese guy did not return my passport, totally forgetting that I put it inside my bag. I am sorry, Sir. I was rattled. This is not one of my proudest moments.
We rode the bus again with our luggage. It was only a few minutes when my phone lost its signal. It is a sign that we are entering another territory. From Khmer signs I got used to seeing in two days, I have started seeing familiar letters but with lines and curves on top of them.
Finally, I am in Vietnam, I told myself.
I was tired, hungry, and alone. But when I recognized that I was already in Vietnam, I felt joy. Damn, this was just an idea I had for three years. I have always wanted to travel but I didn't have the time and the resources. Realizing that this dream has become a reality made me tear up a little bit. I looked like a fool inside the bus, crying calmly on my own. It was tears of joy. Then, I didn't notice I fell asleep. It's like my body is telling me, hush now, this is the last leg of your Indochina journey. You're safe. Rest, for now.
Two more hours have passed. At 1:30PM, we reached the bus terminal in Ho Chi Minh. I thanked the driver for bringing us safely.
Bus terminal in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Unlike my arrival in Thailand and Cambodia which was sunny, I entered Ho Chi Minh with a heavy rain.
For some reason, that made me more comfortable. The rain washed away my agony, anxiety, and fear.
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