Day 115 - Jack Bauer eat your heart out - Getting in and out of Phnom Penh in about 21 hours!

Early morning Phnom Penh

Day 115 - 16th October

I woke up abruptly when we rolled into Phnom Penh at 5:30am. My bunk buddy and I had a conversation and I found out she was heading to Vietnam. When she asked me what I was doing I told her I was in Phnom Penh for an hour or so for a chest X-Ray and then I was heading back to Siem Reap. She thought I was joking!

I headed back to 11 Backpackers Hostel where I stayed before to grab some breakfast. After poached eggs and bread accompanied by a banana shake, I headed over to the International Immigration Health Clinic about 5km outside of the city centre.

It was a flashy place, with a 5* hotel looking lobby. When I reached the fourth floor,I found about 50 Khmers staring at me as I stood out like a sore thumb. They checked my passport, I paid the $35 fee for the X-ray and waited. As much as I appreciate the NHS, they could sure take a leaf out of the Khmer's book. From the time it took me to leave the reception desk and walk ten feet across to a seat, they had called my name (I once had to wait six hours for a broken foot to be X-rayed with no painkillers in England!)

The doctor told me to take off my shirt and brace myself against the machine. Within ten seconds it was over and I was walking out into the waiting room again. Then I remembered I was shirtless and was scrambling to put it on in front of this bunch of old Khmer women (what a wally!)

Before I knew it, I was back at the hostel and waiting half an hour for my collection to transfer to the bus station.

It was a scorcher of a day and when I boarded the bus I knew even with air con it was going to be a long seven hours back to Siem Reap. I nodded in and out of a bumpy sleep, indulging in Oreos and crackers each time. I lost my 1500ml water under the seat in front of me which I regretted, and after three stops at various rest stations, I arrived back in Siem Reap at 6pm.

I had a quick dinner at my favourite cafe before I headed back to Bou Savy. By 9pm, I was out like a light. It had been a busy couple of days and I wanted to catch up on some decent sleep.

Now that's how you get to Phnom Penh, navigate, complete your mission and get back in just over 21 hours.