Well, it's one more day into the trip. I'm at an internet cafe waiting. I should be in Siem Reap right now, but instead, I'm starving and I'm sitting in an internet cafe in KL, sorting out my life in the way of a travel visa for Vietnam so I can fly in the morning.
After a bit of a late night with Steve, we got fed and packed up this morning and I headed to the airport. When I got to KL's Central Train/Bus station, I intended to catch the 9am bus to the airport. So, I went up to the window and asked for just such a ticket, paid, and waited near the buses.
And I waited. And I waited.
Finally, at about 9:02, I still hadn't gotten on a bus. Asking one of the busline employees, I inquired where our 9am bus was. He said, "None today. Just 9:30." I looked down at my ticket and sure enough, the woman from the ticket window gave me a ticket for the 9:30 bus without telling me there was no 9am bus.
Panicked, I waited the painstaking 29 minutes for the actual bus to leave. It's a 45-50 minute drive out and I knew I was cutting it close. I arrived, ran to the Malaysia Air check in counters and waited. I only had 30 minutes to depart, and the line was moving like molasses. I finally asked about 4 people if I could scoot to the front of the line... and only then did they tell me that the checkin cutoff is 45 minutes, and I couldn't board the plane. No way, no how. And since I bought a cheap ticket online, there was no refunds, exchanges, or understanding. I was hooped.
I tried to get another flight to Siem Reap but the next one didn't leave until tomorrow. Then I asked about Phnom Penh with the same response. Finally, I just decided that I'd catch a cheap flight to Vietnam instead and save Cambodia for next year, since I'm flying back to China through Hanoi. I paid for the ticket, went directly to check in and handed them my bag.
"Where is your visa for Vietnam, sir?" I was asked. My response: blank stare. I had forgotten all about the visa for Vietnam that you CAN'T get at the border. "I don't have one," I responded. Turns out that you can't even leave to Vietnam without a magic piece of paper. SO... I had to cancel the newest flight, truck myself back into KL and I'm now, finally, set with my Vietnam visa for the morning, I have a new flight, and I'm officially going to miss out on Angkor Wat this time. And I'm about $220 more broke because of the escapade.
I guess there has to be some rain in my sunny days. And what an expensive lesson to learn at a brutal time. However, I'm alive, I'm still adventuring, and Vietnam is going to be great, especially since I'm meeting up with some fellow travellers and possibly even my cousin from Canada. For now, though, food calls. I ate at 7am and it's 3:30pm. I might be dead. Gotta jet. Lots of love from the land of 30 degree heat and 99% humidity.
T
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